The importance of time, or, how I learned to stop worrying and love aging.

We hear a lot on these forums about how time can cure damn near everything (except oxidation or hop aroma ) but I don't think I ever bought into it until now. In fall of 2012 I made a pretty experimental brew, namely a mulled apfelwein. After four weeks in bottles, it had not carbed even in the slightest and was frankly disgusting to taste, bitter and waaay too heavy on the spices ('twas a learning experience). I was sorely tempted to dump it, but decided to let it age out, in hopes of it eventually carbing and the spices mellowing. Fast forward to fall of 2013, it had been in bottles for over a year; still no carbonation at all, still disgusting to drink. Once again, I wanted badly to dump it but held off and just shoved it in a closet and forgot about it.

Now in April of 2014, after a year and a half in bottles, I stumbled across it and decided to crack one open. To my surprise, it's now perfectly carbonated and pretty well balanced. The spices have melded and it tastes pretty delicious. :rockin:

Never give up, never dump a batch. It will be beer/cider/mead/etc.