Need help with Peach Wheat

[JeffoC6]

Hey gang,

I'm heading out on vacation from Sat August 4th-11th and have told my brother, dad, and sister in law that I'd brew a beer of their choice (1-gallon AG batches). My sister in law has requested a peach wheat.

I'm not looking for a recipe or anything, but rather some critiquing on my planned process.

I have already brewed a raspberry wheat (1-gallon AG batch) and added the raspberries to a secondary 1-gallon jug after FG was reached. I then racked over the raspberries and let it sit for a week. After some manuevering, I was able to get most of the beer into the bottles, but I had some issues with floating raspberries, etc.

Here's my question. I have since purchased a 2 gallon plastic fermenter. I'd like to ferment the peach wheat for 2 weeks to FG, and then rack it into my 2 gallon fermenter and drop a muslin bag full of peaches in for a week. I'm thinking that after a week is up, I can simply scoop out the bag of peaches and cold crash for a day or 2 to let any floaties drop out. Is there going to be an issue of having too much head space in the 2 gallon plastic fermenter? If I've only got 1 gallon of wheat beer in it, is the head space going to cause oxidation problems for me?

I really want to use the bucket for this due to the ease of dropping in the peaches using a muslin bag (or 2 if needed) and then just simply pulling them out when done and racking to bottles.

Thoughts?

 

[dicowitz88]

Its shouldnt be a problem

 

[JeffoC6]

Its shouldnt be a problem

So the extra 1-gallon of headspace (air) won't oxidize my beer while it sits there for 7 days? How come?

 

[dicowitz88]

The co2 gas first has to fill the fermentor to be released from airlock or blowoff creating a barrier co2 is heavier than air so it will pretty much repel incoming air i breew 5 gallons batch in a 6.5 gallon fermentor it will be ok

 

[JeffoC6]

The co2 gas first has to fill the fermentor to be released from airlock or blowoff creating a barrier co2 is heavier than air so it will pretty much repel incoming air i breew 5 gallons batch in a 6.5 gallon fermentor it will be ok

Not that I don't believe you, but just to clarify, I'm going to be using a 1 gallon glass carboy to ferment the wheat beer down to FG (2 weeks). Then, I'm going to rack it to my 2 gallon plastic fermenter, add the peaches in muslin bags, and let it hang for another week. Basically I'm concerned because that "barrier" of CO2 will be all gone after I rack from the primary to secondary, right? Or will the barrier still be there?

 

[dicowitz88]

The beer will have some carbonation thus expelling co2 and i assume ur using actual peaches and not concentrate due to tge sugar in the peach a second fermentation will begin although not nearly on the same level

 

[Draken]

Not that I don't believe you, but just to clarify, I'm going to be using a 1 gallon glass carboy to ferment the wheat beer down to FG (2 weeks). Then, I'm going to rack it to my 2 gallon plastic fermenter, add the peaches in muslin bags, and let it hang for another week. Basically I'm concerned because that "barrier" of CO2 will be all gone after I rack from the primary to secondary, right? Or will the barrier still be there?

No that is a problem. Just ferment in the bucket. Add the peaches as you described in the bucket and move along. If you keep the lid closed except when absolutely necessary the CO2 will protect the beer. I would skip the 1g glass carbon entirely.

 

[iambeer]

What I would do in your shoes is use another 1 gallon carboy after two weeks. With the added fruit, and without the trub, it should be back to nearly original level.

I'm not convinced about the oxidation myth--too many conflicting messages.