Many folks on this forum recommend that noobs like me give our beers time to age and improve. I am an impatient person, and while i knew that they were right, I couldn't help but drink my first few beers as soon as they began to carb. At the same time the SWMBO had the idea of having a tasting party with our friends to try some of my beers and some good commercial beers. So, I begrudgingly put away some twelvepacks and kept brewing. The party is tomorrow, so earlier in the week I brought up the beers from the basement and threw them in the fridge. Tonight I cracked a beer from my very fist batch, an Irish Red Ale.
Wow! I fermented this thing too warm and didn't have my process down. As I bottled it back in February, estery off flavors were floating around the kitchen and I was more than a little disappointed that I hadn't done a better job. After two weeks in the bottle it was drinkable and the off-flavors were there but less than at bottling. Now, eight weeks in the bottle this beer is AWESOME! Caramelly goodness without being sweet and a firm bitterness that quickly dissipates. It is brilliantly clear and just a terrific example of the style.
I implore beginning brewers to put away some of those first batches for a month or two. You wont regret it! Live beer is wonderful thing.
Wow! I fermented this thing too warm and didn't have my process down. As I bottled it back in February, estery off flavors were floating around the kitchen and I was more than a little disappointed that I hadn't done a better job. After two weeks in the bottle it was drinkable and the off-flavors were there but less than at bottling. Now, eight weeks in the bottle this beer is AWESOME! Caramelly goodness without being sweet and a firm bitterness that quickly dissipates. It is brilliantly clear and just a terrific example of the style.
I implore beginning brewers to put away some of those first batches for a month or two. You wont regret it! Live beer is wonderful thing.
