Is more than a week too long????

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MON3YMiK3

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I have a Hef in my primary its been in there since saturday 17th. It has very little foam on top.And i messed btw and did not take O.G either. Well my main question is should I bottle asap or wait till all the foam on top settles???
 
From what I have learned so far is, that with a Hef 10 days in the primary is the "Target". I would grab a hydro sample and take a SG reading and see what it is today, and the next few days. Here is a post on my upcoming Hef brew This is only my third batch so take my advice with a grain of salt, but I bet that its not ready yet.

What style did you do? German, American? I would like to see you recipe.

What did you ferment in, a bucket or a carboy with a blow off tube? I will be doing mine in an ale pale with an airlock.
 
Never ever bottle less than a week after fermentation starts! Ever!!@ You will get bottle grenades from incomplete fermentation. Wait until the krausen settles, then do the hydrometer readings several days apart like the mad hatter suggested.
 
I like to wait def. after krausen settles and about 3 days after that so the yeast can clean up after themselves. Be patient.
 
Give it 2 full weeks before you start worrying about it. Then take your reading and then another 2 days later. If it is stable and in the neighborhood of your target FG go ahead and bottle.
 
I don't know if it is different for Hef's but with my ales I've been leaving them up to a month in primary, then bottling, and my beers have stepped up a notch in terms of clarity and crispness in flavors. The yeasties do a great job of cleaning up after themselves.
 
From what I have learned so far is, that with a Hef 10 days in the primary is the "Target". I would grab a hydro sample and take a SG reading and see what it is today, and the next few days. Here is a post on my upcoming Hef brew This is only my third batch so take my advice with a grain of salt, but I bet that its not ready yet.

What style did you do? German, American? I would like to see you recipe.

What did you ferment in, a bucket or a carboy with a blow off tube? I will be doing mine in an ale pale with an airlock.

Its a american Hef. Im using a glass carboy I didn't need blow off. and the recipe is this:

6 lbs Malt Wheat Extract.
1oz #1Mt.Hood (4.6%) 60min
Yeast: Whitelabs WLP320 American Hefeweizen
65-75 Fermenting Degrees F.

I didn't take one but I should have
S.G 1.044
 
I let my hefe sit in primary for three weeks before bottling, partly due to laziness. I popped open my one week tester and it was very tasty. Leaving it alone can only help.
 
Since it is a wheat, no need to go to secondary. I'll echo what others say- Let it sit in there at least two weeks before bottling. Your beer will taste and look better sooner after bottling.
 
Since it is a wheat, no need to go to secondary. I'll echo what others say- Let it sit in there at least two weeks before bottling. Your beer will taste and look better sooner after bottling.

Thanks that gives me more time to get some bottles! lol
 
just bottled an american wheat two weeks ago ( my first wheat )
It sat in primary for three weeks, by the time I bottled it was much clearer than I expected. First taste will be next weekend.

3 weeks in primary
3 weeks in the bottle
2 days in the fridge

thats my formula for this one
 
Never any reason to rush. Everyone has their own preference, but try to do 3-6 weeks in the primary-then straight to bottles for at least 3 weeks before drinking (OK sometimes I sneak one after 2)...it really tastes the best after 4-5 weeks in the bottle.

As mentioned, after fermentation, there's a lot of 'cleaning up' that is necessary. So it's good to wait a while to bottle even weeks after visible fermentation is finished.
 
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