How long until my beer is drinkable?

I bottled my first batch (from extract, Muntons Anniversary Ale) a little over a month ago, after 2.5 weeks in the carboy, and from what I've read, it should be getting to the point of tasting good about now... but the beer is still very bitter, with a harsh aftertaste, some bottles bordering even on undrinkable (I've been drinking about one a week, and wound up pouring out the one I opened yesterday).

Is it just a matter of just waiting longer, or should I start to worry about something being wrong with the batch? The biggest error I think I made in the brewing was leaving the glass carboy exposed to sunlight, could that be the culprit? Like I said, this is my first attempt, so I'd like to figure out how to get a better result next time.

the sunlight would give it a skunky flavor so if yoru beer is overly bitter it could be many thinks my suggestion is to sit it some where and don't touch it for another month or so the flavors might mellow out some by then

Did you taste the beer at bottling?
I always taste the sample I pull for checking specific gravity, could give an idea of where a potential problem originated.
Can you be specific about what you are tasting(acetone, banana, skunk, sweaty feet, etc..)
If your beers each taste different, I am wondering if you may have a sanitation issue!

I'm not familiar with this extract kit, but after 1 month of bottle conditioning and 2.5 weeks in primary this beer should be ready to go, so I don't think waiting longer is going to help. What was your OG and FG readings? Exposing the fermenting carboy to sunlight can't be good...

my first brew experience sounds similar.

the taste of mine was astringent. reading the boards, i found that i boiled the specialty grain "tea bag" at too high of a temperature and sparged the grain bag (another no no) which both released tannins and caused a very dry bitter (and horrible taste).

it was undrinkable for about 1 month after bottling. i thought about throwing it out on multiple occasions, but read several posts suggesting you keep it. the beer started to get slightly better for the next 2 weeks (still bad)....and then changed very quickly at 1.5 months or so. ultimately the beer became one of the best and most unique beers i've brewed to date. i saved one bottle for posterity.

i'd start another batch, and wait it out with your first brew. unless it was an infection, i think you will be surprised in May!

but, every beer is different! good luck!

skunky like bad heineken? I keep a black sweatshirt over my glass ferm.

are you a "hop-head" if not... let's see your recipe... was the anniversary ale kit-pre-hopped? did you add more hops?

pre-hopped kits usually only need flavor hops at 20 min and aroma hops late boil 0-10 min.

I stopped using hopped extracts early on because I couldn't get the control of bitterness I liked, and I used to be a crazy hop-head!

I made a batch that was way way astringent and undrinkable. It's pretty god not but it took over a year for it to calm down.

Typically a normal beer (brown, stout, hefe, amber . . ect) are drinkable after 3 weeks but get better OR worse from there.