Bottles: post secondary fermentation

[Lord0]

No, it's fine. Well it doesn't bother me anyway - and I often drink a couple of pints of the brew when I'm bottling it...

"It's a trap"

 

[johnnyboy1965]

Hi,

So, my bottles have been conditioning at room temp for 2-3 weeks and have been moved to an unheated, outside garage (central scotland, basically ambient temp) to clear and settle.

It seems to be the accepted wisdom that after they have cleared then they are ready to be drunk but that waiting for longer generally improves taste/quality

Questions:

1) Is my understanding of the process correct?
2) IF taste/quality does continue to improve after bottles have cleared then when should the bottles be opened? I have read people saying anything from 4 weeks -> 6 months! I realise this is, to an extent, subjective.
3) How long can the beer be stored in bottles before it starts to degrade? Again, I realise this is subjective and at the mercy of the weather.

Cheers

Unfortunatly, there are no "hard and fast " rules to your question.
Ive noticed over the last 6 months there seems to be this "2 + 2 + 2" guideline...IMHO it should be "2 + 2 + when it drops clear". Once its dropped clear leave it for another couple of weeks for the yeast/trub to compact. If you decide to drink it before its cleared all you are giong to taste is live and dead yeast and all the other stuff involved in non filtered beer, some like this, some dont.
There are some beers that benefit from aging ie.. "high % beers" , but these are to allow the alcohol to mellow out.
I think your "Bog Standard House Brew" should be drunk within 3 months. I cant see it improving with age

 

[ravey]

Is your real name Dr. Who?
😉

No, his name is The Doctor

 

[proost]

No, his name is The Doctor

I stand corrected, sir!

😊 😊 😊 😊 😊 😊