Wheat Beer Oxidation from secondary?

[JBistline]

New to the forums, I looked around in regards to the oxidation of beer. A lot of posts say it should taste like cardboard or wet paper. I have a wheat beer I brewed from extract that is rather plain tasting, prior to the secondary transfer is was full of flavor and exceeded my expectations since it was my second brew.

Recipe is simple:
6lbs Wheat DME (60 min boil)
1oz Hallertauer 4.8% (60 min, this created low IBU of 12ish)
1oz Safale US05

2.5 gallon boil, cooled by pouring back and forth between primary and boil pot. Also I chilled the other 3 gallons of water.

Before the final pour into the primary I added (frozen and somewhat thawed) 12 oz each: Blueberry, Blackberry and Raspberry.

OG 1.052
FG 1.012

I transfered it one week after the brew day to get it away from the fruit, i snuck a sip from what i pulled for the hydro. Like I said i was taken back by how good it was. Bottled it yesterday and it was a bit plain, fruit was there but it lost it's maltyness. The secondary vessel was a 6.5 gallon carboy, I was iffy on it to start with but it did have some action in the airlock for two days after the transfer.

So I my questions are:
Did the secondary have to much head space and should I avoid the 6.5 unless I use it as a primary?

Will it taste better after it's carbonated?

 

[Devilsnight]

Secondary should have as little head space as possible. Also fruit should go in the secondary. Rack from the primary on top of the fruit in the secondary. I haven't heard of the way you did it before. Let it carb up, Hopefully it turns out for you!

 

[nate191]

I always end up with plain tasting wheat beers when they are "Green". In my experiance wheat beers need at least a month or so of conditioning to develop flavor and body. The carbonation will add to what your expecting as well. You wouldn't have to ask if you had oxidation issues, its quite recognizable. Try and keep headspace to a minimum next time and spring for a liquid American or German wheat beer yeast. Good luck!

 

[Hopinista]

Yeah us05 is really terrible for wheat beers IMO. A little too neutral, like the poster above said try and use a liquid American wheat or German hefe yeast. It'll add some much needed character.

 

[JBistline]

Nice to know there is some hope for it still, though the wait is going to kill me.

I went with the fruit in the primary to keep the flavor and aroma profile lower, hopefully it doesn't end up with a wine flavor.

Ran the US05 to avoid the banana flavors of the german hefe and american wheat. I did read that the American Wheat has a more subtle flavor. Do you think it would show up over the fruit? I do plan on brewing this again just with a few tweaks

 

[chickypad]

It depends what you're going for, I prefer clean american wheats over German hefes and so I don't want much yeast character. I usually use wyeast 1010, but I find it very neutral and not that different from chico strains. It does seem to let the wheat be a bit brighter maybe. I do agree carbonation may change things quite a bit but I find my American wheats to be best young.