Brewers best holiday ale kit questions???

[StophJS]

For everyone who has completed this beer.. Have you noticed a really unpleasant dry bitterness about the beer? I haven't bottled yet but I noticed this when I took both my FG readings.. really hoping it doesn't stick around.

 

[Desrever]

I thought mine tasted pretty good last Saturday when I bottled it, I could taste the spices and it did have a slight bitter finish but not unpleasant in my opinion.

 

[StophJS]

Hmm well I think I'll bottle mine either tomorrow or Sunday, then I guess I'll check it out again. Usually I'm the one not minding while others are complaining of bitterness.

Edit: Now that I think about it, maybe really what I experienced is sourness. Hope it's not infected..

 

[Nightbiker]

Always best to just bottle it and try it out after conditioning. GENERALLY beers will mellow a little after conditioning.

 

[StophJS]

So I think I figured out what happened with my batch. Not bitterness, not sourness.. fusel alcohols. I don't know if it was the nottingham yeast or what but it's definitely fairly unpleasant.

 

[Nightbiker]

That being the case, all is not lost. The yeast will clean that up with little problem. Allow to bottle condition for a couple of weeks, chill a couple and giver 'er a taste. Patience is all that is required now.

 

[StophJS]

Thanks for the encouragement. I've got a few weeks yet before Thanksgiving anyway so hopefully everyone can still enjoy some at that point.

 

[Desrever]

I'm hoping mine is good by Christmas... and Even Better by next Christmas.

 

[StophJS]

That's a hell of a long age. It's impossible for me to hold onto beer that long.. haha

 

[Desrever]

That's a hell of a long age. It's impossible for me to hold onto beer that long.. haha

I'll just hide them at my parents house is all. I have 12 bombers 3 sixers of 12oz and 2 extra 12oz for tasting before they get brought out for Dec 25th.

I'm not sure how this will turn out it was only my 3rd batch of beer but anyway I'm Excited for friends and family to try it.

StophJS- Your not that far away from me, Maybe we could exchange a bottle sometime in the next month or something?

 

[RM-MN]

I think I would try for Valentine's day or Easter to have the last of this brew. I brewed a similar kit from Midwest last year and it wasn't ready until after Christmas (not fully mature, but not bad either). I had been parceling them out carefully and had another of the few left yet for dinner tonight (with some other food items, not just the beer) and while it was pretty smooth and good flavor, I could not really detect the spices that would make this a holiday spiced ale any more. From my one try, I'd have to say that the spices do not age real well.

 

[Desrever]

I was wondering about that myself with the spices, If they fade I think it will still be a good Amber Ale. I used Oxygen Barrier caps tho I hope that helps.

 

[StophJS]

StophJS- Your not that far away from me, Maybe we could exchange a bottle sometime in the next month or something?

I was just down in South Bend a couple weeks ago to take the train to Chicago haha. I'm not usually in the area though.

 

[Desrever]

I was just down in South Bend a couple weeks ago to take the train to Chicago haha. I'm not usually in the area though.

Thats cool, I probably could have thrown a beer to you from my house while you getting on the train... I'm that close to the airport.