"Wit" fermentation...?!?!

[Jester]

I have read that fermentation with "Wit" beers can be longer than jsut an ale type of beer... I brewed a wit and it sat in the primary for 2 weeks with activity the entire time... once the activity slowed there was still krausen ontop, which I thought was weird...but I still transfered to the secondary, where it still bubbled for a few more days... it seemed like this beer was never going to finish fermenting... I transfered it to a keg last night, so we'll see how it'll taste in a few days... has anyone else had something like this happen..?? Thanks..

Jester

 

[HomerT]

My first and only Wit was brewed back in May. It went like mad for 10days. It stopped bubbling but had a monster Krausen on top. I stirred/knocked down the Krausen and racked it. In the secondary, it formed another monster krausen and bubbled for another 8 days. Krausen would not drop...I needed to rock/stir the carboy once or twice a day for ~3days to get that puppy to drop. Bottled, carbed, conditioned ~2wks. With a little slice of orange in the glass.....awsome beer. One of my wifes favs.

Relax...have a beer. Wait for the Wit.

-TOdd

 

[mbreen01]

What yeast did you use? How were your temps during primary/secondary? I've brewed a "Wit" like beer recently but I used an American wheat ale yeast.

Marc.

 

[HomerT]

I used Wyeast 3944 Belgian Wit. I did the primary at 66~68F. I did the secondary at 62~65F.

-Todd

 

[user 574]

The belgium wit yeasts do that. I've done two - one took 7 weeks the other 5. I waited for the krausen to fall...

 

[mbreen01]

3944 Belgian Witbier Yeast.
Probable origin: Hoegaarden, Belgium
Beer Styles: White Beer, Grand Cru, Doubles, Spiced beers
Commercial examples may include: Celis Wit, Hoegaarden, Blanc de Brugge
Unique properties: A yeast with complex flavor profile which produces a spicey phenolic character with low ester production. Phenols tend to dominate most flavors and dissipates with age. Ferments fairly dry with a finish which compliments malted and unmalted wheat and oats. Sometimes used in conjunction with lactic acid bacteria to produces a sharper finish. This strain may be a slow starting yeast with true top cropping characteristics. Flocculation is low, with yeast staying suspended with proteins in a well designed beer. Alcohol tolerance approximately 10-11% ABV. Flocculation - medium; apparent attenuation 72-76%. (62-75° F, 16-24° C)

 

[HomerT]

My Wit came out almost exaclty like Hoegarden...from what I remember of my last Hoegarden.

 

[Jester]

I broke my hydrometer before this brew, so I didnt get a chance to take gravity readins, but I hope it was done fermenting... I'm sure it was though... it had a full month, 2 weeks in primary and 2 weeks in the secondary.... I'll know in a few days...

someone asked for the temps during fermentation... My temps were steadily held at 69-70 degrees...

 

[anderson0739]

Hello,

I guess that even after I peruse this forum for hours that I haven't done enough research on the Wit beer that I brewed yesterday. I used WL400 Belgian ale. It's been sitting at 72 degrees F for almost 20 hour, and no sign of activity. Is this yeast slow to start and slow to ferment? I didn't even consider this until I saw this thread. I may have grossly underpitched as well. The vile gushed, and I didn't get that much of it into the starter. The starter wasn't active either. I did the sign of the cross and pitched anyway. Does anyone know what to expect from this yeast strain?

 

[Passload]

Hello,

I guess that even after I peruse this forum for hours that I haven't done enough research on the Wit beer that I brewed yesterday. I used WL400 Belgian ale. It's been sitting at 72 degrees F for almost 20 hour, and no sign of activity. Is this yeast slow to start and slow to ferment? I didn't even consider this until I saw this thread. I may have grossly underpitched as well. The vile gushed, and I didn't get that much of it into the starter. The starter wasn't active either. I did the sign of the cross and pitched anyway. Does anyone know what to expect from this yeast strain?

Check this link:http://www.whitelabs.com/

Cheers!
Justin

 

[Bills Brew]

Yep, same things are happening to my Wit. Glad to hear it is "normal".

It took almost 2 day for some activity to start. I used the Belgian Wit Ale (WLP 400). Started at about 64^F. After nothing was happening, upped the temperature to 74^ developed about 3" krausen. It's been going for about two weeks bubbling about 3-4 bpm with about 1" of krausen.

Kind of wish it would hurry up, it's tying up my primary.

 

[anderson0739]

Hey,

I'm glad that there is someone out there who is in the boat I'm in. Keep me posted, and I will do the same. I invested more than usual in this beer. I stepped up to partial mash brewing. Everything went exactly as people mentioned in this forum. One two-gallon Rubbermaid cooler and a vegetable screen, and I was mashing, converting all the starches, and, this is the best part, limiting the extract.

 

[anderson0739]

Yep, same things are happening to my Wit. Glad to hear it is "normal".

It took almost 2 day for some activity to start. I used the Belgian Wit Ale (WLP 400). Started at about 64^F. After nothing was happening, upped the temperature to 74^ developed about 3" krausen. It's been going for about two weeks bubbling about 3-4 bpm with about 1" of krausen.

Kind of wish it would hurry up, it's tying up my primary.

After a little impatience, the wit is off and running. I have never fermented an ale in the primary for more than 7 days, and I had planned to bottle right from the pimary. From what I have been reading, I am amazed that some homebrewers are talking about 5 weeks to ferment wit beer. I guess I'll find out just how long after I take a hydrometer reading in 7 days. I thought that a week in the secondary was unecessary because the beer is supposed to be unfiltered.

Any thoughts people?

 

[Jester]

This brew turned out great...!!!! It was in the primary for two weeks and then the secondary for two weeks... I think I've gone through alsmot all 5 gallons in the past 2 weeks...

 

[Bills Brew]

Just transferred from the primary into the secondary after 2 1/2 weeks. Wasn't completely done, but close enough. It can finish up in the secondary. Besides, I need the primary back.

There's beer to be brewed!!

 

[Musthavbeer]

Mine is going at 30 bbls per minute after 24 days and shows no sign of slowing down.

 

[AHammer16]

.

Kind of wish it would hurry up, it's tying up my primary.

Thats why you need 2 or 3 primarys!!!!!:rockin:

 

[AHammer16]

The wit I have going now is beaing a slow bastard as well. Im glad to know im not the only one. Sure smells delicious coming out of the airlock!

 

[Bills Brew]

hmmm....Never thought to sniff the air lock!!!

Got to be better than.......!!

 

[uglygoat]

i did four batches of wheat/wit back in may, and each took about three weeks at ~56-60 F... i didn't do a secondary fermentation on two of them, put em right into bottles, two are still in the secondary..

i'm tooooo lazy to bottle, and too cheap to buy keg supplies..

 

[sirsloop]

damn... im gonna be doing either my Dunkelweizen or the belguim wit next... looks like i'm gonna wait on the Wit!! My buddy told me that the wit would be real active, but 2-3 weeks at 30bpm is ridiculous. I'll run the Dunkelwizen through my large 7.9gallon primary and transfer it to the 6.5 gallon after the krausen has dropped. That will open up the big primary for another monster krausen. Last thing I need is another exploding air lock to spray sh!t all over my wall and ceiling! HAHAH!