temp for fixing cidery beer in bottles?

lkondolian · 02-01-2009, 06:54 PM

My first batch (Cooper's kit) was fermented in primary pretty hot: around 75 - 80 degrees for a week. Then straight to bottles, with carbonation drops, just recently got to 21 days at 69 - 72 degrees. (Ale yeast.)

Tastes very fruity, but also very cider-y. Not great. I understand (from reading here) that I shouldn't pour this out, and instead should forget about those bottles for a couple of months and let them get better.

Question: What temperature should I store them at, for this prolonged healing process? Keep them at 70? Drop to 65? I also have a basement that stays at 50 - 55.

Thanks for all the advice!

**Yooper** · 02-01-2009, 07:00 PM

Is it carbonated? If it's carbonated, you can store it at cellar temps if you wish. If it's not carbed up yet, keep it in the 68-70 degree range until it is.

Cider-y flavors might get better, but might not. Usually, high temperatures cause hot alcohol flavors, not so much cidery flavors. Cidery flavors come from young beer, and maybe some beers that don't have much malt and use other things like sugar for the fermentables. Either way, aging it might improve it quite a bit!