Bottling first partial mash

[joeirvine]

Made my first partial mash 11 days ago. 3 lbs DME Wheat malt extract, 2 or 3 lbs corn sugar, and 1lb of crystal 20L with 1oz hallertau hops and a White Labs Hefe yeast (300 or 330 I think). 5.5gallons ish. I let it sit in primary for 10 days at around 65-68 degrees and the fermentation slowed significantly in last 3 days. I bottled last night and it smelled amazing, ten times better than I was even hoping for. I added the 2cups of water an 4-5oz of corn sugar for priming. I'm shooting for a nice light hefeweizen and I know they are better young but I was just wondering how long I should let them sit in the bottles. I've heard and read anything from 3 weeks after the pitch to 5 weeks after the pitch. If it makes a difference they're sitting in basement at around 58 degrees. Any tips or suggestions appreciated, I'm really just winging it and don't what to mess up what seems like a good beer right now.

 

[ChshreCat]

3 weeks is a good rule of thumb if they're sitting at about 70 degrees or warmer. At 58, they're probably going to take a lot longer than that to carb up properly.

Not sure what you mean "three weeks after the pitch". Usually "pitch" refers to when you add your yeast. Your timing for carbonation is based on when you bottle the beer, not when you pitched the yeast. Most of us go three weeks or more after pitching before we even bottle the beer.

 

[jonmohno]

Steeping crystal grains isnt a mash,either it is steeping.What you did sounds like extract plus steeping grains.Its a good start with the wheat and crystal.although i would have subbed the sugar with light dme or golden.Im not shure how well that much sugar makes a beer taste,but im shure it will turn out good.I really like how hallertau hops turn out
I did a pumpkin partial mash with light dme wheat malt grain crystal 20 vienna used brown sugar and had sugar in the prespiced pumpkin can, and use two types of yeast, I do think the wheat and sugar did make for an interesting beer.Although it was a combo of the 2 yeast and all the spice flavors, I really like using wheat and if you like dunklewiezens definatley make one.Dark wheat beers are becoming my current favorite. Hope yours turns out good
A partial mash would be using base malts longer than a steep to create fermentables.Steeping is flavor color mostly unfermentable sugars.

 

[joeirvine]

Ahhh, my bad on the partial mash thing. Yeah the recipe called for like 5lbs of wheat dme but I didn't have it on hand and read a while back how cornsugar is a good way to boost alcohol volume without affecting flavor so I figured the substitute would just leave me a lighter body. Just a guess though. Thanks for clarifying the mash thing though, I'll try one in the next couple weeks or so.

In response to the after the pitch thing, I was reading that with hefe's some people pitch the yeast, let it sit in primary for a week, then bottle for two weeks, or three weeks, or four. Sorry I didn't make it clearer but that is what I meant by 3 weeks after the pitch. I just read that hefe's are best young and that is why some people finish them so quickly.

I will probably move the bottles out of the basement then and let them sit at around 65 to 70 degrees for two weeks try one and continue from there.