Weissbier conditioning question

[Jaeger48]

So my first batch in the primary is a Dubbel I expect to ferment in the primary for a while because of the higher OG and then I'm going to transfer to my secondary and condition for a few weeks.

Until then I'd like to brew a weissbier in my 5 gallon secondary with a blow off tube (should make up for the smaller head space) and move straight to bottling. My idea is that I'll be able to have the secondary freed up in time to transfer the Dubbel.

Will my weissbier be ok going straight to bottle conditioning or should I reconsider and run it through the secondary as well?

 

[Iordz]

You can brew a hefeweizen in a 5gal carboy but it will blow off a lot, you might end up with a 4gal batch. A hefeweizen is a good choice because they are good young beers. You could bottle it within a week of pitching, but I would suggest taking a hydrometer reading to ensure fermentation is complete. However, I like to leave my hefeweizens in the primary for two weeks, gives the yeast some time to clean up and "refine" the beer a little more.

 

[gruntingfrog]

You can leave your Dubbel in the primary for up to a month while your other brew is in your secondary. I used to have one primary and three secondary fermenters which I would cycle through. After hearing that Jamil Zainasheff doesn't use a secondary, I turned all my secondary fermenters into primaries with blow off tubes. Unless you plan on leaving your beer in a carboy for more than a month, you won't get any off flavors from the trub.

 

[Jaeger48]

Thank you very much for the input. I'm definitely planning on taking steady hydro readings before racking.

 

[Jaeger48]

Oh yeah, my 5 gal secondary is working great. My vigorous fermentation is over and I put a lock on it. I'll let it set for a while longer and then it'll be on to bottling next week. Took a grav reading and *BOOM* sample even though warm and young was good.

Officially HOOKED! Satisfying to say the least.

 

[Jaeger48]

Racked and bottled Saturday last week and poured one last night.

My beer was HORRIBLE. Overpowering green apple flavor, more so when chilled than at room temp. Will this condition out in the bottle? I read in Palmer's book it might but this isn't just a hint, it dominates the flavor.

 

[Jaeger48]

bump*

I know patience is the best thing so tomorrow I'm going to pick up ingredients for a pale ale and bottles for my Dubbel.

 

[mysterio]

Green apple flavour is a naturally occuring fermentation by-product acetaldehyde, a very common flavour in young beer (hence 'green' beer). The good news is it's re-absorbed by the yeast fairly promptly, give your bottles another week or two.

I remember the same thing the first ever time I bottled a wheat beer, it tasted disgusting the first week in the bottle and amazing the third.