Bottle Conditioning Question

[JamesHoffman]

I made the mistake of putting my (supposedly) complete brews in the refrigerator. Upon opening it, I decided that it needs more conditioning. Will those bottles condition in the fridge or are they forfeit to the home brew gods?

 

[user 103238]

Can you be more specific with your definition of "needs more conditioning?" Typically a bottled beer will need at least 2-3 weeks at room temperature to achieve carbonation and conditioning. Depending upon the ABV and the style, you may find yours needs longer. After conditioning, a taste test after a day or so in the fridge will give you a pretty good snapshot of where your beer is at.

I made the mistake of putting my (supposedly) complete brews in the refrigerator. Upon opening it, I decided that it needs more conditioning. Will those bottles condition in the fridge or are they forfeit to the home brew gods?

 

[JamesHoffman]

You know, I should have added that this is my very first brew and that I don't completely know what I am doing, haha. You are right. After a day in the fridge it tastes fine, just like a cheap beer. Before, I had only tried it after a few hours in the fridge. I guess it threw me off because as my first batch I used a hopped LME kit. The store owner even warned me that it wouldn't taste quite as good as store-bought beer, or even the same necessarily.

This is a brown ale LME kit, boiled with 2lbs DME and used with included yeast. I shouldn't have expected much better, from what I'm hearing and reading. Thanks for replying!

 

[Billy-Klubb]

You know, I should have added that this is my very first brew and that I don't completely know what I am doing, haha. You are right. After a day in the fridge it tastes fine, just like a cheap beer. Before, I had only tried it after a few hours in the fridge. I guess it threw me off because as my first batch I used a hopped LME kit. The store owner even warned me that it wouldn't taste quite as good as store-bought beer, or even the same necessarily.

This is a brown ale LME kit, boiled with 2lbs DME and used with included yeast. I shouldn't have expected much better, from what I'm hearing and reading. Thanks for replying!

don't let this can kit deter you from brewing all together. it's a great hobby, art, and craft. great beer can be made with extracts. if you haven't yet, pick up How to Brew by John Palmer and get yourself a kit from Northern Brewer, More Beer, or the like. before you know it, you'll be slinging advice to other brew noobs!:rockin:

 

[boscobeans]

The store owner even warned me that it wouldn't taste quite as good as store-bought beer, or even the same necessarily.

???? A decent all extract kit can make some pretty darn good ales in my opinion. I have made many over the years and most were better than a lot of the commercial swill out there.

This is a brown ale LME kit, boiled with 2lbs DME and used with included yeast. I shouldn't have expected much better, from what I'm hearing and reading. Thanks for replying!

Proper sanitation and patience are two of the most important things when brewing.

Directions with kits are often geared to getting a speedy brew. It is sad, but if most first timers would ignore the directions when it comes to fermentation time, carbonating time and conditioning time there would be a lot less disappointment when popping open those first bottles.

I think 3 weeks is the minimum I would allow for a brown in the fermenter.
Carbonation at room temp ( 70F ) can easily take up to 3 weeks, maybe a little longer.
Conditioning time where the flavors improve and the carbonation seems to settle in (at least for me) can take anywhere from 4 weeks to 4 months.

To answer your original question... Get the bottles out of the fridge and keep them at room temperature.
Chill a bottle after a week or two and see if you start to notice improvement.. I have some ales that are great and they have been sitting in the basement for a year.

OMO

bosco

 

[unionrdr]

How long has it been in bottles? How long at room temp before you put them in the fridge?

 

[Hello]

Since unionrdr has asked the questions I would ask, I want to interject and say your LHBS shouldn't sell you a kit with the caveat that it won't taste like the store bought beer or even as good. That's the worst sales pitch ever. Obviously I don't expect anyone to over promise on the kit results, but at the very least, don't deter someone from making good beer.

A kit can and will make good beer. I've done it now three times and I believe the beer to be good all three times. The first try wasn't as good because I messed up the ferm temp, but generally speaking, they've all been good. Sure, we're not talking top of the mark beer here, but certainly not off in flavor or aroma. Kits aren't bad at all but you want to be sure the kits are fresh. I've learned that the pre-boxed kits can sit around for a very long time and things can get stale. I'll be buying my "kits" from another LHBS now where they will help put together a recipe that isn't pre-boxed.

As for the conditioning, someone already said to take them out of the fridge and put them back in a place where it is room temp. You can likely condition them over time. As long as it is beer and it isn't making you puke, I say never give up a batch to the beer gods unless painfully necessary. It doesn't sound like you're there yet. Also, try it a bit warmer. Not all beer is meant to be drank at 35º F.

 

[unionrdr]

I have one of those newer style fridges with a digital control panel to set freezer & fridge temps seperately,etc. Fridge temp on mine is set at 47F. I condition at room temp downstairs in my mancave in warm weather. But when it gets cold out,my boxed bottles go into the MB upstairs next to my side of the bed by my chair & lil table. It's the warmest room in the house during the cold weather months. That way,they carb up well & in the "normal" time frame for whatever style of beer it is. Typically 3-4 weeks at 70 or better. Then at least one week in the fridge to give any chill haze a chance to form & settle. Also to get better carbonation & head. 2 weeks for thicker head & longer lasting carbonation.

 

[JamesHoffman]

The salesman didn't say it would be bad altogether, he simply recommended that I start with it because it's simple, and that I might not like it compared to other extract kits or store bought beer...I think he was trying to tell me that he doesn't prefer the kind that I got, but that he recommended it for first time brewers (Munton's Nut Brown Ale LME). I already started my second brew with an extract kit: Dead Ringer IPA from Northern Brewer, which I have a bunch of questions about that aren't really for this particular thread.

It was in bottles for 14 days when I did all this at 70 degrees F.

I originally asked because someone told me that taking a beer out of the fridge and letting it warm back to room temperature isn't good for the beer. Is this untrue? Thanks for all the help, everyone.

 

[revelation]

While it is true that temperature changes are not good for beer, it won't ruin your beer. Many store bought beers have been in multiple temp changes and come out just fine. You should always seek to minimize temp changes but don't get carried away - RDWHHB.

Btw, I find it irresponsible for someone to sell a first time brewer a kit that won't taste satisfactory. It sounds like a good way to have the person give up after one go. There are plenty of kits that are simple in process to get someone started and are going to end up ok, even with no skills or experience.

 

[unionrdr]

With the beer already in bottles,warming them back up to finish carbing won't hurt them.