My Hefeweizen is STRONG...

[GnarlyChick]

After 10 days of being in primary I checked the gravity and it was 1.009 and was suppose to be around 1.012, not too far off. So i bottled the next day. Its been about a week after bottling, I wanted to make sure everything was going as it should so I put a bottle in the fridge and opened it the next day. The carbonation was actually right on already, the flavor was great but it was very STRONG! Will this strong alcohol taste fade after a couple weeks? Or is this what its going to stay like? Also, what causes the gravity to go past where you intend it to be?

 

[chumpsteak]

Is it possible your fermentation temps were too high? High temps can cause high attenuation and a hot alcohol taste. I have 5 gallons that's been sitting in bottles for 3 months now because its still undrinkable due to hot alcohol from high ferm temps (75C). Do you control your ferm temps?

 

[GnarlyChick]

ah I checked the temps daily and it usually was around 68 but the first 2 days it was more like 73-74...

 

[DrinkNoH2O]

ah I checked the temps daily and it usually was around 68 but the first 2 days it was more like 73-74...

The first 48 hours are the most critical in keeping it cool. The fact that it was around 73-74 those days is your likely culprit.

 

[SIXFOOTER]

How much malt did you use?
The first Hefe I made had 7 lbs of malt, it was strong, but it rocked.