Secondary for Wheat?

[B_rad1969]

I was thinking of going straight from primary to keg after 2 weeks. I want a little yeast but not a whole lot. Or do the standard 1 & 2 week?

[markaberrant]

Sounds like a hell of a plan. I don't secondary anymore, the exceptions being sour beers and meads.

[cecil_spivey]

Here here, markaberrant, I concur! I might secondary if I want to dryhop, or of course for lagering, but for a run-o'-the-mill ale, nuh-uh. I find that it clears really well in the keg and it comes off clean after the first couple of draws. Which may be a detriment for you, b_rad, depending. My last hefeweizen came out brilliantly clear in the keg after about 3 weeks, which was a disappointment.:( And that was even with Wyeast 3068, which doesn't floc out much. I decided that if I want a really good hefe, I'm gonna bottle it and serve it "mit hefe".

[cul8rv8]

I had the same with my hefe. :) I secondary-ed it for a week on lemon rind (which gave an awesome citrus flavor, btw), and it was still slightly cloudy, but after a couple weeks in the keg, it draws clear as a bell.

[markaberrant]

Here here, markaberrant, I concur! I might secondary if I want to dryhop, or of course for lagering, but for a run-o'-the-mill ale, nuh-uh.

I don't even secondary for those scenarios. I did a lager this spring and just left it in primary for 4 weeks (it had finished in 2 weeks). It has won several awards, including runnerup BOS at the Great Canadian Homebrew Competition in Toronto, so I believe it turned out pretty good.

I also just add my dry hops to the primary once fermentation has completed. Works like a charm, and it's one less transfer to worry about.

[B_rad1969]

I think I'll go the 2 weeks primary and keg then.

[cecil_spivey]

...I did a lager this spring and just left it in primary for 4 weeks (it had finished in 2 weeks). .....I also just add my dry hops to the primary once fermentation has completed. Works like a charm, and it's one less transfer to worry about.

Mark, you're tha man! That's inspiring. I also have dry-hopped (and oak chips, btw) in the primary after fermentation waned. Worked pretty well. But yesterday I got a SureScreen, and I plan to collect more. Then I'll just dry-hop in the keg.

On that note, I also just got a Bazooka screen for the boil kettle, so from now on it's only whole hops (homegrown, mostly), just thrown in the boil! To heck with hop bags, those little dudes will just swim free! 'Tsgotta improve my utilization, right? It'll be more fun and less hassle, plus for some reason to me it's just romantic. :rolleyes:
OH, I feel like a virgin on the verge! It's so exciting.

(And, YES, I know that last part was off-topic...so sue me!) ;)