Don't make this mistake!!

OK, maybe nobody here has done this but I figured my stupidity was noteworthy enough to spread across the internet.

I made a Scotch Ale a few months ago. A big, malty...beast! Used tons of patience, a first and seconday fermentation, and a LOOOOOOOOng time in the bottle before cracking it open.

Great color, perfect head, smelled yummy. Taste?







Didn't like it. There was some sort of sweetness that tasted...well, weird. It was what I perceived as infected.

Let it sit another month or so.

A couple of days before a friend was about to come over to bottle and brew, I tasted it again. Same thing.

So I dumped it.
All but one bottle.
Figgered I needed bottles for that days brew, made room in the cellar, blah, blah, blah. Scratch it off to improper sanitation.


Friend comes over. I open the one left and pour a taste for him with all kinds of disclaimers, warnings, etc.







He likes it!!

I told him what I'd done and he says, "Hell, I'da happily drunk it for you!"

So, boys and gorillas, let this be a lesson for you: Just because it didn't taste the way you wanted doesn't mean it's bad. Always check with a trusted advisor before doing something stupid and permanent. (Like before you get that really cool tattoo of......)

HTH. Back to your regularly scheduled nonsense.

I had a similar experience with my Scotch Ale. Didn't really care for it until about 2 months after bottling. Tastes nice now.

I have some beers that are over 2 years old...not many, but some...

Unless they are infected they're drunk.

I had the same issue with a batch of American Light. I couldn't drink half of a bottle, but a guy at work drank almost the whole batch! I was tempted to dump it, but he took it, and returned the bottles! I have a batch of Scotch Ale that I brewed today, but I added a cinnamon stick, 1/2 tbs crushed clove, 1/2 tbs nutmeg, 1/2 tbs ginger, and used a Euro Ale liquid yeast. I figured anything is worth a shot at least once!

Same problem with me and scotch ale. I gave it to some of my SNIZZLE brethren. They loved it.

I have a batch I kegged awhile ago. I quickly drank half of it, didnt really care for it. But I have the other five gallons patiently waiting for a few months. Ill put it on gas and see what happens.

Those big, malty beasts often need time to come together.

Yep, you learned an important lesson!


TL

I'm thinking there would have to be monkey brains floating in my brew before I would dump a whole batch of brew.

The same thing nearly happened to me. I made an EIPA that I wasn't terribly fond of. Added wood chips to secondary and didn't really enjoy the flavor they produced. I was about to toss it, but gave some to my two drinking buddies with the same disclaimers. Low and behold they both preferred it to any other beer I had let them taste. Go figure.

I think we are often our own harshest critics. I made a Weizenbock that in my head I wanted to taste like Aventinus. It didn't, so I was disappointed. But, everyone else who has tried it has liked it. Go figure. Now I just focus on the brew and enjoy it for its own unique flavors.

for the love of all that is good and holy...NEVER DUMP YOUR BEER!!

My Octoberfest has an "off" flavor - first time this has happened - that has been variously described as apricot, winey, sweet, etc. - but everyone who has tried it has asked for another. I know it's not "right" by what it should taste like but it is drinkable none the less. I'm almost positive the off flavor is due to a high ferm temp (77-80 F) but I certainly will not dump it. Drink it up yum!!

TexLaw said:

Those big, malty beasts often need time to come together.

Yep, you learned an important lesson!


TL

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Yeah, I haven't even thought of tapping my keg of Wee Heavy, and it was put up 4-5 months ago. I'm hoping to have some yummy, malty autumn drinkin'!

cclloyd said:

My Octoberfest has an "off" flavor - first time this has happened - that has been variously described as apricot, winey, sweet, etc. - but everyone who has tried it has asked for another. I know it's not "right" by what it should taste like but it is drinkable none the less. I'm almost positive the off flavor is due to a high ferm temp (77-80 F) but I certainly will not dump it. Drink it up yum!!

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What did you ferment with? That can give us an idea.

"Apricot" and "sweet" sound like it might be esters, which are really more aroma but certainly influence flavor perception. "Winey," in light of the other comments sounds like it could be acetaldehyde (green apple). With the right yeast, I wouldn't be surprised if both of those showed up in a beer fermented at a high temperature.


TL

I brewed a ScotchAle and didnt like it much at first so I gave a lot of the batch to friends. Tried it 3months later and thought it was great. Like it so much bought another Scotch ale kit. Plan to wait a while to drink this one and pass judgement. Lesson learned

brewingkid said:

I brewed a ScotchAle and didnt like it much at first so I gave a lot of the batch to friends. Tried it 3months later and thought it was great. Like it so much bought another Scotch ale kit. Plan to wait a while to drink this one and pass judgement. Lesson learned

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I did a scotch ale kit as my second batch and it was one of the best beers I've ever had.