Is it best to bottle you're hefe as soon as FG is stable or give it the usual 2 - 3 weeks in primary? Or is it just a matter of personal preference? It is my understanding that a hefe is best young. What are your thoughts?
Qhrumphf said:That's a tough one. I've found my ciders to reach their stride (once the flavors mellow and blend together) around 6-8 months old. That's a lot longer than I'd leave a hefe.
Deam said:Apologies for stirring a dead thread, but thought I might be able to chime in with my own experience - I just recently polished off the last bottle from the first batch I ever brewed, a Blood Orange Hefe made 2 years ago, and it was still delicious. Granted there hasn't been any improvement in flavor over the past year and a half, but it didn't go bad either!
No worries, that's promising for me. I've got a case left of my apfelweizen. I just put it in the fridge last week after two months bottle aging. I tried a few and they have certainly improved. They have a much bigger head with better retention. Also, I'm picking up more banana and clove indicative of the style. Very awesome. Can't wait to see how it ages even more.
If there's any way to do it, cold crash the fermenter before kegging.
Especially if you're going the burst-carb/shake'n'bake route...
Cheers!
Cold crashing a hefe? Maybe semi-cold crash?
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