just opened my first bottle...

...after only 6 days. I know, too early. But I do have a question.

While tasting my beer it had the awesome beer taste, and awesome beer look, but after the awesome beer taste it had a strong alcohol taste kinda like a cheap wine aftertaste. So is this what everyone means by "green" beer?

My beer is the Fat Tire extract from Midwest Supplies. I Followed the recipe to the letter. I even did a secondary fermentation. It also had a minute amount of yeast in the bottom of the bottle (about dime size). Any Answers would be greatly appreciated.

How long did you keep it in primary and then secondary? If the beer is just a few weeks old it is quite possibly just a matter of letting it age further and allowing the flavours to mellow out.

1 week primary 3 weeks secondary.

What was the fermentation temperature? Ale yeast make higher alcohols, alcohols with more carbon-hydrogen bonds, at the higher end of the yeast's preferred temperature range. The yeast I use will ferment from <60 to >80 degrees but it makes a cleaner beer when it is nearer 60. I like to keep mine between 62 and 65 for that reason.

How long did you leave it in the fermenter? The yeast makes other compounds along with the alcohol. If you leave it in the primary fermenter longer it will process these compounds into alcohol too. I've begun leaving my beer in the primary fermenter for 3 to 4 weeks before bottling.

My temp averaged about 69. But has been from 65 to 72. Its in my back bathroom that nobody uses so i closed the vent in there. But here in the south we've has some hot days and my house would get up to about 78. But my bathroom stayed cooler, I guess from keeping the door shut and lights off.

Yeah I would primary for 3-4 weeks and only secondary if you are dry hopping, adding fruit or oak chips, etc. Either way I am sure you are fine. I dont open my first bottle until atleast 3 weeks now. It doesnt hit its prime until 6-8 weeks. Like always in this hobby, just relax and let the beer do the work. Go get some craft beer to hold you over if you dont have any other homebrews ready to drink. Cheers!

Yeah. I was just mostly curious about if that was what "green beer" tasted like.

I think green beer can be a variety of things. Basically just not giving the yeast enough time to do its job.

It sounds more like the beer got above 70 degrees, and you have some "fusel alcohols" as a result. Sometimes it can taste like rubbing alcohol.

Remember that fermentation produces heat itself, and it can get about 8-10 degrees warmer than ambient temperature. Your goal is to keep it under about 70 degrees if at all possible.

Yooper said:

It sounds more like the beer got above 70 degrees, and you have some "fusel alcohols" as a result. Sometimes it can taste like rubbing alcohol.

Remember that fermentation produces heat itself, and it can get about 8-10 degrees warmer than ambient temperature. Your goal is to keep it under about 70 degrees if at all possible.

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I didn't realize it generated heat. It completely makes sense now that I hear it but I will def. keep this in mind for my next brew.

Hmmm. thanks for the tips. I didn't know it produced that much heat.