Help! Dunkelweizen stop fermenting after 3 days

[Alsatian86]

racked my dunkelweizen in carboy on Saturday night ( more like 1:00 A.M. Sunday). Didn't realize that the fermometer measured internal temp! during the day on Sunday it got to the max (78) so it could have been anywhere above that into the 80's or more for several hours. Put it into a bathtub and got internal temp to between 64 and 72. But today (Tuesday) I checked on the carboy and noticed that bubbling had ceased, and the kreuzen had disappeared. I took a SG sample and got around 1.014, I think. But it didn't taste so good (almost a slight vinegar taste maybe?). Did I royally screw up this batch? Should I let it sit longer? Should I bottle (or even bother?). It's sitting now out of the tub at 64 internal temp. Thanks!

 

[JonM]

RDWHAHB!!!

It's probably fine. 1.014 is a fine finishing gravity. It's probably just done fermenting. If it's done, no need to fuss about temperature. It probably tastes funny because it's really really green. It's probably fine.

 

[Alsatian86]

Cool, thanks. Should I let it stay in carboy longer, or bottle it and condition?

 

[JonM]

Well, as long as it's in the carboy, might as well let it sit for a little while. Just make sure the gravity is stable before bottling and you should be good.

 

[JimRausch]

I second letting it sit for a week or two. The beer will thank you.
Visible active fermentation may be over, but the yeast are still working, cleaning up some of those off-flavors that the high temps created.

 

[Alsatian86]

Thanks guys. I know there must be a million noobs on here every other day crying that the sky is falling. I'll just let it sit a while and keep taking SG samples every so often. For future reference should I throw carboy in a water bath soon after pitching yeast? I'm trying to brew wheat beers (Wyeast 3068, 3333).

 

[flars]

Thanks guys. I know there must be a million noobs on here every other day crying that the sky is falling. I'll just let it sit a while and keep taking SG samples every so often. For future reference should I throw carboy in a water bath soon after pitching yeast? I'm trying to brew wheat beers (Wyeast 3068, 3333).

Temperature control should start before the yeast is pitched. The yeast and beer will be better off if you pitch at or just below the optimum fermentation temperature. Optimum temps for the best flavors are usually near the low end of the temperature range for the yeast.
It is much easier to let the wort warm to the best fermentation temperature than try to cool down an overly warm active fermentation.
Yeast as it becomes active begins producing heat. The higher the OG beers will produce higher temperatures. Temperatures will increase 3°F to 10°F depending on the OG.

 

[Alsatian86]

Final question. Secondary ferment or not? I heard for weizens, or wheat/unfiltered beers in general this is not necessary, or even counterproductive, but thought in my case it might be good.