Bonzailopper

Recipes 

the beer that I have bottle conditioning for 10 days tastes like ****?? I know I'm supposed to keep it bottled for 3 weeks, I just didn't expect it to taste SO off.

It's a Brown Ale brewed from extract, and it even tastes like a Brown Ale, but I was just so discouraged by how off it was. This is my first batch ever. I used good sanitation as far as I know, and I was very careful to follow the directions. I tried to relax, not worry, and have a homebrew, but this is my first batch, so there was no homebrew to be had!!

Should I even have expected it to taste right at this point?? Just curious. Thanks!!!

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John

"If I had a Dog that could piss this stuff......"

atromic

Recipes 

Nope. Let it sit for 21 days, then taste one. Then let it sit even longer. I tasted my first beer at 6 days and it was ok. It was good at 3 weeks and fantastic at 6 weeks.

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Primary'd :
Cran+Razz Apfelwein, Graff, Oatmeal Stout
1 gal. test batches:
Pear Wine, Apfelwein, White Grape + Peach Wine

Bottle'd :
Ed's Robust Porter, This is my Haus Ale, Gone in 60 Seconds IPA, Hooked on ESB, Apfelwein

Marko73

Recipes 

You will be amazed at how time heals beer. You will get a lot of the same advice to try it again in another two weeks and you will be surprised at the difference.

The hardest thing I ever had to do was waiting on that first batch. It was a Brewer's Best Cream Ale and it only got better with time.

If it tastes like **** after 3 or 4 weeks, then come back and everyone can help you diagnose the problem.

But for now, Relax, Don't Worry, and have one of your favorite commercial beers that you will eventually clone.

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"It is sheer folly to be taken by the hand and led down the path of better brewing by someone who says that they know it all. No, it is your experience that counts most. It is your experience that will always lead you to more questions."

~Charlie Papazian

broadbill

Recipes 

I think your biggest sin was following the directions, at least for the fermentation part. Typically kit instructions WAY undershoot how long you should let your beer ferment, probably because they want you to drink it as quickly as possible and buy another kit to brew!

Most people have found that 2 weeks is typically the minimum for primary fermentation, with 3 weeks even better. Follow that by another 3-4 weeks of bottle conditioning and you are at the magic 6 week point for good-tasting homebrew.

Sorry, homebrew takes awhile!

Bonzailopper

Recipes 

You know, I knew I would get responses like this. I think I just needed to hear it from the wise ones. This site has helped me SO much more than I ever thought. Thanks for the reassurance. I guess I'll just have a Widmer Drifter then. It's what I got right now. THANKS!

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John

"If I had a Dog that could piss this stuff......"

Bonzailopper

Recipes 

I know. I felt stupid even asking this on here, but I was pretty torn up. Thanks again!!

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John

"If I had a Dog that could piss this stuff......"