drinking too early...

[ahoym8e]

My Hefeweizen was a quick one. It fermented to completion in 2 days. I left it in the fermenter for about 10, just because I didn't have bottles ready, but now 5 days after the botting the beer is clear as can be (at room temp), so I just starting drinking it. It tastes awesome. I lived in Germany for 20 years, so I know what a Hefeweizen should taste like.

I began drinking my Koelsch about a week or so after bottling too, and it wasn't much worse than it is now, 4 weeks on.

My conclusion is that for small beers, extended bottle conditioning = overrated.

 

[homebrewer_99]

Where'd you live in Germany?

I live in Augsburg for 4 years and Bamberg for 5.

 

[david_42]

A good rule of thumb: one week, start to finish, per ABV. I've made many a small beer that was good at 4-5 weeks.

 

[ahoym8e]

Where'd you live in Germany?

I live in Augsburg for 4 years and Bamberg for 5.

Stuttgart and Berlin mostly. Air force brat.

 

[ahoym8e]

A good rule of thumb: one week, start to finish, per ABV. I've made many a small beer that was good at 4-5 weeks.

I'm sure that's a great rule, and it applied to my Koelsch (sort of).

I had another bottle of Hefe last night (had been in the bottle for 6 days), and it was just fantastic. I cannot see how it could possibly get any better with more time. I will post back about it in 3 weeks though with my thoughts then.

 

[ahoym8e]

I am making a pretty big IIPA, and I suppose it will take quite a bit of time in the bottle. Hefe just seems to be faster.

 

[cweston]

Yup--hefeweizens especially seem to be at their best when they are young.

 

[Monk]

is it true that less hoppy beers tend to be ready a lot quicker? that's the impression I get from what I've brewed...but that's not a lot of data to draw on (newb).

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

My last Hefeweizen was in the secondary for just over 40 days (it just happened like that...). It certainly wasn't as good as I was hoping, though it still had some cloudiness when chilled. My latest batch was in the primary for a week and will be bottled after a week in the secondary where it's now clearing. I'm curious to taste the results.

 

[sonvolt]

I recently did a "Big" American Pale ale . . . (or small IPA, I guess). It started at 1.071 and finished at 1.008. By my calculations, this puts it over 8% ABV by my calculations. I thought that this beer would take a number of weeks (8 by the recommendations above) to really begin tasting good.

I bottled after two weeks in the secondary dry-hopped and this beer was crystal clear. What's more . . . the taste was spectacular - even flat and warm! I literally had to stop myself from too much sampling.

I really can't understand this beer getting any better than it was. So, IMO, conditioning requirements are always dependent on the beer itself. I hope that I am wrong, though, and this beer gets even better. If it does . . . :cross:

 

[homebrewer_99]

I guess you heard the phrase "Bigger than Stuttgart" more than once.

I've been to Berlin too.

 

[ahoym8e]

In my opinion the chilled Hefeweizen is almost always cloudy. In Germany the cloudy one is called just “Hefeweizen,” and the clear one “Kristall” or Kristall Hefeweizen.” The Kristall is actually a lager, I believe.

My Hefeweizen is crystal clear at room temp, but gets the traditional color when chilled. I couldn’t be happier with color, level of opacity, taste, head, carbonation or anything.

My last Hefeweizen was in the secondary for just over 40 days (it just happened like that...). It certainly wasn't as good as I was hoping, though it still had some cloudiness when chilled. My latest batch was in the primary for a week and will be bottled after a week in the secondary where it's now clearing. I'm curious to taste the results.

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

In my opinion the chilled Hefeweizen is almost always cloudy. In Germany the cloudy one is called just “Hefeweizen,” and the clear one “Kristall” or Kristall Hefeweizen.” The Kristall is actually a lager, I believe.

My Hefeweizen is crystal clear at room temp, but gets the traditional color when chilled. I couldn’t be happier with color, level of opacity, taste, head, carbonation or anything.

Not exactly...Kristallweizen is an ale, just a Hefeweizen that has been filtered. Even a Hefeweizen will eventually clarify if conditioned for enough time at a temperature which precipitates the proteins.

 

[uwmgdman]

you can drink a beer too early, but it's never too early to drink a beer...

 

[homebrewer_99]

In Germany the cloudy one is called just “Hefeweizen,” and the clear one “Kristall” or Kristall Hefeweizen.” The Kristall is actually a lager, I believe. My Hefeweizen is crystal clear at room temp, but gets the traditional color when chilled. I couldn’t be happier with color, level of opacity, taste, head, carbonation or anything.

Like the Baron said, both are ales. One's filtered the other's not. FWIW, a filtered Hefe Weizen is called a Kristall Weizen, not a Kristall Hefeweizen. I don't mean to correct you on-line, but I figured other may not know the answer either. Sorry.

Sometimes when you order a Hefe Weizen they may ask "mit oder ohne hefe?" (with or without yeast?)

Mine are also clear until I add the yeast sediment...the best part...it makes the head creamy.

Tschüß!

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

Mine are also clear until I add the yeast sediment...the best part...it makes the head creamy.

Totally clear? I can get a barley beer pretty dang clear (given time), but my Weizens seem to maintain a bit of cloudiness. Although, I haven't actually tried that hard. But I agree, it's pretty moot after you dump the yeast in

 

[ahoym8e]

Like the Baron said, both are ales. One's filtered the other's not. FWIW, a filtered Hefe Weizen is called a Kristall Weizen, not a Kristall Hefeweizen. I don't mean to correct you on-line, but I figured other may not know the answer either. Sorry.

Sometimes when you order a Hefe Weizen they may ask "mit oder ohne hefe?" (with or without yeast?)

Mine are also clear until I add the yeast sediment...the best part...it makes the head creamy.

Tschüß!

Ja Stimmt.. Du hast recht. Kristallweizen... Es ist mindestens 10 Jahre her das ich in Deutschland gewohnt habe...

Aber ich erninnere mich genau an Hefeweizen, und es war beim schuetten (auch ohne die Hefe am Flaschenboden) nicht ganz klar und durchsichtig.

Siehste mal, ich lerne jeden Tag dazu. Deshalb schreibe ich immer hier im "newby" Forum

Prost!

 

[homebrewer_99]

Ja Stimmt.. Du hast recht. Kristallweizen... Es ist mindestens 10 Jahre her das ich in Deutschland gewohnt habe...Aber ich erninnere mich genau an Hefeweizen, und es war beim schuetten (auch ohne die Hefe am Flaschenboden) nicht ganz klar und durchsichtig. Siehste mal, ich lerne jeden Tag dazu. Deshalb schreibe ich immer hier im "newby" Forum...Prost!

Alles klar, ich verstehe. Es ist nicht "Du hast recht" aber "du bist recht". Es ist mir egal.

Ich wohnt in Deutschland neun jahre. Einmal ich war eine Soldat (vier jahre0 und letzte mal ich war ein Zivilist (fünf jarhe).
Ich hat zu viele hefe weizen getrunken.
Bist nachtst mal. Ade!