Beer flavour

[Bernaaard]

I am quite new to brewing and I am only on my 3rd kit now.

I am just tasting my winter warmer for the first time and I have noticed something.

The first beer I tried was taken at the point of bulk transfer to the 2nd FV. it was bottle primed and yesterday it tasted nice but still very "homebrewy".

I opened another bottle tonight that was in the FV for an extra week and was batch primed along with the remaining 19lt and it is streets ahead of last night's.

Would this be because of the extra week in the 2nd FV or the different method of priming?

 

[IainM]

Sure sounds like it. How long was it in the fv before racking?

 

[terrym]

Unlike beer brewed in breweries, homebrewed beer seems to take time to get to a stage where you can really found out what its going to eventually taste like.
So I'm surprised that anything which is less than about four weeks on from pitching the yeast is 'nice'.
I form my opinions on what a brew will taste like about six weeks on from the start, and even then things can change. Usually, but not always, for the better.
In the end, if you have done something different in your brewing process, and then long term you perceive an improvement in the finished article, you know what to do next time. :thumb:

 

[Bernaaard]

It had a full 2 weeks in the primary vessel, then I gave it another week in the secondary vessel and has had an extra week in the bottles.

The beer is all the same age but the one that has had the extra week in the secondary FV is just so much better and was batch primed rather than bottle primed.

To be honest if it is going to be this good after such a short time and that method, I can't see myself doing it any differently again with any others.

God I love this hobby

 

[IainM]

Bulk conditioning has some benefits, one of which is consistency, so it doesn't necessarily mean the one bottled at racking would be representative of all the beers if you had bottled all at racking. Patience is a virtue and 1 week in the bottle isn't anywhere near enough for either of them, especially for a kit and this style.