Taste right before bottling

This is my first batch of homebrew. I used a new True Brew Pale Ale kit just to get familiar with the techniques and to rule out any question of ingredient integrity. Starting gravity was 1.042 and ending 1.010 as expected. I JUST NOW bottled it up after a total of 3.5 weeks from the beginning of fermentation. I took a taste of the hydrometer sample: Now the taste was quite bitter and smelled pretty darn hoppy (Cascade hops), not too bad for a first try although I must mention I was drinking Grolsch as I was bottling. So I am wondering if this is pretty much what it will taste like after 3 weeks in the bottle or if the taste will mellow out some or even change completely with age?

At 3.5 weeks it is still VERY young and will mellow and the flavours will meld over the next 3 weeks in the bottle. Also I assume it's an american pale ale (based on the cascade hops) so it's probably pretty hoppy, that needs extra aging time as well.

Congrats though, you made beer and it'll be awesome if you can keep your mits off it for another 3 weeks!

Get another batch going ASAP! That first one will disappear fast!

I'm still pretty new, only brewed five batches. I've already learned that the hardest but most rewarding thing to do is wait. It's so freakin hard to just sit there and wait, all you can think about is poping the top on your new creation.

Everyone on this forum will tell you time usually equals improved quality, so don't worry. In three weeks it will probably great, and in five weeks maybe even better.

Yeah. You definitely need to go ahead and start at least one more batch. I've found that it is best to constantly be making more beer. It keeps your mind of the batch that is ageing, and you will find that you go through your homebrew much faster than you think. It really sucks to run out b/c then you have to go out and actually buy beer. Plus it is just really fun to make beer, and have lots of variety on hand. You and your friends will be glad you did.

Patience Grasshoppa; it will mellow and be markedly better in another 3 weeks.

I think I'll take the great advice and start another batch. I think I'll try a Dead Man Clone and the Apfelwein seems like a no brainer as well. Just need to get some supplies and ingredients now. It's pretty exciting just starting out and the fact that the first batch actually looked and smelled great...can't wait to taste the aged product!

It's so freakin hard to just sit there and wait

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and that is why you get a 5 tap kegorator and do overlaping brews.

You won't be disappointed with the apfelwein.