First Homebrew Tastes

Hey everyone. I'm a total n00b who has been bitten hard by the homebrewing bug. I've been reading a ton and currently have my second batch finishing up primary fermentation.

I bottled my first batch about 2 weeks ago and have tasted several bottles. Some are quite tasty, however some seem slightly off. I'm not sure what the offness is, and it seems strange to me that this would occur in some bottles and not others, considering I had the same sanitation procedures for all the bottles. Could it be that they are just bottle conditioning at different rates, or something else.

Either way it's all totally drinkable, I was just curious as to why the variations.

Thanks!

Also, do different sized bottles condition beer at different rates (i.e. 12 oz vs. 22oz?)

2 weeks is too soon. 3 weeks minimum for bottles. 4 weeks is even better.

I had the same problem with my last extract batch. Some tasted fine, were well carbed, while others were "off" and were not carbed as well. I think aging is the cure for this problem.

a 12 oz should age just as quick as a 22 oz. The 12 oz will have less priming sugar while a 22 oz will have more. However, when the volumes are taken into account, there should be very little difference between the two.

Yes. They will condition at different rates. You are most likely tasting what we all call "green" beer. Let it sit for a couple more weeks. You won't be disappointed. Letting the beer have time to sit is the best thing you can do for it.

I would think that just like wine bottle size is very important - why would beer be different then wine when it comes to bottle aging.

Tankard said:

a 12 oz should age just as quick as a 22 oz. The 12 oz will have less priming sugar while a 22 oz will have more. However, when the volumes are taken into account, there should be very little difference between the two.

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Wrong....Larger volumes of beer take longer to carb and condition...I usually bottle at least one 6 pack of 12 ounces for competition alongside whatever else I'm bottling in (usually pints and 22's.)

The 12's are usually carbed by three weeks, while the pints and 22 usually need 4-6 weeks.

We are dealing with living yeasts here, and they take longer to process a larger volume of liquid. This isn't an inorganic simple mixing of priming sugar like making koolaid, it is a life cycle, remember.

All, thanks for the reply (this was my first post and first batch). Ten days later (3.5 weeks total in bottle) I re-tasted, and must say everything is vastly improved. Thanks for the advice!