Poured 29 bottles down the sink today.

[Sadfield]

If it is just bitterness, never throw it away. Hop bitterness and tannin bitterness (e.g. from sparging) fade away. 6 months is a good time to test such things.

For alpha acids, yes. Beta acids can contribute to bitterness through oxidation, over time. Especially, if there's a lot of aroma hops used.

 

[Cwrw666]

There is always the possibility of brewing the same beer deliberately underhopped and drinking them half and half so the bitterness comes out right.
Personally I was brought up to eat everything on your plate, whether you liked it or not. The idea of tipping beer away that isn't infected is just a waste.
Can't understand people who buy drinks in a pub and then walk out leaving half full glasses on the table. Or people who eat half a restaurant meal and leave the rest.

 

[An Ankoù]

Can't understand people who buy drinks in a pub and then walk out leaving half full glasses on the table. Or people who eat half a restaurant meal and leave the rest.

Pubs and restaurants are just legendary places from fairy tales like Atlantis and Hogwarts. They don't really exist and probably never have.

 

[Darren Jeory]

If it is just bitterness, never throw it away. Hop bitterness and tannin bitterness (e.g. from sparging) fade away. 6 months is a good time to test such things.

I made a "pilsner" from a wilko kit once...tried it...didn't like it and moved on. 6 months later I thought I'd have a try and it was really nice

 

[bigshineybike]

I did a Gozdawa christmas beer four years ago. 60 x 330ml bottles I really didn't like it but couldn't bring myself to throw it away. Out of curiosity I tried one a few weeks back My taste may have changed I enjoyed it.

 

[chthon]

The only bitterness I had that did not improve by ageing, was caused by adding fruit to a dark beer. I think it might have something to do with the seeds or the stone. I had the same taste with a quad from a local brewery, which had a secondary fermentation with cherries, I suppose the stones were not removed.

 

[obscure]

I did a Gozdawa christmas beer four years ago. 60 x 330ml bottles I really didn't like it but couldn't bring myself to throw it away. Out of curiosity I tried one a few weeks back My taste may have changed I enjoyed it.

I do find age can on occasion fix a whole multitude of sins, typically I throw out beers that are so bad that I just cannot see them improving (I.e. infected or similar) or far more common they are just mediocre.

I try to keep some resemblance of control over how much I drink so if I can only have five or six pints in a typical week I am not going to waste them on something I don’t throughly enjoy.

 

[moto748]

Interesting to read the responses to this. I certainly don't regret dumping that batch, bitterness may well mellow a little in time, But life's too short for that. I can think of better uses for thirty bottles than something that *might*, conceivably, be drinkable in six month's time. I'd rather set to work on correcting my errors!

 

[AlDaviz]

A couple of brews ago ! Making a Neipa I forgot to cool the wort before the hopstand and as expected the beer was really bitter. I won’t forget again

 

[Covrich]

There is always the possibility of brewing the same beer deliberately underhopped and drinking them half and half so the bitterness comes out right.
Personally I was brought up to eat everything on your plate, whether you liked it or not. The idea of tipping beer away that isn't infected is just a waste.
Can't understand people who buy drinks in a pub and then walk out leaving half full glasses on the table. Or people who eat half a restaurant meal and leave the rest.

I am the same, unless its poison or viegar I will drink it

 

[Bill_g]

If it is just bitterness, never throw it away. Hop bitterness and tannin bitterness (e.g. from sparging) fade away. 6 months is a good time to test such things.

I'd second that. Time can be a great healer for bottled homebrew and it's also interesting to see how some beers improve with age. If it's clearly infected then chuck, otherwise just get more bottles!

 

[Moonraker]

I certainly don't regret dumping that batch, bitterness may well mellow a little in time, But life's too short for that. I can think of better uses for thirty bottles than something that *might*, conceivably, be drinkable in six month's time. I'd rather set to work on correcting my errors!

Quite. I totally agree. I threw away 2 gallons of vinegary cider last year (and now know exactly where I went wrong). I used the learnings from that little disaster to brew 3 gallons of delicious cider this year. A return on my investment... :^)

 

[Johnny H]

If it's just excessive bitterness from too much hops it might have been premature throwing it away.

A few years ago I intended to make a golden summer ale (Randy Mosher inspired), and I used some home made invert sugar. For whatever reason it came out too light in gravity and too bitter in terms of hops. It was really unbalanced and not very nice so I reluctantly drank it very gradually but eventually forgot a few bottles in the cellar.

I rediscovered those few bottles a couple of years later. They were fantastic! For some reason (maybe the invert sugar in combination with oxidation?) the beer had developed honey and pear flavours and was absolutely lovely. No or very little darkening, no stale flavours. I was gobsmacked! In fact, this is good reminder to make some invert sugar again at some point.

 

[Gerryjo]

I have mates in work that I use to empty bottles. The last batch was a coconut porter. Apparently they loved it once you got past the twang
I am well passed the stage of drinking beer that's not to my taste or liking.

What stout was that
The Dawg drank them...

 

[Scrattajack]

I threw away 2 gallons of vinegary cider last year (and now know exactly where I went wrong). I used the learnings from that little disaster to brew 3 gallons of delicious cider this year. A return on my investment... :^)

Not quite...have you seen the price on proper cider vinegar?

How much?

Missed a trick there...

 

[Djweeble]

I had a brown ale that was a bit of a gusher and tbh I really wasn’t enjoying, I use it for beer pizza dough the extra gas helps the rise no end!

Try it in fish n chips batter, at a rate of 50% of the liquid ....... my old girls secret recipe when she had a chippy