Rookie bottler
 

Ok. My first batch, oktoberfest ale extract. Tasted good prior to bottling. Been weeks ago, beer doesnt taste good now....I realized that I sanitized my bottles in the sink. I let them soak for a while in sanitizer. My initial plan was that I didnt care about the beer labels still on the beer. I sanitized the bottles with labels on, then peeled them off. As you can guess, the water murked some as they soaked and I cleaned them off. I assume there is a good chance this could affect sanitation and flavor? Infection? Go ahead amd make fun of me!

No one is gonna make fun of you! Shoot im a major rookie. But can you describe then weird flavor?

More'n likely it's goo/dye/boogies from the labels.

I used to de-label about 40-50 bottles at a time in a tub with 10gal of oxyclean-water. Judging by the color of the water once i removed the bottles, i wouldn't wanna drink that stuff.

either get/build a bottle tree, for storing bottles upside down after a quick dunk in star-san. or better yet, use a vinator to sanitize bottles as you're filling them.

Hard to describe. Seems similar to a flavor I had in a german wheatbeer. I dont know. I just know it tastes different than when I bottles, off flavor covering up good stuff. Another thing i messed up was that I did t fill up bucket to 5 gallons before bottling. I ended up with 44 bottles. My lhbs said the amount of sugar is provided for 5 gal. Not sure if that would affect taste? Or just carbonation? Its been bottled for 4 weeks, I opened one the other day and didnt seem very carbonated. Thx for any help. Did I ruin it by sanitizing in same water as I soaked labels in. Likely eh?

What temp should I be conditioning at? They are at same Temp I fermented in my basement. 67-68 degrees. Upstairs would be a little warmer. Better?

The funny flavor could be the glue and label gunk. It could also be the ingredients/kit that you used, fermentation at non-ideal temps, etc. If you have a friend who brews, or a homebrew club, give them a bottle. They would figure it out pretty quickly. One of the side talents that comes with brewing is we become really good tasters :)

Is the bottle fully carbonated?

What was used as the "sanitizer". Your kitchen sink is one of the nastiest bacteria-laden places in your whole house. Consider picking up a "vinator" and bottling tree at some point to make the cleaning/sanitizing job a lot easier.

I found that above 70 worked a lot faster than below 70.

a wheat beeresque flavor? might it be dissolved label paper which can give a mustyish taste.