First homebrew taste (Confirm diagnosis plz)

[tj218]

I brewed the NB Irish Red Ale kit 6 weeks ago (2 weeks primary temp hit 68F during active then settled to 62, 2 weeks secondary@ 62F, 2 weeks bottle @68F-72F). I used Nottingham Yeast.

I had 3/4 of a beer left over after I filled 2 cases worth, so I figured that would be my test subject. I put it in the fridge yesterday and opened it 25 hours later. I believe it isn't done yet, part of the reason I used the leftover 3/4 bottle to satisfy my curiosity but I need help in diagnosing what flavors/issues I have from it.

It just tastes like I am getting "layers": slight alcohol&watery taste /then a subdued grain profile of a red. It certainly is drinkable, but what is causing this "layering"? The beer had a thin head on it for quite a while. The warm uncarbed beer when I took my FG reading tasted better and more together than this. So what is wrong?

Not done carbing? Didn't keep it cold long enough? Yeast? Will the grain profile become more pronounced with age?

I will probably keep them @ 70 for another week or two before I try another, I just need some ideas about what is happening as I impatiently wait for the first batch to be finished and as I move forward in this hobby.

Thanks!

 

[HopJuicer]

Its hard not to break into the first batch before its done lol. I think mine was half gone after the first week in the bottle. I think your beer just needs to Carb up and condition. Try one at the 2 week mark but if you can wait, give it 3 or 4 weeks to condition. With a little time you would be surprised how much a beer can change.

 

[homebrewdad]

It's not done. 3 weeks at 70 degrees is the baseline for most normal gravity beers, then go to fridge for a couple days.

Also note that a 3/4 beer is a TERRIBLE gauge for the rest of the batch - you have way more headspace, an the carbing process will be relatively crappy.

Finally note that a fully carbed beer may still not be ready; a few weeks can do wonders for the flavor of beer in bottles.

 

[heckler73]

Not done carbing?!

it's not even started carbing. 3 weeks at 70F minimum before you crack one.

 

[billl]

I think the people who say "3 weeks minimum" just never taste their beer earlier. Most of mine are carbed at 2 weeks. Occasionally, one will take 3 weeks. But many beers do taste better if you just let them sit a while.

3/4 of a beer is a bad "test". The carbonation in the beer is related to the pressure in the bottle/keg for a given temp. In a bottle, if you double the head space, you cut the pressure in half.

 

[homebrewdad]

I think the people who say "3 weeks minimum" just never taste their beer earlier. Most of mine are carbed at 2 weeks. Occasionally, one will take 3 weeks. But many beers do taste better if you just let them sit a while.

3/4 of a beer is a bad "test". The carbonation in the beer is related to the pressure in the bottle/keg for a given temp. In a bottle, if you double the head space, you cut the pressure in half.

I said "baseline". Some may be done sooner. The worst you get by waiting to three weeks, though, is that the beer was carbed a bit sooner, and now, it has conditioned for an extra week (and likely tastes better than it did at two weeks).

Some beers are carbed quicker than three weeks... some take longer (even MUCH longer).

We get dozens of posts here every week with people panicking about how their beer isn't carbed at a week, ten days, two weeks. Should they add yeast, should they add sugar, should they gently shake the bottles, etc.

No, you should leave them alone and let them carb up fully, which takes as long as it takes. If you open one sooner than three weeks, then don't complain if it isn't carbed.

It's your beer, do what you want. There is a reason for establishing a baseline, though, and that is to give a good working point that is applicable for most brewers and most brews.

 

[billl]

homebrewdad, I appreciate that you used the word "baseline", but the poster after you wrote "it's not even started carbing. 3 weeks at 70F minimum before you crack one."

 

[homebrewdad]

homebrewdad, I appreciate that you used the word "baseline", but the poster after you wrote "it's not even started carbing. 3 weeks at 70F minimum before you crack one."

Which is honestly good advice for someone who doesn't understand how carbing works, or that the beer may very well not be ready before then, or that they beer may be carbed but still very green before then.

 

[billl]

Misstating how carbonation works isn't a good way to teach someone how carbonation works.

 

[ludomonster]

Tasting your beer when you bottle it is a good practice. You should know how beers taste along the way. Eventually, you will be able to tell when you've got yourself a beer that will need more time to age or a beer that will turn out awesome.

 

[iambeer]

I could be wrong because I'm very inexperienced but if you taste or smell something wrong, write down details about it. Then just wait a week or two and try it again. If it goes away, then you will know. If it doesn't, you will give you something to think about when you review your process and ingredients. Like the temps you used during fermentation, like the water you used. And other details. I mean, until your beer tastes the way you want it to, why not note everything until you find out what's wrong? No one else will be able to troubleshoot your beer besides you ultimately.

I haven't been brewing for long but the best beer I have made so far is a dubbel that isn't carbonated yet which fermented for two weeks and aged for three. Maybe the alcohol needs to mellow a bit, but not much. I just racked it into a cold crash container. Tasting it flat tells me what I need to know. I think carbonated would be even better, but it was hard not to continue drinking it flat to tell you the truth. I don't think carbonation always fixes everything. Fresh beer should taste right flat.. then again it's probably newbie idealism talkin... Anyway in one or two weeks if the beer tastes right, you can laugh at yourself for worrying and drink a good beer.

 

[tj218]

Thanks for all the replies. I guess I didn't phrase it right or even really ask it, but is that "seperation" in the taste a product of a only 1/2-3/4 filled beer or more of a it's only been 2 weeks taste?


Thanks again

 

[jbaysurfer]

Misstating how carbonation works isn't a good way to teach someone how carbonation works.

Telling people most of their beer will be done at two weeks isn't much better.

Wait 3 weeks at 70f. It's a standard best practice. It's good advice.

No need to be pedantic.

And for the record, at 25 hours, all in the fridge, saying "carbonation hasn't even started" in regards to a 2/3 full bottle is probably not a misstatement at all.

 

[tj218]

Telling people most of their beer will be done at two weeks isn't much better.

Wait 3 weeks at 70f. It's a standard best practice. It's good advice.

No need to be pedantic.

And for the record, at 25 hours, all in the fridge, saying "carbonation hasn't even started" in regards to a 2/3 full bottle is probably not a misstatement at all.

For the record carbing time was 2 weeks @ 68-72 then 25 hours fridge time.

 

[iambeer]

tj in case you missed it, people think you should let your bottles carbonate for 3 to 4 weeks and chill for 3 or 4 days to be sure that the carbonation is done.

 

[jbaysurfer]

For the record carbing time was 2 weeks @ 68-72 then 25 hours fridge time.

Oh...well aren't I the stooge. My bad. Sorry Billl.

FTR, I'd follow Homebrewdads advice, he's always given great advice IMHO. I still think you'll see a different product from a full bottle in another week.