improvements for my next batch

[rwabdu]

I brewed a Wizenbier a few weeks ago, from a kit. I'm looking to improve on it, i opened the first bottles today.

when drinking, the initial taste is great, good fresh bite, but it has an funny aftertaste, a little yeasty maybe or maybe a little stale, not sure what this is. Anyone know how i can brew to avoid that? I'm thinking really be carful about O2 during bottling, although i though it was. Or is that taste just a result of bottle conditioning with yeast?

 

[iron_city_ap]

Define 'a few weeks ago'. Did you brew it a few weeks ago, or did you bottle it a few weeks ago?

 

[rwabdu]

I brewed it January 23, bottled it January 13 (21 days) and drank on 3/24 (11 days in bottle, 32 days from brewing)

 

[jonmohno]

There are so many factors. You have to pick apart your brewing process. you could have overpitched, or you could have poured too much of the yeast. Im blaming my funny aftertaste from the yeast i fermented too high. Im suspicous of old hops or adding to much hops.My bets are on unfresh hops. I wish i knew what unfresh hops characteristics were.

 

[iron_city_ap]

I'm guessing the beer is still green. Bottling after 21 days should be fine, but it should sit in the bottles longer. Try it again in about another week and see how the taste has changed.

It could be something else though. Could you post the recipe and maybe some of your notes on what all you did. The more detail you give, the easier it will be to nail down what you have going on. How does it look (sediment), smell, etc...?

 

[jonmohno]

I brewed it January 23, bottled it January 13 (21 days) and drank on 2/24 (11 days in bottle, 32 days from brewing)

Its green it will be differnet in 2-4 weeks. But since you bottled it 10 days before you brewed it it could taste like an imaginary beer,ha
Dont drink too many before 3 more weeks,it needs time.

 

[rwabdu]

i wish i could give a better recipe, i used a kit, (i have since done more recipes that are in primary) all they say for ingredients is to use the LME provided. They have you add 3.3 lbs LME then bittering hops, boil 40 minutes, add 3.3 lbs LME (maybe this late LME is what caused it?) then boil 15 min, add aroma hops, boil 5 minutes.

Maybe it was the fact that it was the fact that it was a "wheat beer" with a late wheat-LME added. its a similar aftertaste to the blue harpoon UFO which is also a wheat beer but mine is slightly stronger and leaves a little bit of waxy-ness in your mouth. I have to say tho, I do want to drink another, it was overall pretty good.

 

[rwabdu]

Its green it will be differnet in 2-4 weeks. But since you bottled it 10 days before you brewed it it could taste like an imaginary beer,ha
Dont drink too many before 3 more weeks,it needs time.

woops, i mean 3/34, ill edit

 

[jonmohno]

woops, i mean 3/34, ill edit

March 34th? man. you need to post unblitzed,ha ha

 

[rwabdu]

ok one more question then, I have been listening to the jamil show a lot and they allways seem to ferment for like 10 days and leave it in their keg for 4-6 on all their light beers. is this cuz they are really good? or are the wrong? or is it just cuz they have to drink it for the show?

when i listen to the show it always makes me feel like i am letting things age to long

 

[rwabdu]

March 34th? man. you need to post unblitzed,ha ha

crap.

 

[iron_city_ap]

ok one more question then, I have been listening to the jamil show a lot and they allways seem to ferment for like 10 days and leave it in their keg for 4-6 on all their light beers. is this cuz they are really good? or are the wrong? or is it just cuz they have to drink it for the show?

when i listen to the show it always makes me feel like i am letting things age to long

Light is the key word. The more fermentable sugars in a beer, the longer you want to let it sit. It doesn't really have anything to do with good or not good. Look around the forum a little bit. Typically, and this varies depending on your gravity, people let the beer sit in the primary for a month without touching it. From there, you bottle/keg it. If you bottle, typically let the beer sit for another 3 weeks. After 7 weeks total from the time you fermented it, you will be set to drink it. Again, those are only general numbers. Some beers are ready to be bottled after 3 weeks, some need months. Some beers are ready after 2 weeks in the bottle and others need far longer to condition. But 4 and 3 weeks are good middle of the road APPROXIMATE times.

 

[rwabdu]

got it! thank you