Can time cure skunking problems?

[jarrodaden]

In my first carboy fermentation, I did not put a cover over my carboy because I didn't know better. It was only after a read a post about this that I covered it. It was probably without a cover for a few days.

My beer doesn't seem quite right. I am thinking the beer might be skunky.

Can additional time in the bottles in a dark closet cure this problem or is a beer skunked forever once it is skunked?

 

[sonex]

short answer no time won't help. skunked forever.

 

[MalFet]

Where was it? Direct sunlight? Most artificial light puts out very little UV, which is the primary cause of skunking.

In any case, skunked beers don't really unskunk if given time.

 

[Revvy]

But if you're a new brewer, then more than likley what you are really tasting or experiencing is green beer....Starting out most new brewers jump at every little thing and worry incessantly. You really can't judge a beer in a fermenter. And unless you had it on a window sill in direct sunlight I doubt you skunked it.

Bottle it, let it condition for AT LEAST three weeks, more like 6 before you even begin to judge it. I am 100% certain all you have is noob nerves. Like 99% of the other folks who start worry threads like this,

 

[homebrewdad]

But if you're a new brewer, then more than likley what you are really tasting or experiencing is green beer....Starting out most new brewers jump at every little thing and worry incessantly. You really can't judge a beer in a fermenter. And unless you had it on a window sill in direct sunlight I doubt you skunked it.

Bottle it, let it condition for AT LEAST three weeks, more like 6 before you even begin to judge it. I am 100% certain all you have is noob nerves. Like 99% of the other folks who start worry threads like this,

Listen to Revvy. No, skunking only gets wore with time... but your beer is probably green, not skunked.

 

[jarrodaden]

For what it is worth, I bottled June 24. 3 weeks. I will wait another 3 weeks and give it a try.

 

[ajf]

Skunked beer is skunked, and I don't think that time will unskunk it.
The good news is that you say "My beer doesn't seem quite right. I am thinking the beer might be skunky."
Skunked beer is not the same as not tasting quite right. It tastes thoroughly disgusting.
My guess is that you are tasting green beer, and that it will taste good when it has matured.

-a.

 

[iambeer]

Some skunking is nice. Like Heineken and St Peter's Ale. Not too much. Just a little. There ought to be International Skunking Units.

 

[sonex]

Some skunking is nice. Like Heineken and St Peter's Ale. Not too much. Just a little. There ought to be International Skunking Units.

I guess every ones taste buds are different.

 

[TimpanogosSlim]

I guess every ones taste buds are different.

Seriously. Heineken? wtf?