cant wait! Do I have to? Is it really worth it?

does the beer really get that much better over time.

I bottled a week ago and have been sampleing my beer and it tastes good, will it get that much better at the two week mark?

And then WAY better at three weeks.

I mean I like beer.

It most definately will get better. Save a 6 pack back to prove it to yourself. Let it set for a month before getting into it.

I can't tell you how many batches I've made that when I drink the last bottle I say "oh man that really got good. I wish I would have waited to drink it".
It's tough but if you wait it really does get better.

ethangray19 said:

does the beer really get that much better over time.

I bottled a week ago and have been sampleing my beer and it tastes good, will it get that much better at the two week mark?

And then WAY better at three weeks.

I mean I like beer.

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You know what the answer is and you know what we're going to tell you.
Now start making the next batch and forget about it.

ok i know what everyone will say.

Anyone know why it gets sooooo much better with time???

Quantum physics and the theory of relativity, but only on Thursdays when entropy is light.

In all seriousness, it has to do with the yeast, at least partly. They keep cleaning up after themselves. Alcohol and hop harshness mellow out.

Since we're starting out first batch this weekend, we were actually thinking of taking 1 out of the 48 beers per week after bottling and testing them to see when the perfect time was. I think 3 was the most we were going to wait but i may take a few and test for longer. Has anyone else done this and how many weeks did you find to be the best?

The best one will be the last one.

Get some more going.

The easiest way to resist temptation is to keep brewing. When you have 3 or 4batches in various stages of ferment, it just seems to be no problem to say "I'll give it just a bit longer"

DeadYetiBrew said:

Since we're starting out first batch this weekend, we were actually thinking of taking 1 out of the 48 beers per week after bottling and testing them to see when the perfect time was. I think 3 was the most we were going to wait but i may take a few and test for longer. Has anyone else done this and how many weeks did you find to be the best?

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Sure, I usually test 1 at the 3 week mark. I can make sure they carbed correctly and I then have an idea how much more time they need. I have to leave them alone much longer in the winter since I age them in my basement, which gets pretty chilly.

orfy said:

The best one will be the last one.

Get some more going.

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Quoted for truth...

Patience really pays off, unless of course the style is supposed to be freshly drunk and even then it still needs some amount of time. I have an ale I brew using Cooper's yeast (It's what I started with, and I really liked the brew so why change anything is my thinking). Whenever I make this ale it has a strong diacetyl flavor (think buttery, almost meaty kindof) that lingers. About the 3 week mark in the bottle...poof...it is gone, like that! Yeah it is disappearing over time, but that is when I really cannot taste it any longer. Then the ale profile really comes out.

Wolf said:

Sure, I usually test 1 at the 3 week mark. I can make sure they carbed correctly and I then have an idea how much more time they need. I have to leave them alone much longer in the winter since I age them in my basement, which gets pretty chilly.

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I age all my stuff in the basement (~58 or so) and that works nice. I have six cases of fresh brew waiting to hit the 1 week mark for testing a sample! I usually only drink 1 at the week mark just to learn.

On a similar note, you really can literally taste huge profile swings in those first couple of weeks. My Oatmeal Stout goes through so many different phases taste wise it is amazing to observe. Plus with a given recipe (especially your own) you will never truly learn to appreciate what each thing you put in contributes unless you wait and see. Just my $0.02. :fro:

Hopfan said:

The easiest way to resist temptation is to keep brewing. When you have 3 or 4batches in various stages of ferment, it just seems to be no problem to say "I'll give it just a bit longer"

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This how I break the temptation as well, but I still read them (fermeting buckets and 2ndarys) a book before bed time

Keep brewing, keep planning for the next batch, and keep going to the "good" beer store to try new brews, new styles, things that you would not normally drink. You never know, you might find something exiting that you want to make next - rauchbier, or a wit, or a big Belgian. There's all kinds of beers out there, as long as there's something interesting in the fridge, it's easier to let the beer fermenting in the basement or the closet sit and do its thing.

the_bird said:

Keep brewing, keep planning for the next batch, and keep going to the "good" beer store to try new brews, new styles, things that you would not normally drink. You never know, you might find something exiting that you want to make next - rauchbier, or a wit, or a big Belgian. There's all kinds of beers out there, as long as there's something interesting in the fridge, it's easier to let the beer fermenting in the basement or the closet sit and do its thing.

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You know, something that struck me as I was reading this (not along these lines..but related)...if you buy good beer that is imported (especially) try picking up any defects. That can be just as valuable, imo. Once one learns to distinguish the defect, one can always pick it out. So I guess my point is, even if you happen to pick up something that is 'off' it is educational still. So buy and drink, chalk it up as 'education'

zoebisch01 said:

You know, something that struck me as I was reading this (not along these lines..but related)...if you buy good beer that is imported (especially) try picking up any defects. That can be just as valuable, imo. Once one learns to distinguish the defect, one can always pick it out. So I guess my point is, even if you happen to pick up something that is 'off' it is educational still. So buy and drink, chalk it up as 'education'

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If you REALLY want to become an expert, there are kits you can buy that add particular flaws to a beer, so that you can learn what various things really taste like. Big discussion on Basic Brewing Radio last year, I think under the name "Bad Beer Tasting" or something like that. Two parts to the show, I believe.

IIRC, the kit was pretty expensive, but it would help you become an elitist ass c*nt beer snob pretty quickly, if that was a goal

Ration it. Have an "impatience" 6-pack, then drink some around when it's ok to drink, and then save some for much later. If nothing else, you'll learn how your beer ages and just how much difference a few weeks can make. It's a lesson that everyone has to learn, but as soon as you taste the difference, you'll never touch your beer early again.

Ok, maybe not never, but not as much.

ayrton said:

Ration it. Have an "impatience" 6-pack, then drink some around when it's ok to drink, and then save some for much later.

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If you have a store that sells "mix and match" sixers, that's an excellent way to do beer style research while you're trying to keep your hands off your conditioning homebrew.

Pick up several styles you aren't very familiar with--it's a great way to get a fix on what style you might want to brew. It's much more cost effective than brewing five gallons of something you don't really like.

the_bird said:

If you REALLY want to become an expert, there are kits you can buy that add particular flaws to a beer, so that you can learn what various things really taste like. Big discussion on Basic Brewing Radio last year, I think under the name "Bad Beer Tasting" or something like that. Two parts to the show, I believe.

IIRC, the kit was pretty expensive, but it would help you become an elitist ass c*nt beer snob pretty quickly, if that was a goal

Click to expand...

Lol, wow interesting. What is odd that since I started brewing and learning, a friend gave me a Kolsch and the oxidation hit me like a ton of bricks. Before that I would have never noticed (is this a good thing? hehe). He didn't notice, nor would I have before.

Hey you know, I came across this site today which gives a great explanation of some of the major beer defects:

http://www.professorbeer.com/library_pages/brewing_knowledge.html

It was a good read for those who feel so inclined.

I say RDWHAHB!!!!! Drink because you know how to make beer.

zoebisch01 said:

You know, something that struck me as I was reading this (not along these lines..but related)...if you buy good beer that is imported (especially) try picking up any defects. That can be just as valuable, imo. Once one learns to distinguish the defect, one can always pick it out. So I guess my point is, even if you happen to pick up something that is 'off' it is educational still. So buy and drink, chalk it up as 'education'

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What are a few you would recommend to really get a good feel for the different changes? I WANT TO LEAAAARN! I'll probably be keeping a 6 pack for atmost 5 weeks in the bottle...

definitely gets better with time. I usually pop my first open after 2 weeks to sample for carbonation, then wait a little while before really cracking into the batch.