need a beer for a party, max 21 day primary - WLP400, WLP530?

sowoah · Apr 10, 2018

I am trying to make 1 beer to roundout my keezer for a party in a few weeks. Thinking a Belgian Single or a Witbier or something in between(not much for style guidelines):

40-80% Dutch Pilsner
40-50% German Wheat or 5-10% Munich
0-5% Carapils
0-10% Table Sugar or light Invert Sugar
150 F mash
1.05 OG

You get the idea.

For yeast I have WLP400, WLP530, and US-05. I would probably prefer them in that order. I know WLP400 is the slowest. I know 3 weeks isn't a long time for WLP530 either. But is it possible to have a good beer, with the log OG? I plan on a very healthy yeast:

1L starter w/nutrient & stirplate
pure o2 at pitching
pitch@~68, 2-3 days later let it start to raise to 78 by day 7.

I can carb it in 2 days.

So, people familiar with WLP400 and WLP530, for this kind of beer, what is the minimum primary time for each? I'm ok if the beer peaks weeks or months later in the keg, but I want it to be good 2 days after kegging. An American Wheat (with the euro malts obvs) is my contingency plan.

user 70770 · Apr 10, 2018

If your starter is healthy, your beer should reach final gravity way before your 21 day limit given it’s a pretty standard strength beer at 1.050.

mirthfuldragon · Apr 10, 2018

I kegged a Blue Moon-esque Belgian wit with WLP 550 (actually Omega Belgian W, but same difference) at day 11 (cold crashed at day 9) and was drinking it on day 15. It came out very nice. OG was 1.050, finished at 1.010 or thereabouts.

One major thing I have learned from my Tilt digital hydrometer is that beers hit FG a lot faster than I thought.

Also, for my wit, I used orange blossom honey in the fermentor just after peak krausen (50% attenuation or thereabouts) and it came through nicely, pairing with late additiona Amarillo hops. Pleasant orange citrus with a good body, lovely semi-opaque straw gold, and head that you can float a bottle cap on that lasts to the bottom of the glass.