Belgium Wit - Bottling

[bigchilla77]

Hey guys,

My wit has been in the secondary for 7 days, and I know that the beer is supposed to be cloudy with yeast, so I am wondering how many more days should I leave it in there. For another week.. 3 days.. or what? thanks.

 

[DrunkTrucker]

I usually leave all my stuff in the secondary for two weeks. Thats what I was told when i first started out.

 

[homebrewer_99]

Wits and Weizens do not require a secondary.

With that said, you do have to make sure the FG is where the recipe says it should be. Once the FG is attained then it's time to bottle.

 

[pa-in-utah]

I have a belgian wit in the primary now (first batch ever), I am a brew virgin. I was going to use a secondary. Should I or not? If so, when should I transfer. If not, approx how many days until she is ready to bottle, 10 or so? It has been just over a day and no bubbles yet. I hope to see activity in the airlock tomorrow. The temp is about 67-70 degrees. Any and all advice please!!! Thanks.

pa-in-utah
John Henry Brewing Company

 

[mountainrev]

My first-ever Belgian Wit was bottled a week ago. However, Midwest, whom I bought the recipe kit from, recommends longer fermentation times with Belgians. I left mine in the primary for 10 days and in the secondary for 18. I was right on with the final gravity when I bottled. Tasted really good.

 

[Drunkensatyr]

I have a belgian wit in the primary now (first batch ever), I am a brew virgin. I was going to use a secondary. Should I or not? If so, when should I transfer. If not, approx how many days until she is ready to bottle, 10 or so? It has been just over a day and no bubbles yet. I hope to see activity in the airlock tomorrow. The temp is about 67-70 degrees. Any and all advice please!!! Thanks.

pa-in-utah
John Henry Brewing Company

It won't hurt you to use a secondary, but homebrewer_99 is right, you don't really gain any advantages by using a secondarywith Wit's, except that it frees your primary up for another batch *wink*. I personally use a secondary for ALL my beers. I don't know of a beer that would be hurt by using a secondary. Since I have at least 3 brews fermenting at almost all times, my primarys are "Prime" real estate.

 

[jrecords]

I usually go by the 123 rule. 1 week in the primary, 2 in the secondary, and 3 in the bottles conditioning. although I'm pretty new to brewing as well it seems to be a general rule that people use. happy brewing!

 

[homebrewer_99]

I usually go by the 123 rule. 1 week in the primary, 2 in the secondary, and 3 in the bottles conditioning. although I'm pretty new to brewing as well it seems to be a general rule that people use. happy brewing!

I never use the "1-2-3 Rule" (practice) because I know how to use a hydrometer.

 

[Evan!]

I never use the "1-2-3 Rule" (practice) because I know how to use a hydrometer.

Um, which hydrometer do you have? Because mine doesn't have any measurement for clarification, carboy aging, or bottle conditioning times. Yours must be a high-end model, to be able to measure all that...

 

[homebrewer_99]

Um, which hydrometer do you have? Because mine doesn't have any measurement for clarification, carboy aging, or bottle conditioning times. Yours must be a high-end model, to be able to measure all that...

THAT...comes with experience... ROTFLMAO...

 

[cnapierala]

Leave it in there as long as you can or as long as you can stand it. Id say 2-4 weeks min. otherwise there isnt much of a point in going to a secondary IMO.

 

[ColoradoXJ13]

I feel like many of the posts in this thread are coming from people who didn't bother to read the thread...

In any case, my Wit was in the primary for 6 days, OG was about 1.06, SG was 1.03 when I racked saturday (needed the primary for another brew) but it has continued to blow-off and ferment in the secondary, still going today. I figure I will rack again when fermentation stops and the SG is around 1.01x, let it settle for a couple days, then bottle.

 

[Evan!]

I feel like many of the posts in this thread are coming from people who didn't bother to read the thread...

In any case, my Wit was in the primary for 6 days, OG was about 1.06, SG was 1.03 when I racked saturday (needed the primary for another brew) but it has continued to blow-off and ferment in the secondary, still going today. I figure I will rack again when fermentation stops and the SG is around 1.01x, let it settle for a couple days, then bottle.

I indeed read it. Anyhow, here's my response to the above:

• You shouldn't rack from primary until fermentation is visibly finished. You risk stunting fermentation. Wait until the krausen has fallen before you transfer. If you're that impatient, then your next investment should be another 6.5 gal vessel.
• You don't need to rack it a third time. It's a wheat beer. It's supposed to have suspended yeast, etc. The next racking should be into the bottling bucket.
• Don't determine when to bottle by the number of days since X, etc. Determine it by taking an SG reading, recording it, then taking another one 2 days later. If it's the same, then you can bottle. Otherwise, you're just asking for bottle bombs or gushers.

 

[obxgeorge]

Just checked the records on my last batch of Belgium Wit. Brewed it on 1/13/2007 (SG 1044) and bottled it on 2/10/2007 (FG 1008). It was in the primary for the whole time. I don't secondary my Wits at all.

[email protected]

 

[King of the Swill]

The wheat beer will be cloudy even after being in the secondary for two weeks (its supposed to be) so it is not that important to let it sit for two weeks. I have used the 1-1-3 method for all my beers and have not been disappointed yet. Conditioning in the bottle is most important. After 3 weeks in the bottle it will be really good, after 5 weeks it will be excellent. Enjoy

 

[BierMuncher]

Ya know? If we were all kegging, we'd have a lot less to argue about....

FWIW, My Belgian Wit started a wicked second "frothing" about 4 days into the primary.

The first 72 hours the krausen was high, but sudsy. The "second coming" of the krausen on day 4 was a rich creamy krausen that had me putting a blowoff tube on again.

If it were me and I were bottling, 7 days in primary, 7 days in secondary and bottle it. But take a reading every other day to avoid a sneaky refermentation.