To bottle or not to bottle

[C4PNJ4ZZ]

I brewed a wit for my brothers rehearsal dinner which is in one month (8/6). I brewed it with the hopes of going 3 weeks in primary, 4 weeks in the bottle. The fermentation was long, about 16 days of slow bubbling and slow gravity drop (longer than ive experienced). I checked the gravity tonight and it was finished ~1.010. I tasted the sample and I was not happy. Definitely had some hot alcohols which are likely from the fermentation getting up to 78 before I could reel it into a steady ~71 after 2 days.

I used White Labs Belgian Wit yeast.

So the question is, do I let it sit another week in primary or bottle tomorrow and hope those yeast get to cleaning in the next month while bottled. This is of course while knowing that it might not clean up before for the wedding and I'll have to make a few mix packs of my left over blonde, porter and IPAs.

PS I'm already HAHB...which I am loving

 

[JMSetzler]

I would bottle it and let it sit until the wedding. Have a sample a couple days before and I bet it will be good.

 

[beerkrump]

I'd let it sit in the primary another week. If the yeast is going to do a job cleaning, you might as well have as many of those little boogers working for as you can.

 

[JMSetzler]

I agree with beerkrump, but the reason I suggested bottling is to make sure you have your desired carbonation before you need the beer. Three weeks may be enough time to carb though...

 

[C4PNJ4ZZ]

I agree with beerkrump, but the reason I suggested bottling is to make sure you have your desired carbonation before you need the beer. Three weeks may be enough time to carb though...

That was my concern, it doesn't matter if cleans up perfectly if its not good and carbed on the date.

 

[JMSetzler]

Maybe leave it in the fermenter for a couple more days and split the difference...

 

[C4PNJ4ZZ]

Update: so i went ahead and bottled on 7/9 (3 weeks ago). I tried a bottle last week to see how it was coming along and it was still hot and phenolic. I threw a couple bottles in the fridge yesterday in hopes that a day in the fridge would help it settle out. And boy was i surprised when I tried one tonight, it's a good drinking beer. The nasty hot stuff has dissipated severely. I think another week and it will be a winner. It definitely will be on the estery side of things, but I'm ok with that (more beer for me and the groomsmen if people dont like it). This is my first green beer to great beer experience. Most of the other beers I have made tasted great straight out of primary. I'll take this as a lesson.

Thanks for the help

I also bottled a PM blonde tonight that I made off the washed yeast of the wit. I think it is going to be a great beer.

 

[Kauai_Kahuna]

Great to hear its working for you.
I was surprised by the first and only wit I made, it took a very long time to ferment, longer to condition and while it tasted good at 3 months, it tasted fantastic at 6.
Now I have a few bottles ageing to determine for myself it's perfect time. But hands down it's a lot longer than I'm used to. Next time I manage to fill my pipeline a wit is the next on the program.
I really hope it it's great when you serve it.