Ok, first off, "Hey everyone!" This is my first post to these forums.
Here's my story:
On 4/18/11 I brewed a most difficult batch. (It was my second batch ever so it was really difficult for me) The brew was an attempt to copy Dogfish Head's WWS. Dropped about $120 on the ingredients, including some equipment to infuse the primary fermenter with O2 for the first week. The brew went great and I thought all was perfect. The Super High Gravity Ale Yeast did their job nicely as the ABV ended up just north of 19%. *One more note before moving on, the 5 gallon batch contained 22 lbs of various malt sources and 10oz of hops (Columbus, Magnum, and Amarillo)* Knowing such a big beer would need time to mature and mellow I boxed up the bottles and put them away in a nice, dark and pretty constant temp regulated area, my closet floor. My intentions were to wait a year before opening the cases. I also sat four bottles aside to open at various times to taste, make notes and try to identify the 'sweet spot' for the beer.
I opened my first bottle tonight, so 5 months after bottling. I poured it next to an actual bottle of WWS to compare and take notes. Right from the get go I noticed something truly disappointing, my beer was flat, no carbonation at all. No head. The WWS was amazing, with the head taking up 3/4 of the glass, with a gentle pour. Next, the taste. My beer was overly malty on the front end and VERY hoppy on the finish. My sweet tastebuds were at war with my bitter buds. Of course the WWS had a consistent, smooth, and malty flavor that left me wanting more. My beer was undrinkable.
Now from what this forum is saying... I should wait it out. My question is this, should I re-bottle after 5 months of sitting, waiting for the carbonation?
On another thread here, I read that people were keeping their DFH WWS for 3 years or more before cracking them open. So if I need to wait, I will. But what do you all think?
Thanks ahead of time for your advice and comments.
~Goose