Bottle condition time?

[Zephyr259]

I normally ferment for 2 weeks then bottle and leave for 2 weeks before testing the first bottle. I have tested after 1 week but that beer got a 3 week fermentation, the beer was clear and the PET bottles were rock hard. As others have said it's amazing how much and how quickly a beer can change. My brown ale started off nice but very mellow, after 12 days offshore it was much more beer like, tasted like a brown beer but still nothing special. After another 2 weeks it was full of malty, chocolately flavours and is a great pint.

 

[Manxnorton]

Think time n patients get me every time!!
I say the next time I'll waiting for about a month or so! Knaa..6 weeks n the beers has all gone..
That what happens with my small batches anyways..
Now I've got bigger batches...and more brewdays to organise SHOULD BE NO EXCUSE to supp them early!!
We should see...
Bri

 

[Stephenj]

Especially with this being my first batch I'm proper keen to get drinking! I don't have the greatest patience in the world.

 

[Nicks90]

The thing I find is how the carbonation changes over a period of 3 weeks, going from big bubbles to virtually miniscule - resulting in a completely different mouth feel and head character.
The flavour profile is very closely linked to carbonation. To prove this, take your first mouthful of your next meal with your nose pinched closed. Tastes of nothing. Now take another bite...hmmmmm
95% of your "taste" is actually smell. Now co.pare the type and quantity of bubbles in your young beer and conditioned beer and you will see why it "tastes" different as it matured.

 

[Stephenj]

I've resisted a one week test, went out and bought a few cans to suppress the urge.

 

[DoctorMick]

My view is different to most people on this in that I don't really agree with 2+2+2, I think the answer is much more complicated and is largely determined by factors such as style and abv.

For an APA, assuming it is well hopped, I'd give it as long as it takes to ferment + 4 days drop hop + 3 days cold crash. Then I'd leave it at room temp for as long as it takes to carb up (usually a week, maybe 10 days) then tuck in.

A lot of styles don't work with the above tho so I don't think there is a one size fits all approach.

 

[DoctorMick]

Especially with this being my first batch I'm proper keen to get drinking! I don't have the greatest patience in the world.

If I were you I'd try one, then try another is a week, then another the week after...you'll get to see the changes for yourself that way.

 

[Slid]

My view is different to most people on this in that I don't really agree with 2+2+2, I think the answer is much more complicated and is largely determined by factors such as style and abv.

For an APA, assuming it is well hopped, I'd give it as long as it takes to ferment + 4 days drop hop + 3 days cold crash. Then I'd leave it at room temp for as long as it takes to carb up (usually a week, maybe 10 days) then tuck in.

A lot of styles don't work with the above tho so I don't think there is a one size fits all approach.

Totally agree. I have done a few hoppy beers using Cascade hops and have always tried to get them drunk through very early. This style does not improve as the hops presence does shrink very noticeably.

My currently preferred styles of beer, with more of a malt focus, really do come good around 3 months from pitching.

 

[Stephenj]

OK. I tasted after 14 days conditioning at room temp, and a bit disappointed. Good fizz on opening, decent head and bubbles, on par with cans/bottles I've bought. Bitterness is there, but lacks any hoppy flavour or aroma at all. Gonna have another taste on Sunday (21 days) to see if any difference. I've read about cold conditioning to improve: would moving to the cooler garage to store help at this stage? I might have to consider this anyway as 2nd brew on Friday and not a lot of space to store bottles.

 

[Soton]

It's always a good idea to store your beer in a cool area, preferably in the dark

 

[The Idiot]

I bottled a Dubbel in 2013; it's only just hit its peak and there are only three left!

 

[terrym]

OK. I tasted after 14 days conditioning at room temp, and a bit disappointed. Good fizz on opening, decent head and bubbles, on par with cans/bottles I've bought. Bitterness is there, but lacks any hoppy flavour or aroma at all. Gonna have another taste on Sunday (21 days) to see if any difference. I've read about cold conditioning to improve: would moving to the cooler garage to store help at this stage? I might have to consider this anyway as 2nd brew on Friday and not a lot of space to store bottles.

As others on here have said some beers can be drunk young but some need a long time. I have had beers that can be drunk after two weeks and improve little for keeping, and others which need months before they come good. And if its beer that need a long time keeping in the cool may help to get it to come good, but time is the real solution.
And as far as hop flavour/aroma is concerned, imo that is mostly dependant on what happened to it before it was packaged, excepting the impact of a dry hop which gradually disappears with time.

 

[Saisonator]

I made a London Bitter ten months ago and because it was my first AG brew my efficiency and volume were far too low, this meant the beer was well over hopped.
I went to chuck the last eight bottles away last night, but I thought I would just give it another taster.
Looks like the Beer Fairy has visited, it's actually smoothed right out and is quite drinkable now.

 

[destroido]

I always try to give mine at least a month before I even try them. But nothing has taken longer or changed more than when I tried making Pineapple wine. It was like petrol for 10 months and then suddenly started to became quite pleasant. Best thing is a big wine rack and a bad memory, I love finding bottles I brewed months or years ago and had forgotten all about.

 

[foxy]

As happened to Saisonator happened to me with a stout years ago, far to harsh to drink (tannins from the dark grains) and I did tip them but found a 1/2 dozen I had missed about 18 months later and the harshness had gone and it ended up a very nice stout. Its worth reading up on off flavours and which of those can be fixed by time.

 

[Nicks90]

Jeez,
Either I have a drink problem, or you have a massive house! Alcohol does have any place to hide and it gets drunk in our gaff!!!

 

[suffolk]

To prove this, take your first mouthful of your next meal with your nose pinched closed. Tastes of nothing. Now take another bite...hmmmmm

You have obviously not tasted my wife's cooking

 

[Dutto]

Jeez,
Either I have a drink problem, or you have a massive house! Alcohol does have any place to hide and it gets drunk in our gaff!!!

You're obviously not brewing enough! :whistle::whistle: