Aging Question. HeLp!

[humboldthomebrew]

After I bottle, when i age, how long should I, and do I have to keep them in the fridge. Please help me to understand what is really going on "inside the beer" during aging, and what I can do to help that process.
Thanks

 

[magno]

When you bottle you have to add some sugar to the (almost) finished beer. This is called priming sugar. The yeast that are still in the beer eat this sugar, and produce CO2 as they have been doing, only now the gas cant escape. The CO2 dissolves into the beer, giving you carbonation. The carbonation process takes a week or two depending on the temp.

During this period the beer should be at the same temp that you fermented at. In a ten days or two weeks open one up and see how the carbonation and the taste is. Do not be disheartened if it doesnt taste up to your expectations at this point. If it is carbonated you can cold condition in a fridge. The taste of the beer, mostly the hops, will mature for a period of time.

- magno

 

[TheJadedDog]

I sampled my first batch at several intervals to get an idea for how it was changing over time. At 1 week it was well carbed and drnikable, but the flavors were all pretty intense and didn't seem to go well together, at 2 weeks things had mellowed some and a bit of the bitterness had subsided, by 3 weeks, it was pretty much ready to drink and let me tell you, I have been. I am planning on keeping a few bottles aside to sample in 2 and 3 months just to get a feel for how the beer is changing, I figure aging will be easier once I have a stockpile of beer.

 

[2nd Street Brewery]

It also depends on what type of beer you are making, Bigger beers like stouts and proters will require more time to come together than say a brown ale or IPA would. As suggested above, sampling your beer at different stages will give you a good idea when they are ready.

 

[Ol' Grog]

Have to chime in on that, as that is the gospel. Tried Jaded Dogs technique and that is about the best way to do it. Problem is, as he mentioned, is waiting, especially if your just starting out and you don't have any thing else to drink. If your serious about brewing and going to keep doing it come hell or high water, make a bunch and first, like 4 or 5 batches and then make one every couple of weeks. That's why I jumped over to kegging after my second batch, a lot easier.