How much (if at all) is the beer going to change in flavor in the bottle?

[newbrewguy11]

Maybe this is dumb question but I just racked my first batch of beer over the weekend. As had been mentioned in a couple of places, I decided to take a quick sip of it to see how it tasted. It really smelled awesome but the taste was off to me. It tasted quite bitter another taste-tester in the household said it tasted like "soap" (maybe I used too much star-san being crazy about sanitizing everything?).

The taste aside, does the beer change flavor more in the bottles? If so, what causes this flavor to change? My understanding is if I had a kegerator, one could force carbonate it and drink it now; if that's true does that mean what I tasted is what I have?

Thanks in advance!

 

[mewithstewpid]

Carbonation changes it alot. Also favors tend to mellow with age

 

[player2ma]

I haven't noticed the beer to change in flavor anymore from bottling than from kegging, but it will change/mellow out, typically for the better, over time. If you kegged it and carbonated at 20-30psi for a couple days with some agitation you could drink it sooner than bottling, but that wouldnt necessarily change the flavor. I wouldn't worry yet.

 

[tre9er]

My Kolsch was rather hoppy at bottling time, too. It will mellow.

 

[ravhawk2000]

Yea, I'd hafta agree, I've often found that the batch doesn't seem to meet my standard until it has been in the bottle at least 3 weeks. It's pretty amazing how different one week can make the beer taste so much better.

 

[baldben]

I bottled my first batch 2 weeks ago and tried it at bottling time, 1 week after and 2 weeks after. The flavor change has been fairly large over that time span. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[unionrdr]

It's like night & day difference between bottling day & 4-5 weeks later in bottles. They can carb nicely at 3 weeks,but conditioning of flavors/aromas usually takes a week or two more,ime. Not to mention at least a week fridge time. Co2 absorption isn't all that fast,especially as gravity goes up.

 

[beergolf]

I find the biggest change happens about week 4 in bottles. I always try one at 2 weeks just to see what it is going to taste like. At three it is usually very good but at 4 it just all comes together. That is for most brews.

Belgians on the other hand make that months instead of weeks.

 

[newbrewguy11]

Thanks for all the responses! That's good news. I guess it's back to the waiting game then

Will let you guys know how it turns out!

 

[GASoline71]

The Hefeweizen I brewed was really "fruity" and had a very watery mouth feel right at bottling time.

After 2 weeks in bottles it has mellowed out a lot, and the strong fruity flavor turned to a hint of "banana"... just as the recipie said it would. It has come around in body too... I'm sure it will even get better with more time.

Gary

 

[9Frogs]

Brewed a vanilla cream ale that, after 2 oz. of vanilla, was waaaayyy to vanilla-ey. After a couple weeks, better. After a month, still too much vanilla, but definitely drinkable. As a matter of fact, I'm having one right now!. Brewed the Red from BB, and it was pretty green initially, but after a month or so, the flavors mellowed out and it became much more earthy, and drinkable.