How much can bottle conditioning fix?

[straylight77]

I bottled my first batch just over a week ago (I did a simple Fest Brew to get used to the process, etc). Long story short: I think my auto-siphon was faulty and had a leak in the gasket (between the inner and outer tubes). I had lots of bubbles in the line while I was racking to my priming bucket.

I tried a bottle last night. About 10 days of bottle conditioning -- I know it's early, I wanted to sample them to see how much the taste changes during conditioning. There were some pretty off flavours. I can't really tell if they were just "green" flavours, or yeasty or the wet cardboard / soapy flavours that I understand mean the beer is oxidized. I'm sure I made lots of other mistakes considering this is my first batch, but I'm worried about all that air while I was bottling.

So my question is: what type of things can bottle conditioning fix? Do I just need to wait it out or be prepared for some disappointment?

 

[duckmanco]

So my question is: what type of things can bottle conditioning fix? Do I just need to wait it out or be prepared for some disappointment?

Well you really don't have a choice either way, but I know what others who have been around longer than I will say.... wait it out, and see what happens as it ages.

 

[coypoo]

Depends on where the off flavors came from. If you fermented too warm (>70ish) then the off flavors were thrown by the yeast. In that case, I think it would take a decent amount of time for them to go down. I'll bet that if you let it carb a little more you will see it improve.
As you bottle and brew more you will start to really understand what "green" beer is like. I find it really interesting how I can taste a beer now and be like "this needs x weeks before it will be good." You'll get there, keep brewing

 

[JLem]

are you sure there was a leak? I've seen streams of bubbles when I siphon coldish beer - it is the CO2 coming out of solution as the beer warms up.

 

[Revvy]

are you sure there was a leak? I've seen streams of bubbles when I siphon coldish beer - it is the CO2 coming out of solution as the beer warms up.

I see streams of bubbles all the time in there as well. But since I start my autosiphon inside the liquid, I've always just gone with the idea of it being co2 in there, and I've never had any issues.

Relax straylight77, you're just being nervous...Just let the beer do what it needs to do and you'll be fine.

 

[frazier]

I have found it very useful to take all my transferring gear - siphons, hoses, clamps, dip tubes, etc - on a dry run - er, I mean, a wet run - using water to find all my leaks, drips, bubbles, and yes, faulty technique. Very useful to practice with water.

Consider your first several batches to be investments in the learning curve.

 

[jfr1111]

If it's oxidation, it won't go away (so nothing you can do). If it's esters or phenols, time will tell. So the "solution" to both "problems" is wait : your beer is still hella green. Stick that back in the closet where it came from.

 

[brettwasbtd]

My second batch i tried around the same time period. It was undercarbed and tasted kind "slimy." Read all the posts here and decided not to touch the stuff for a while... 3 weeks later WOW, it was amazing! Now on the other hand, like some have said, if its cause it fermented to hot, you may be out of luck, I am going on 7 months now of a lighter brew that i fermented WAY too hot before i had means of regulating temp, it still tastes like hot alcohol....but im still giving it about a year before i throw in the towell!

 

[Revvy]

My second batch i tried around the same time period. It was undercarbed and tasted kind "slimy." Read all the posts here and decided not to touch the stuff for a while... 3 weeks later WOW, it was amazing! Now on the other hand, like some have said, if its cause it fermented to hot, you may be out of luck, I am going on 7 months now of a lighter brew that i fermented WAY too hot before i had means of regulating temp, it still tastes like hot alcohol....but im still giving it about a year before i throw in the towell!

That's why for years I've been collecting stories like these so new brewers don't make rash decisions and dump their beer, without giving it a shot at surprising us.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/ne...virtue-time-heals-all-things-even-beer-73254/

 

[NorthRiverS]

That story brought a tear to my eye . . . . . . Thanks Revvy ! ! ! !

NRS

 

[johnnyspade]

What type of beer did you make?

 

[Shinglejohn]

Relax. Your beer is fine. 10 days is not really a realistic carbing period. air bubbles in your syphon hose will really only cause a bit of oxidation. No biggie. Give it a couple more weeks.

We all know the anguish of that first brew. Believe me, you wont really **** up a batch untill after youve gotten good and cocky and become lax on your cleanliness. That batch will suck and you wont even see it coming.

 

[straylight77]

Thanks for the feedback everyone -- great to be joining such an active community!

I'm pretty sure it wasn't just the bubbles from the CO2 -- there were slight gurgling noises which tipped me off to the leak. I think what really happened is that I used some slightly too hot water to rinse after I sanitized (using diluted bleach). That may have melted part of the plastic in the part that holds the seal. Lesson learned. Trust me, I'm trying to get my hands on some StarSan or Idophor.

I used a Festa Brew pale ale kit (a pre-hopped non-diluted wort). I used that as a first batch to focus more on sanitizing, fermenting and bottling.
http://www.magnotta.com/Festabrew/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=218

My next batch I hope will be an extract recipe involving a boil. This first batch is certainly a learning experience!

 

[straylight77]

One more note: I knew perfectly well that 10 days is way too early. I'm taking some samples to experience how much a beer changes during conditioning - sort of a case study on the conditioning phase in general. So I'm not THAT neurotic (sort of). It's also my first foray into developing a palate that can identify off flavours -- something I've never had to do before

 

[Shinglejohn]

One more note: I knew perfectly well that 10 days is way too early. I'm taking some samples to experience how much a beer changes during conditioning - sort of a case study on the conditioning phase in general. So I'm not THAT neurotic (sort of). It's also my first foray into developing a palate that can identify off flavours -- something I've never had to do before

Oh, believe me. We ALL drink em after 10 days.