Wheat Beers

[warra48]

It is an oft repeated mantra that wheat beers are best consumed young, that is from as little as one week post fermentation. Where does this idea originate? Is there any research to back it up?

I'd like to challenge that notion, and wonder if others' experience is like mine.

I brewed a Hefeweizen on Boxing day last year, so that's about seven months ago. Fairly straight forward recipe with about 60% wheat, and the balance Pale with some Munich 1 and a smidge of Carawheat, fermented with Wyeast 3068.

I've just consumed a bottle of that batch, and it's perfect at this stage. Its fresh, carbonation is spot on, everything is integrated with the typical Hefeweizen flavours, and it has a crisp finish. It shows no sign at all of tiring.

Edit: Corrected the yeast lab.

 

[manticle]

I think a combo of low hops + fresh yeast in suspension leads to the idea but I have enjoyed hb and commercial versions that are months old.

 

[Byran]

Ive made a few wheats and had some sit in bottles for a while, 6 months or more. They always seam to gain a rather harsh bite I cant quite put my finger on. But when fresh they seem smoother. The ones ive had sitting in the keg have always cleared after a couple of weeks and the flavours clean up a bit. But I can taste a difference between fresh and matured wheats. All up to what your looking for really? I love them fresh though.

 

[beerbog]

I've had a hef that I bottled a few whilst kegging and saved them for about 6 months. When I cracked them, I found all the yeast had dropped out of suspension, kind of like a crystal, and the fresh flavour/aroma was not there like it was with the keg version. Even after a couple of months in the keg I have found it loses flavour. 3 styles to drink fresh - APA, IPA and Wheat. :icon_drool2:

 

[Thefatdoghead]

I like the character of a wheat beer when its young. I would say they are best young but I think it all depends on what you like. I think they are a little boring and clean when they get over the 1 month or so mark. If I want clean i'll just make an American lager.
That reminds me....its time to brew Tonys Dunkel

 

[Black Devil Dog]

It comes down to personal taste, but having recently brewed a Hefe using WY3068 and trying it at several stages, for me the bubblegum was too intense after 2 weeks, which is when many people have recommended drinking it.

I'd never used that yeast before and was worried that 3068 wasn't my sort of strain, but now it's been conditioning for over a month and I'm starting to enjoy it much more.

Many of my kit wheats, which I used WB06 in, conditioned for extended periods of time and were very enjoyable.

 

[verysupple]

I'm with you, Warra. I'd read so many times that weissbiers are best as fresh as possible but when I brewed a couple of them back to back and they were both less than impressive, I figured they would only go down hill from there and posted a thread asking for advice on how to improve them. A month or so later, what's left is just getting better and better.

Strangely, my experience is the opposite to Carnie's. Mine had a bit of a harsh bite when they were young and now they're getting smooth.

Having said all this, I'm still not happy with them and am trying again this weekend. As I posted in the thread I started, I think my main (but probably not only) issue was over pitching.

 

[Phoney]

I've also read that IPA's are best drunk fresh. And often that is the case but I've brewed so many that have that overpowering hop taste like you've just chewed on a pellet and a harsh bitterness that bites your tongue. It's only after a month or so in the keg they taste absolutely beautifully balanced and delicious and perfect!

What gives, man?

 

[manticle]

People say ipas are best fresh because they are obsessed with hops and think simplistically that hop=good. Lots of hops can disguise faults so when hops fade and the base beer isn't great, it's easy to suggest it's best fresh. Good hoppy beers should taste amazing when the hops fade/integrate - use barleywine as an example.

That said, all beers change character with time -some changes are for the better, others not.

 

[JDW81]

It is an oft repeated mantra that wheat beers are best consumed young, that is from as little as one week post fermentation. Where does this idea originate? Is there any research to back it up?

I'd like to challenge that notion, and wonder if others' experience is like mine.

I brewed a Hefeweizen on Boxing day last year, so that's about seven months ago. Fairly straight forward recipe with about 60% wheat, and the balance Pale with some Munich 1 and a smidge of Carawheat, fermented with White Labs 3068.

I've just consumed a bottle of that batch, and it's perfect at this stage. Its fresh, carbonation is spot on, everything is integrated with the typical Hefeweizen flavours, and it has a crisp finish. It shows no sign at all of tiring.

I've never been one to stick to convention, and have long believed that (within reason) a well brewed and carefully packaged hefe does benefit from a reasonable conditioning time. I don't think the style would benefit from a few years in the bottle, but I've had some of my (and other's) hefes which have been in the bottle of 6+ months and they have been beautiful.

In my experience they need at least 6 weeks in the bottle before they are of drinking quality, but I've never noticed any detrimental ageing effects after 6 months.

I've got my own theories as to why some might suggest that they need to be consumed young, but that is another conversation for another day.

JD

 

[Maxt]

Yes, better is subjective. I like hefes very young, but I am and an ester freak. Some like a more rounded mellow version. All personal. An aside...most judges I have judged with prefer well balanced hefes that have more punch, over the mellow aged ones, but beers should be brewed to what you like, not what others like.

 

[RelaxedBrewer]

I make a fair amount of wheats. I have definitely found that the yeast character of 3068 starts to die down with age (particularly the banana). So if you don't like a massive hit from the yeast I can see how you would like it more after some ageing.

I have also found that there is a sweet spot with my wits (3944) that is about 3 months old. I find they get a better balance with a little age. When they are very young sometimes the citrus or spice flavours can be a bit much in my opinion (probably depends on how much of the spices you use).

RB