What's your average time in the bottle?

The Govna · 06-19-2008, 11:02 PM

I've been extract brewing for almost 2 years now. I always use a bucket for primary for about a week and a glass carboy for a secondary for 2 weeks or so, depending on the beer. Then I prime with a corn sugar before I bottle.

My question is, how long do you guys usually expect a brew to be bottled before it is no longer green? I'm super picky about flavor. So, my stouts usually take 6 months to taste really good. I'm drinking a pale ale right now that has been in the bottle almost 4 months and still tastes a bit green. I'm finding that 6 months is about the standard for me for most of my beers. Is this normal?

**Coastarine** · 06-19-2008, 11:08 PM

I've found I need to age the high gravity ones, and I just did my first stout so I'll let you know what it tastes like after 3 weeks, but I like most of my beers when they're still pretty young. I kinda like the green flavor, to me it tastes fresh. I also enjoy tasting the brew as that flavor fades. I've only been brewing for 6 months though. The longest I've aged anything is 14 weeks (belgian tripel) and I only have a few bottles of that left.

buckeyebrewer · 06-19-2008, 11:21 PM

I try to wait 6 months. It was hard to do with the 10 batches. But then I brewed so much I got way ahead of myself...Now it's not so hard to let things sit a little longer. I working on some Ed Wort Pale Ales from December right now....tasty

The Govna · 06-19-2008, 11:36 PM

So 6 months is normal? Have you guys ever had anything that is totally ready to drink after 3 weeks? I just can't imagine that!

**Yuri_Rage** · 06-19-2008, 11:37 PM

Conditioning time for my beer varies so wildly that I won't even take a stab at an average. I drink it when it's ready. For a simple wheat, that means 3-4 weeks from brewday to first pour. For big imperial brews, the waiting can last a year or more.

Flyin' Lion · 06-20-2008, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yuri_Rage

Conditioning time for my beer varies so wildly that I won't even take a stab at an average. I drink it when it's ready. For a simple wheat, that means 3-4 weeks from brewday to first pour. For big imperial brews, the waiting can last a year or more.

Yuri, those last two sentences rhyme. Did you mean to do that?

**Coastarine** · 06-20-2008, 12:08 AM

My red ale was good at 4 weeks, as was my wit. My double IPA is reportedly delicious already after just 4 weeks in the bottle. I haven't had one yet, but I will tomorrow. It's more than 100 IBU's and 9.3% ABV! We're definitely going to lay those down for a while. I can't wait to see if it's really good already. My dad (not extremely developed palate) and our neighbor (very well developed palate) both think it's awesome.

**fat x nub** · 06-20-2008, 12:15 AM

damn...i leave mine in the bottle for only 2 weeks. i guess my beer sucks. i would go crazy if i had a homebrew sitting in a bottle for 6 months and i didnt pop one open

The Govna · 06-20-2008, 12:22 AM

See, that just blows my mind. I've never had anything ready in less than like 3 months from bottling date!

Am I doing something wrong?

**Yuri_Rage** · 06-20-2008, 12:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Govna

Am I doing something wrong?

Nope! Your patience is probably well rewarded.