No secondary- wheat beer

[worty]

I just finished reading the directions on the kit I'm using. It's True Brew american style wheat. It says you should let the stuff settle for 3-4 days after fermentation stops, then bottle. I was expecting to need a secondary.
Does the 123 rule hurt with wheat beer? Will I be able to tell a difference if I use a secondary?

 

[kush]

I too would like to know the answers. I just racked my hefe to a secondary and would like to know if I should keg/bottle it asap. Thanks.

 

[Judd]

The 123 rule is a great rule of thumb, but there are exceptions. Some people say that using a secondary at all is useless. Wheat beers are unique in that they peak very quickly, sometimes only 3 weeks after brew day. I guess, to make a potentially long answer short, bottling your wheat beer soon is generally considered advisable, and you can start cracking the bottles pretty soon too.

 

[Benny Blanco]

Since the secondary is mostly considered a "clearing" tank, there is no need to get your wheat beer clear since it's desirable for your beer to be cloudy. Plus they are best when they are young so give it another 7-10 days in your primary after you are done fermenting then bottle away. Drink it while it's young.

I recently made a wit that I had to put into secondary because it had a very strong sulfur smell. Once I racked to secondary I didn't notice the smell. Probably just me being paranoid. I'm going to let it sit in the secondary for only 5 or 6 days then bottle....but it wasn't necessary.

 

[Kai]

Wheat beers are, I understand, best as fresh as possible; so trust your hydrometer, and as soon as you're sure the gravity's not still dropping, get it in bottles to drink fresh and delicious.
Right?

 

[Spyk'd]

This all being said, I say wheat beer needs a minimum of 3 weeks to be drinkable and if you bottle from primary, I'd say 4 weeks to drink.




And if you cold crash your beers, MAYBE 2 weeks, but that's really pushing it!

 

[Go Gators]

Now would a summer ale be considered a wheat beer? I know the guy at my LHBS said it was a "half" wheat ale. Just wondering because I just bottled my summer ale after six days in the primary, and 9 days in the secondary.

 

[BuffaloSabresBrewer]

I think my hefe was better after a couple extra weeks in the bottles.

 

[shafferpilot]

So the "general rule" that doesn't apply to wheats is: The longer it sits, the better.