My very first home brew has been bottled for a week now. God help me...the desire to crack one open for Father's Day is incredible! What can I expect after only a week? Should I sample or wait longer? I'd hate to have my very first taste to be a let down. How much will I miss out on by NOT waiting another week? The recipe I followed said to give it 2 weeks to carbinate but my will power is almost non-existant at this point! 41 bottles...just sitting there on a shelf in my basement...perfectly clear and calling my name. What would YOU do?
sampling
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Broncoblue
Well-Known Member
Wait, it will taste like a lightly carbinated beer if your lucky (flat). Depending on how cool your basement is it might take a little longer to ferment as well. If its around 70 down there then 3 weeks should give good carbination. The colder it is the longer time it takes to ferment unless your kegging then its the opposite. I'll drink one of mine for you. If you cant wait then try one, I always do and think its flat but when its carbed it going to be awesome.
mewithstewpid
Well-Known Member
im in the opposite boat. i say try it.it will most likely be carbonated, tho the longer you wait the better it will taste. but honestly, after you have 1, you still will have 40.
just as proof of concept, ive cracked some open 4 days after bottling b/c i couldn't wait. it was carbonated, but didnt have any head. it was good tho, but it did get better with age.
just as proof of concept, ive cracked some open 4 days after bottling b/c i couldn't wait. it was carbonated, but didnt have any head. it was good tho, but it did get better with age.
mewithstewpid
Well-Known Member
aventinus is my favorite beer. its a sign you should sample you beer (since that was my opinion)
beergolf
Well-Known Member
When I first started brewing I would often taste one at 1 week, 1 at 2 weeks and 1 at 3 weeks. After learning how the brews mature, I now don't even touch one until 3 weeks.
They taste soooooooo much better after the proper amount of time. Some bigger beers take even longer.
It also help to have beers in the pipeline. Get another fermenter or twoso you can build a nice pipeline. Then it is so much easier to let them sit.
They taste soooooooo much better after the proper amount of time. Some bigger beers take even longer.
It also help to have beers in the pipeline. Get another fermenter or twoso you can build a nice pipeline. Then it is so much easier to let them sit.
onipar
Well-Known Member
I think it's worthwhile to taste at different stages of the brewing process during your first couple brews. After that, better to save it.
I tasted my first brew at one week, and it was carbed, but lost the carbonation fairly quick. The flavor was light and had strong banana notes. Now (almost 5 weeks in), it tastes like a completely different beer.
I tasted my first brew at one week, and it was carbed, but lost the carbonation fairly quick. The flavor was light and had strong banana notes. Now (almost 5 weeks in), it tastes like a completely different beer.
You also want them around 70 degrees to carb at a better rate.I try one within 2 weeks almost every batch, some disapointments some were very good,only had one flat one but tried it after 5 days.They will take longer the cooler they are so try to get em around 70. I cellar mine after 2 months seems this is peak conditioning time for me then they clear in the basement then I stick them in the fridge.This is the best process for me but i do drink one every few weeks in the mean time, having a pipeline and a constant curiosity to try new craft beers keeps this method obtainable.I have plenty of others to pull out and drink this way when i want that are fully conditioned and clear.
I would recommend you give it a try, what is there to lose. Nothing wrong with sampling your beer as it matures, it may help you detect any future problems you may have. It will at worst be flat, but probably lightly carbed after a week and what better way to celebrate fathers day with a sample of your own brew, you may like it and hafta drink more than one. If thats the case, you will have plenty of batches in the future to "wait on". RDWHAHB!
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It is nice just to understand how much a beer can mature in a few weeks. I would try one, but know that when you try it again in a couple weeks it will taste much better. It is just good to know how your product changes and improves IMO.
I always let mine sit three weeks before fridging them for 5-6 days to clear up again. I changed my brewing method on my last batch,now it takes till the next day for them to chill haze. It took nearly a month to get it to FG & clean up. Got 66 bottles out of 23L batch (6.072G). 8 days later,it was fully carbed & aged nicely. But,a week later,the o2 absorbing caps I used seem to have allowed the malt/hop profiles to improve a bit.
Rather than dissipating,it seems to have a better "edge" to the malt & hop flavors. I used US Perle (German hop grown here),& Czech Saaz. Good combo for an APA,when you don't want citrus flavors. That smooth spice is nice. Beautiful golden amber orange sunset color. So I named it "Sunset Gold".
It's in my gallery if anyone wants a peek.
Rather than dissipating,it seems to have a better "edge" to the malt & hop flavors. I used US Perle (German hop grown here),& Czech Saaz. Good combo for an APA,when you don't want citrus flavors. That smooth spice is nice. Beautiful golden amber orange sunset color. So I named it "Sunset Gold".
It's in my gallery if anyone wants a peek.
