Bitter Beer!

[ahoffman565]

My first batch has been in bottles for nearly 3 weeks now. About 2 weeks after bottling, I opened one up to give it a taste. It was good! I could detect a good amout of hoppiness and a bit of malt flavor. It was flat, though, having only been in the bottle for a shortened time. However, on the advice of some of the threads I saw here, I decided to move them to warmer temps to ensure that they get the proper amout of carbonation. I also "gently" inverted each bottle to get the yeast stirred up a bit. After a week in the warm temps, I tried a few more. While the carbonation is nearly perfect, they all taste bitter! I can hardly discern any "flavor". What's going on? Could this be a result of me moving them to warmer temps, or possibly re-introducing the settled-out yeast?

 

[Yooper]

No, it should not taste bitter because you resuspended some yeast, especially if the yeast has now settled out. Sometimes carbonation gives beer more of a "bite", especially if it's over carbed.

What was your recipe? Maybe you had a "bitter" recipe?

 

[ahoffman565]

Well, I was supposed to be making an American Pale Ale, which, yes, should be bitter due to the amount of hops. Perhaps you're correct in that the carbonation has changed it's character. Do you think giving it more time in the bottle will mellow out the flavor?

 

[CBBaron]

Well, I was supposed to be making an American Pale Ale, which, yes, should be bitter due to the amount of hops. Perhaps you're correct in that the carbonation has changed it's character. Do you think giving it more time in the bottle will mellow out the flavor?

Nearly always.
Carbonation will change the flavor of a beer, and some aging will definitely reduce the bitterness. If you let the beer warm a little you will get more malt and hops flavor also.

Craig

 

[hopsalot]

bitter is bettter

 

[Danek]

Do you think giving it more time in the bottle will mellow out the flavor?

Definitely. I had a beer that was almost undrinkably bitter after a week - now, two months later, it's fantastic. I bet yours will turn out great in time.

 

[solidghost]

I have to agree. Let it age for a while and it should reduce in bitterness. But it is just weird that it taste bitter once after you bottle your beer.