Wheat Beer Fermentation question

[alemale]

HI,
I still call myself a rookie brewer. This is my third batch and this time I decided to brew Hank's Wheat Beer (a Kit from Midwest Brew supplies).

The instructions said to primary-ferment it for a week and recommended a secondary fermentation. As I was getting ready for my secondary fermentation and as I opened my primary fermentation bucket, I noticed a very think foam floating on the top. I am not sure if my beer is ruined or this is how a wheat beer ferments. It never happened to me when I brewed IPA. I forgot to take the Initial Gravity but the brew appeared fermenting normally during the week based on the frequency of the bubbles , I saw ! I am not sure what is going on? Any suggestions ?? Thanks.

AP

 

[Parker36]

Probably just krausen. Happens with every beer. Don't transfer it yet. Wait until it goes down, then transfer if you want. I would say, though, that is not common to put a wheat into secondary unless you need the space to brew more. You can always just leave it in primary an extra week or two.

 

[Arkador]

+1 wait for the kruzen to fall. I also would just leave it in primary for the full 2 weeks then rack it to your bottling bucket.

 

[elkdog]

+1 for giving it another week and then bottling. Wheat beers don't need to condition much, and you don't need a secondary for them either.

 

[pericles]

+1 to no secondary. Wait a week, let the krausen fall, then bottle.

Did you get a kit with a special yeast, or just the usual dry yeast? If so, consider washing it, and keeping it around. Wheat yeasts can get expensive!

 

[alemale]

Thank you all for good advice. I'll wait until the krausen fall. I did upgrade the yeast to White Labs Hefeweizen Ale 300 pitchable tube.

 

[elkdog]

Thank you all for good advice. I'll wait until the krausen fall. I did upgrade the yeast to White Labs Hefeweizen Ale 300 pitchable tube.

Just for the record, on some wheat beers, the kreusen doesn't totally subside. 2 weeks ought to be plenty of time, but a hydrometer will your best indication that it's done. You might see a little foam or a few bubbles on top even after two weeks, and that's just the nature of the yeast. Check the gravity, if you can, before you bottle.

 

[decaf111]

Novice homebrewer here. I'm coming to the end of my second week in the primary for an oatmeal bavarian hefe and was wondering whats going to be the difference between leaving it in an addition week vs. racking it at the end of the second week???

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

Novice homebrewer here. I'm coming to the end of my second week in the primary for an oatmeal bavarian hefe and was wondering whats going to be the difference between leaving it in an addition week vs. racking it at the end of the second week???

Leaving your beer on the yeast for a week or two after FG is reached will allow the yeast to clean up after itself and the beer to mature.

 

[shawnbou]

Novice homebrewer here. I'm coming to the end of my second week in the primary for an oatmeal bavarian hefe and was wondering whats going to be the difference between leaving it in an addition week vs. racking it at the end of the second week???

Leaving the beer on the yeast cake in the primary for an additional week will give the yeast more time to clean up the byproducts of fermentation, which lead to estery off flavors. Many of us routinely leave our beers in primary for 3-4 weeks (some even longer) with great results.

But with a hefe, you can get away with more of those yeasty, estery flavors and still have a good beer ("Hefen" is after all German for "yeast", and yeast is part of the flavor profile of a true Hefeweizen). I've bottled hefes and other wheat beers after 2 weeks and been happy with them.

Check your gravity and taste it. If the fermentation has stopped and you like the flavor after 2 weeks, go ahead and bottle/keg. But if you want to age longer, I'd just leave it on the primary rather than racking.