Does Time In The Bottle Change Flavor

[Vismich]

Does the time the beer spends in the bottle, un refrigerated, change the flavor?

 

[boist]

Yes. Yeast and other compounds will cause the flavors to change over time. The bitterness will decrease, tastes will become rounder and less harsh, and the character of the beer will change. This is why it's a good idea to keep a few bottles for tasting after a few weeks, few months, and even a couple of years after brewing. You may discover that the beer you thought was great at six weeks is much better after six months.
In general higher alcohol beers age better and take longer to reach their prime than lower alcohol beers.

 

[Lucky_Chicken]

yes... I assume you are bottle conditioning, in which case the beer matures in the bottle and the yeast finishes cleaning up after itself. Most ales will be pretty good after a month or two, but in my experience the best bottle you drink is always the last one.

on the flip side if you keep them too long they will start to decline in quality... I have no idea how long that takes, I have never had the problem of having it around too long

 

[VillageBrew]

yes...
on the flip side if you keep them too long they will start to decline in quality... I have no idea how long that takes, I have never had the problem of having it around too long

There are some beers, such as wheats (Hefeweizens) that are really good young and should be enjoyed as such.

 

[el_caro]

So true

 

[RM-MN]

I brewed a spiced ale last year and it didn't get good for almost 3 months. I still have a few bottles and the flavor is still good but there isn't much spice to it now.

 

[unionrdr]

My Whiskely ale took 9 weeks & 6 days,then 2 weeks in the fridge to get good.

 

[DynamechGT]

I think I have a good idea of bottle carbing but I really have no sense of aging. This makes me wonder how my dunkleweizen made with hefe yeast will turn out. I had planned on drinking them around Christmas but now I'll have to ration them a little more carefully and take notes. On the positive side, if quality starts dropping with age, I'll have to quickly consume the remaining bottles to get the best beer out of my time and effort spent.

 

[PIGMAN]

Does anyone have thoughts on whether beer improves over time while refrigerated?

 

[broadbill]

Does anyone have thoughts on whether beer improves over time while refrigerated?

Depends at what stage the beer is at:
Refrigeration slows the conditioning process, but also the decline in quality.

Therefore, "green" beer will not condition as quickly and reach its "peak" at a lower temp, but beer at its peak will not decline in quality as quickly if kept in the refrigerator.

 

[boist]

There are also beers that require cold conditioning to reach peak taste. Lagers are an obvious example, but I've also seen Belgian Triples that require as much as a month in the fridge after carbonation is complete. Cold conditioning can also help with the clarity of the beer, which is nice for pales and ambers (and things like Krystal).