Wow...that's bitter!???

So I recently had a post about how my fermentation went crazy (air bubbles every few seconds) for 24 hours and then stopped. Today was the fourth day in the primary fermenter and, while I was going to wait a week before racking to secondary fermenter, I had some time tonight so I went ahead and transfered to my carboy for dry hopping. The good news is my OG was 1.060 and my FG (as of tonight) was 1.020. My concern is that when I tasted the beer (supposed to be an IPA).....WOW...was it bitter....and trust me, I love bitter hoppy beer! This stuff was like UNPLEASANTLY bitter. Is this because the beer is to "green", or because it was not carbonated, etc. Will it get better over the next two weeks or should I hurry up and brew another batch before my brother gets here to visit me in 3 weeks? Thanks for the help.

hopmadness said:

Is this because the beer is to "green"

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you got it! After conditioning/carbing in the bottle, the bitterness will mellow out

And carbonation will help bring the bitterness out as well the hop flavor. You gotta leave this next batch in primary longer. 4 days is just not enough. Also, it's possible that 1.020 is not going to be your final gravity. In fact it's likely. You wanna leave it in primary until you get at least two readings that are the same over 3 or 4 days.

Bitterness comes down with time.

hopmadness said:

Will it get better over the next two weeks or should I hurry up and brew another batch before my brother gets here to visit me in 3 weeks? Thanks for the help.

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Uhm. 3 weeks is not a lot of time. I would let this batch mellow out, and not rush it.

If I were in your shoes, I would brew either a weak American Pale Ale, a very nice American Wheat, or an English Mild. Primary for 7 days, then bottle and condition for 14 days. It will be just a tiny bit "green" still after the 3 weeks have lapsed, but it'll be better than the IPA will be. Don't rush the IPA. It's cruelty to your hops.

My vote is for an American Wheat - they taste good, especially with american hops, and are best while they're young!

Hmm, 1.060 IPA I would have left in the primary three weeks, dry hopped one week, and conditioned in bottle/keg another month before even tasting it. That much hops and that high a OG, it will need time, it will be green for awhile.

I was moaning the other day, I picked up a six pack of Sierra Nevada Anniversary ale last week, and when I opened the first bottle even IT tasted green to me. IPAs need time to mellow out. If you need an IPA in three weeks from now, go get some Broken Halo or Anchor Liberty or Stone IPA (if you're a real hop-head), and save your IPA for when it's ready.

- Eric

You racked way too early man. 4 days in primary??

always...always...ALWAYS...give beer at least a full 7 days in primary. there's more to primary than 'fermentation stopped'. the yeast cleans up leftover flavors...like diacetyl and acetylaldehyde...neither is good in an IPA.

what's done is done...but don't do it no more

hopmadness said:

Will it get better over the next two weeks or should I hurry up and brew another batch before my brother gets here to visit me in 3 weeks?

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Yes and.........YES!!!