Tried my belgin strong last night...WTF

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xxdcmast

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Ok so I brewed up a belgin strong on 1/19/09. I gave it at least a month in primary maybe a little longer and about a month in the bottles. I decided to try one of them after work last night and I have to say that it was quite possibly the worst thing that I have ever tasted in my life.

Now Im sure that I screwed up somewhere along the line but not sure where. The beer is not infected and it is not green. I kinda knew there was a problem as soon as I opened the bottle as there was no carbonation and I did not forget to use primiing sugar. I mean not even the co2 release when you pop the cap.

I poured the beer into a mug and nothing no head not a single bubble. The beers was completely flat. It was also thick like cough syrup and had a pretty nasty liqour taste and burn kinda like a whiskey but not in a good way.

I followed the directions that came with the kit and the wort tasted good when it went into the carboy. The beer also tasted good at bottling time albeit with a little bite from the alcohol but it was a strong ale so I figured that was fine. I was very disappointed to see how this beer came out.

I really cant see myself drinking this beer but I will give it a few more weeks in the bottle and see if something happens. If anyone in or around Boston would like a bottle to maybe see where I went wrong let me know cause I would love to know how I messed this up so bad.
 
Tell us a little more about this beer. What was the OG and FG of the beer? What was the yeast used? What temperature was the ferment? and What temperature has it been conditioning at?

It sounds like the priming sugar did not ferment. This may be due to yeast nearing their tolerance, or temperature or some combination of both and other factors.
Keep the bottles at a nice warm (mid 70s F) temperature and perhaps try giving them a gentle swirl to rouse the yeast.

Craig.
 
The operative word here is Strong.

You are making a high gravity beer....it's gonna take awhile...My Belgian Strong is about 5 weeks in the bottle and it's still not carbed yet either...

The difference between me and you is, I'm not expecting it to be drinkable (meaning carbed and conditioned) for at least three months in the bottle, minimum. Maybe not for 6 months....

I tasted one this weekend and it had no carb, was thick, and it tasted like rocket fuel

When we say 3 weeks@70 degrees, we mean for an average strength beer....something with an og no higher then lets say 1.060ish. Heck my stouts and porters have taken 4-8 weeks to become drinkable.

Patience Padwan...this ain't coolaid....In a few months your BSA is gonna taste amazing...and nice and smooth. :mug:
 
My experience with bottle conditioning Belgian beers has been high temps are necessary, close to 80° is not unheard of in a commercial setting.

A beer this big needs time. I have a dubbel conditioning in the keg coming up on 3 months, and I probably won't tap it for another 2-3.
 
Ok im gonna give it a shot. I have been keeping the bottles in my closet which is definitely not near 80 degrees. When I get out of work tonight Im gonna go home and shake the bottles up to resuspend the yeast and then find somewhere else to store them.

I have baseboard heat in my house what about if I take the two boxes of bottles and put them in the corner and then cover that with a blanket. We arent really using the heat that much anymore but the thermostat is always set to 60.
 
Yeah, 60 days from kettle to opening and taste testing a Strong Ale is waaaaaaay too soon. Everything I have read is at least 6 months in the bottle. Although, I have no personal basis for this info. My $.02
 
I brewed a trappist ale back in early february. it spent 10 days in primary and two weeks in secondary. i opened the first bottle after only 10 days conditioning and it was well carbonated. i had another last night and it does keep getting better in flavor, but i don't believe that the carbonation has really changed since i opened the first.
 
I brewed a trappist ale back in early february.

What kind of "trappist" ale?

Something like Westmalle Extra, Petite Orval, or Chimay Doree would probably be fine on that schedule, whereas Westmalle Tripel, Orval regular, or Chimay Grande Reserve would generally take longer. OP is doing a pretty big BSDA.
 
I made a French Saison in fall. It had a month in the primary and about 6 weeks in 2ndary. Bottled and waited about another month.

When I bottled it was clean and clear as cider. I put two in the fridge, both clouded up in 24 hours.

I popped one bottle and poured a glass. It was cloudy. HFS - I almost heaved it was so bad. It was hot tasting and smelled like barf mixed with partially digested pizza.

I was so disappointed. I left that other in fridge for about two months.

I bravely opened and poured it in a nice glass. It was clean and clear like a Chablis.

It is now a superb sample of French Saison. I entered it for Pro/Am and I should be getting a call from the local brewery. A friend of mine drank it with the head brewer and he was totally blown away.

Give it time! Go buy yourself a sixer of BSA.
 
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