I due for an Oh No! post

[boomtown25]

I just bottled my first batch ever, Caribou Slobber. Besides the cleaning of the bottles, I really didn't find the bottling process that bad. I did however, underestimate the number of bottles I needed. I cleaned and sanitized 50, and could have used about 54. I knew this, but miscounted obviously. Anyways, with the extra, I drank a glass and while I know it has at least 3 weeks to condition coming up and carbonate (its been in primary 3 weeks) I wasn't impressed with the flavor.

Can anyone tell me how much it is going to "develop" over the next 3 weeks?

P.S. - I had just finished by 4 IPA so I am sure that effected my taste buds as well so not too worried, plus I know the general rule of thumb is RDWHAHB. Thanks!

 

[slowbie]

I've brewed plenty of batches and only one ever tasted good at bottling time. That somehow ended up being the worst one. So don't worry about it. Carbonation makes a world of a difference.

 

[birvine]

Carbonation and mellowing in the bottle make a huge difference. Kind of like green vs ripe bananas. One is edible and one is gross. The difference is time.

B

 

[Revvy]

It's going to be wonderful. Almost ALL uncarbed, green beer right out of the fermenter tastes like ass. We wouldn't be preaching patience and the idea of bottle conditioning if that crap didn't taste great down the road.

You should NEVER judge a beer that hasn't been bottled for around 6 weeks, especially not one that hasn't been bottled at all.

 

[boomtown25]

Awesome. I cannot preach the help this sight has given me! Revvy, you especially, but I am beginning to feel like a lot of people on here I do not even know are good friends. Cheers my buddys!

 

[Irishpenguin13]

Awesome. I cannot preach the help this sight has given me! Revvy, you especially, but I am beginning to feel like a lot of people on here I do not even know are good friends. Cheers my buddys!

What a nice person. yay for nice people!

 

[onipar]

Yeah, everybody pretty much covered it already, but definitely don't judge the beer out of the bucket.

I read a few misleading posts early on that led me to believe the beer should taste good before bottling, and when I tasted my first batch and it reminded me of a bar room floor on a Sunday morning, I got very worried. Needless to say, the beer turned out great.

I just bottled my second batch this past Sunday, and it also tasted nasty. Sort of watery, way too hoppy, an off balance sweetness. But now I know it'll develop and change into a much better flavor.

It *is* fun to drink the samples before bottling though.

 

[PIGMAN]

I just bottled my first batch ever, Caribou Slobber. Besides the cleaning of the bottles, I really didn't find the bottling process that bad. I did however, underestimate the number of bottles I needed. I cleaned and sanitized 50, and could have used about 54. I knew this, but miscounted obviously. Anyways, with the extra, I drank a glass and while I know it has at least 3 weeks to condition coming up and carbonate (its been in primary 3 weeks) I wasn't impressed with the flavor.

Can anyone tell me how much it is going to "develop" over the next 3 weeks?

P.S. - I had just finished by 4 IPA so I am sure that effected my taste buds as well so not too worried, plus I know the general rule of thumb is RDWHAHB. Thanks!

I bottled the same brew last Sunday. I don't think it's the type of ale that is going to jump out at you at this stage, there's not much hop presence like with an IPA. The brew is a little sweet, but that is by design with the Windsor yeast. I have faith in Northern Brewer, they have a good reputation. Like you said, we'll see in three weeks.

 

[rycov]

i always drink my samples, but they never taste anywhere near as good as once they are finished (and why should they?). i don't judge based on how they taste then, but its interesting to see how that flavor changes.

 

[unionrdr]

Well,to put it more succinctly,It's good to bottle it when some of that sharp greenness is gone. Then use o2 barrier caps,& in a few weeks,it'll all balance out way better. My Sunset Gold APA proved that to me. Patience,fresh ingredients,good equipment & a good process all contribute to greatness.

 

[samc]

I like the samples of all my beers. Oddly even the ones that didn't turn out like I was hoping for (mostly Lagers) have tasted fine pre-kegged. I find that the "green flavors" are not as perceptible when the beer is uncarbed.

But for the OP, drinking IPA's before sampling your other beer would most certainly thrown your taste buds off.

 

[unionrdr]

"green beer" is un-carbed. Another reason it's referred to as such. The carbonation & aging mellow that out,& bring up the aromas & flavors of the beer.

 

[rycov]

It can be car bed and still green, it just means that it hasn't matured yet.

 

[Revvy]

"green beer" is un-carbed. Another reason it's referred to as such. The carbonation & aging mellow that out,& bring up the aromas & flavors of the beer.

When we're talking about green beer we are usually talking about carbed beer that still need to bottle condition. A beer can be perfectly carbed and still taste crappy for a few weeks.

 

[IrishBrewer74]

I move from primary strait to keg. What's the best way to allow proper aging? Let it sit longer in the primary? Or give it a shot of CO2 for a good seal and let it sit uncarbed in the keg at mid 60's temp for a week or two? Or move to keg, chill and force carb, and try to let it age in the keezer? I've been doing the latter which has been working, but hard to keep my hands off

 

[rycov]

I let it sit in the primary for 3-4weeks, then cold crash in the fridge for a day or two then keg, it usually is great at two weeks in the keg, then perfect at three. But do what you find works best. There isn't really one best way.

 

[IffyG]

In my (limited) experience, darker beers that use roastier malts such as those found in the Caribou Slobber kit take a lot longer to come together than lighter beers. I can keg a blonde ale or cream ale and they are ready to drink as soon as they are carbed, whereas my stouts/brown ales take several weeks after being carbed to be drinkable.

 

[mlyday]

My .02 is "Allthough it might be carbed up at 3 weeks in the bottle, its not ready to drink." You will be reward for saving most of them until 6 weeks in the bottle.