Conditioning a whit

[Toga]

I'm not trying to start up another thread to debate whether to condition in the primary or secondary and why. I started a batch of belgian whit on 2/24 it finished fermentation within a few days so I decided to experiment and leave it in the primary to condition. Some let it go for a couple weeks some for many depending on the brew. Whits from my understanding are best young and I like a good yeasty wheat brew. I'm trying to decide how long to wait before I bottle. For those of you who do condition in the primary how long would you leave your whit in primary?

 

[android]

I'd probably go 10-14 days, but that's just me. I'm not into the whole 'leave it in the primary for 4 weeks' school of thought unless I feel the beer really needs it.

 

[gratefuldisc]

I'm a newbie but my last brew was a wit, it was in primary a week when we decided to move to a new apartment. It ended up sitting in primary 3 weeks (i wasnt worried and I had plenty of homebrew) It was cloudy, as it should be, when I bottled. I tested one after a week and I was surprised that it was fully carbed and delicious.

I dug right into the batch but by the 10th day in bottles it went completely clear. I just swirl the sediment off the bottom of the bottles before I pour them now. But after 3 weeks(ish) it does not taste quite as good. next time I brew a wit, I'm going to get it into bottles as soon as fermentation is done...

 

[gunner65]

My Wit was 2 weeks primary 1 week secondary and now two weeks in the bottle they are tasting great cannot wait for that third weekend point just about time of my birthday celebration. At room temp the bottles are clear as a bell but as soon as they are chilled its cloudy as any wit I have ever had. I think the secondary is the reason that there is very little to no sediment in the bottom of the bottles. I will continue this same regiment with all of my beers unless something changes.

 

[smokinghole]

The wit I just did is fantastic and reminds me of hoegaarden. A week in primary 3.5 weeks in secondary and I bottled it on Feb13th (I think the oxygen at transfer kickstarted the fermentation). In order to keep it cloudy I tried a technique I saw in a recipe on here and boiled a tablespoon of flour in the kettle with my extracts. I have no clearing issues.

 

[Toga]

Thanks for the fast responses. I love the flour trick. I'm going to give that a try next time I brew up a whit for sure. I took another hydro reading and left the sample in the toob and it cleared up alot. I think I'm going to go ahead and bottle this weekend.

 

[smokinghole]

Try doing a little flour in your priming solution boil. It should help out a bit.

 

[Homercidal]

I am against the flour thing. I don't see the point if the wit was made right. Of course out of a keg, you don't have an opp. to stir the dregs either.

I normally ferment my wit for about a week with the proper temps, ramping up the last 2-3 days. Then let it sit for another week to make sure it's "done".

After that, bottle or keg and drink when it's carbed. They are usually best in a few weeks, but still plenty tasty right away.