I refuse to dump!!!

[Ridire]

My first IPA was a disaster (I've spoken of it before on here). But I have refused to dump it. It is the prettiest beer I've ever brewed and smells nice, but the taste was horrid. It is now about 11 months old (brew date 2/2/13). I just cracked one and it doesn't taste that bad. I think I have actually acquired a taste for this swill. It is not possible that an IPA has improved with nearly a year in the bottle, is it?

 

[JonM]

Sure! Check out Revvy's story here. I had a crappy stout get really good after a year too.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/ne...virtue-time-heals-all-things-even-beer-73254/

 

[Ridire]

Sure! Check out Revvy's story here. I had a crappy stout get really good after a year too.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/ne...virtue-time-heals-all-things-even-beer-73254/

But I would expect that from a stout...not so much from an IPA. It's still not great but I don't want to vomit half way through it an will probably finish the glass.

 

[Setesh]

Yeah, it can happen. The compounds that make it taste crappy can degrade and things can settle out. Jamil tells a story about a 60 schilling he brewed. He said it was mediocre at best when he first tried it. He put it in the back of his walk in and forgot about it for a long time. When he finally found it he didn't even remember what it was, turned out to be amazing. He entered it in competition and placed with it. Time was the only change that brought it from mediocre to medal winning.

 

[Cauchy]

You could cook with it or use it as fertilizer. It's not technically dumping...

 

[Ridire]

You could cook with it or use it as fertilizer. It's not technically dumping...

Nope. I'm drinking this crap. After debating it and asking the right questions, I'm certain this is what Jesus would do.

 

[RM-MN]

Nope. I'm drinking this crap. After debating it and asking the right questions, I'm certain this is what Jesus would do.

I think Jesus would let it mellow for another 6 months. :rockin:

 

[dannyhawkins]

Jesus would turn it into wine

 

[Cauchy]

Jesus would turn it into wine

And not keep it for himself!

 

[fearwig]

If your IPA is bad because the hops are out of balance I'm sure it would be better after 6mo or a year, when they've all mellowed and muddled together a little.

 

[benj]

I had a similar experience with an IPA last year. It was a highish ABV beer (8ish %), and very hoppy. I think the combo of higher than average ABV and the wrong combination of hops was what ruined it. It was drinkable, but not something I'd serve to others. I ended up choking down most of the batch over the course of a few months and kept a few bottles to see how they'd age, and man, I wish I'd aged them all. I cracked the last bottle after a year, and it was amazing, seriously. I would have happily paid money for the aged beer in a bar any day. If it was me I would let it sit for another three months or so and see what it's like then. If it's good, drink it, if it's still improving let it sit for a while longer before drinking. I'm sure there's a limit to how much it will improve, I don't know what it is though.

 

[slowpokescotty]

Buy a small still and recoup the alcohol

 

[fearwig]

Buy a small still and recoup the alcohol

Lolno. Also I have not pored over the rules, but for real, don't say that. Grain alcohol costs nothing. If you ARE going to distill something (and don't), at least have some idea of what kind of beverage you're making.

I kind of want to "like" this post because it is like the platonic ideal of a bad and dumb idea. Please take no offense, I mean I know deep down you must realize this.

 

[TNGabe]

My first IPA was a disaster (I've spoken of it before on here). But I have refused to dump it. It is the prettiest beer I've ever brewed and smells nice, but the taste was horrid. It is now about 11 months old (brew date 2/2/13). I just cracked one and it doesn't taste that bad. I think I have actually acquired a taste for this swill. It is not possible that an IPA has improved with nearly a year in the bottle, is it?

Life is too short to drink bad beer and way too short to turn wait for awful beer to become drinkable as it's certainly never going to be good.

I put Revvy's thread in the Easter Bunny / Tooth Fairy category personally. I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder and so is taste, but bad beer won't magically turn good over a span of time that will turn good beer bad.

 

[Ridire]

Life is too short to drink bad beer and way too short to turn wait for awful beer to become drinkable as it's certainly never going to be good.

I put Revvy's thread in the Easter Bunny / Tooth Fairy category personally. I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder and so is taste, but bad beer won't magically turn good over a span of time that will turn good beer bad.

I'm thinking if I don't win the fantasy FB league, maybe the winner will get a couple these.

And what, exactly, are you implying about the Easter Bunny?

 

[broadbill]

Life is too short to drink bad beer and way too short to turn wait for awful beer to become drinkable as it's certainly never going to be good.

I put Revvy's thread in the Easter Bunny / Tooth Fairy category personally. I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder and so is taste, but bad beer won't magically turn good over a span of time that will turn good beer bad.

Finally someone said it.

 

[broadbill]

Lolno. Also I have not pored over the rules, but for real, don't say that. Grain alcohol costs nothing. If you ARE going to distill something (and don't), at least have some idea of what kind of beverage you're making.

I kind of want to "like" this post because it is like the platonic ideal of a bad and dumb idea. Please take no offense, I mean I know deep down you must realize this.

Oh Gawd, more fearmongering. You should just leave it at "its against forum rules to discuss this" instead of dragging up boogyman about the actual process.

 

[BrasseurGeorges]

Unless it's the type of beer that's likely to improve with age (imperial stout, wild ale, etc.), I choose to dump the bad beers so I can put good beer in the bottle.

 

[Pickled_Pepper]

I'm thinking if I don't win the fantasy FB league, maybe the winner will get a couple these.

We could make a "Big Nasty Beer Winner's Basket". Everyone could donate something. (come on, ya'll know you have a bad beer in the basement somewhere)

I've been saving mine for posterity! It NEVER got better...unless you count the fact that oxidation is the dominant flavor now.

 

[TNGabe]

I'm thinking if I don't win the fantasy FB league, maybe the winner will get a couple these.

And what, exactly, are you implying about the Easter Bunny?

I'll keep that in mind in case you win. :cross:

 

[Cauchy]

Aaaaaanyway, have fun drinking your beer dude! Hopefully it gets more drinkable over time!

 

[fearwig]

Oh Gawd, more fearmongering. You should just leave it at "its against forum rules to discuss this" instead of dragging up boogyman about the actual process.

Personally not against it, might even try it one day, but "buying a still" so you don't lose the alcohol in 5 gal of bad IPA is Olympic dumb.

 

[Ridire]

Haha...I think you guys are taking this too seriously. I'm not some cheapass who won't kill the $22 investment I've got into this batch. I find it somewhat humorous to crack one of these open every now and then. Probably about 10 left.

 

[jonmohno]

Life is too short to drink bad beer and way too short to turn wait for awful beer to become drinkable as it's certainly never going to be good.

I put Revvy's thread in the Easter Bunny / Tooth Fairy category personally. I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder and so is taste, but bad beer won't magically turn good over a span of time that will turn good beer bad.

My first beer,althought it wasnt bad or undrinkable it was certainly estery and not a good beer and more like wine to me but after a year it turned "ok". Does that count for majic?

Also, OP: What do you consider bad about your ipa? Like was it old hops bad ferment temps,old malt,underpitched yeast. Chlorinated water? Did you figure out why it was bad? Do you like ipa's? Was the recipe out of wack,were you off on you gravity,was it the yeast you used? Did it oxidize or anything?

 

[TNGabe]

My first beer,althought it wasnt bad or undrinkable it was certainly estery and not a good beer and more like wine to me but after a year it turned "ok". Does that count for majic?

Also, OP: What do you consider bad about your ipa? Like was it old hops bad ferment temps,old malt,underpitched yeast. Chlorinated water? Did you figure out why it was bad? Do you like ipa's? Was the recipe out of wack,were you off on you gravity,was it the yeast you used? Did it oxidize or anything?

Ok in quotes sounds a lot more like barely drinkable than good, which was my point.

 

[brewguyver]

I'll keep that in mind in case you win. :cross:

Agree - if it's still bad, dump it. If you like it, keep it. But don't suffer through for no reason. Fat and happy doesn't happen on bad beer, and lean and happy on bad beer = no calories for good beer!