So THIS is why homebrew needs more than 24hrs in the fridge !

[Ingvaroo]

Guys, i put my Scottish Export bottles in the fridge 3 days ago, this being the 4th day.

After 24 hours, the beer was OK, a bit apple taste, low carb.
After 48 hours, the beer was very drinkable, carbed allright and just a tiny apple taste.
After 72 hours, this bottle was the best one so far, my GF loved it. I liked it, but could still find a tiny bit apple taste.

Now, 96 hours from cooling, i opened up a bottle.

The evening started out slowly, i've been busy all day and just thought about having a beer tonight to relax and Youtube a bit.

After pooring into a glass, it just looked so, so, so much better than last couple of days. I was like "wow... that looks GOOD!"

I sat down, and didnt expect anything diffrent than the day before.

Then..... I took a sip...........

WOW! This is SO MUCH BETTER!
Carbonation, perfect.
Taste, perfect.
Looks, perfect.

No apple taste at all, so far i've always chilled a beer just.. 24-48 hours before drinking.

Beginners; Cool your beer 96+ hours and feel the diffrence, its HUGE.
(I am a beginner myself.)

All the bottles where primed evenly, 1/2 tsp per bottle (500ml)
And they where not in order, after botteling i just put em like what in a box and in a storage, so its not "the middle part of the batch" or something like that.

Im on 4th bottle now and they've all tasted SOOOOOOOOOO GOOOOOD

Next time im going to cool them for atleast 7 days (camping beer)
God, i cant wait.

After few sips

 

[Naggs]

That looks awesome! Cheers!

 

[regulark]

So this is after regular bottle conditioning that it improves in fridge?

I didn't think it'd made a difference, thanks. Very interesting I'll definitely try that out.

 

[Ingvaroo]

I bottle conditioned this batch for 2 weeks, then put in the cooler and the story above takes over from there

 

[terrapinj]

i thought the fridge slowed bottle conditioning down as well and was more to help the co2 settle into the solution better than to further condition

 

[drathbone]

I thought "apply" flavor went away with age, not refrigeration.

 

[onipar]

i thought the fridge slowed bottle conditioning down as well and was more to help the co2 settle into the solution better than to further condition

I was also under the impression the 48 hours recommended refrigeration before consumption was just to let the co2 absorb into the liquid, and that bottle conditioning (outside the fridge) was to help with flavor. I could be wrong though.

Awesome pics by the way; looks delicious!

 

[Beezy]

I have tasted my beers 5 days after bottling and not tasted the green apple.

 

[Ingvaroo]

Both of above could be right, im just a beginner telling my tale.

Im now on 7th bottle, they all taste so good

(P.S This was a beer kit brew)

 

[onipar]

I have tasted my beers 5 days after bottling and not tasted the green apple.

I think (and again, I could be wrong about this too) that people confuse "green" beer and "green apple" or "cider" flavors.

When people say "green" beer (meaning not fully conditioned and/or carbonated) it just means that it's not completely matured in flavor. It hasn't been given enough time to come into its own.

I don't think green apple flavors are inherent in "green" beer, though it could be *one* of the off flavors present in a young beer.

 

[AR-Josh]

I have had green apple taste that did not go away and I attributed that to bad fermentation temps. I've had green apple taste that did go away and I attributed it to a young beer. Those two tastes sort of taste the same to me and I can't distinguish the cause, just the taste.

I don't know why I wrote that. It was just a thought I was having along with a few mojitos while my new beers carb up.

 

[theonetrueruss]

beer does not taste right until it is carbonated properly.. and the cold and time help with that.. also the cold and time help to settle some things down into the bottom, help clarity and generally improve the overall experience. I prefer to leave it in the fridge for a week before drinking. It just always seems better that way. Of course, you then need to let your glass warm slowly to bring out all the flavor mmm beer

 

[Beezy]

I think (and again, I could be wrong about this too) that people confuse "green" beer and "green apple" or "cider" flavors.

When people say "green" beer (meaning not fully conditioned and/or carbonated) it just means that it's not completely matured in flavor. It hasn't been given enough time to come into its own.

I don't think green apple flavors are inherent in "green" beer, though it could be *one* of the off flavors present in a young beer.

I don't know but the OP never even mentioned "green" he said apple. I have yet to experience that. Thats all I know. I haven't brewed many batches yet tbh and most of them where beers that are meant to be drank early (wheat) so maybe that has something to do with it.

 

[Mexicanconnection2002]

I have kegged everything so far, but am about to bottle half a batch of Imperial Stout. I am under the impression that the longer your beer stays cold the more things fallout of suspension in your beer. It gets clear, cleaner tasting and fully carbed. I know that after cold crashing for 3-4 days before kegging that my beer is clear rather than cloudy with yeast when not cold crashing. I think if you have the room in your fridge, after you have carbed them up I would stick as many bottles as possible in the fride and let em ride there until you drink them all. They should get better with a little time as you noticed.

Congratulations and nice looking beer!

 

[unionrdr]

Ok,the cidery flavor can come from too much sugar in a batch. Even high temps. But beer must be conditioned at room temp (70F is good) for 3-4 weeks for an average gravity brew. THEN put some in the fridge,I like 5-6 days to get the chill haze to settle down. And the yeast trub compacts on the bottom of the bottle more firmly.
I can pour nearly the whole bottle into a glass before stopping the trub at the shoulder of the bottle. So chilling just gets the yeast to settle to the bottom,along with a little off flavors if there was any caused by the yeast,ime. And of course,co2 in the head space to go into solution.

 

[Dilligaf76]

But beer must be conditioned at room temp (70F is good) for 3-4 weeks for an average gravity brew. THEN put some in the fridge,

I logged on to search this. I have 5 gallons of pale ale I just finished bottling and just stuck it in my fermetation "box" where I keep it between 68-72F. is this a good temp range for bottle conditioning or should it be warmer?

I also have noticed my homebrew tastes better after a couple days in the fridge.

 

[unionrdr]

That range is fine to condition them for 3-4 weeks. Keeping them in boxes with the flaps closed will help a lot too. And 5-6 days in the fridge def helps,especially if you want really clear beer.

 

[zachary80]

I think green apple is normally acetaldehyde, not sure how the fridge would have helped that though

 

[BlackJaqueJanaviac]

I keg my beer and I've noticed the flavor, clarity, and carbonation all improve the longer the keg sits in the fridge.

I just figured it was whatever was causing the haze was also imparting off flavor. Not real bad. The hazy stuff is good, but after a week it gets real goooood (and clear too).

 

[Runyanka]

When I'm not kegging, I will typically let my beers in bottles condition for 3+ weeks, then let them sit in the fridge for a minimum of a week in the fridge. This gives the CO2 a chance to absorb into the beer better. Unless it is a lager, the key really is the 70 degree conditioning phase, which will wipe out a lot of your fermenting by products.

 

[CoalCracker]

Green Apple is usually attributed to table sugar if used to prime. Table sugar i've heard gives a cidery taste. Could also be a bad extract if your using extract.

 

[Golddiggie]

In bottles, I let mine condition (at ~70F) for 3+ weeks before chilling. I chill one for 5-7 days before sampling. If the sample bottle is good, then I chill a few more for 5-7 days before drinking them.

IMO, 5 days (for bottles) is a real minimum for getting good carbonation, clarity in glass, and flavors, in the glass. I have a keg of brew that's been chilling for over three weeks now, but only on gas for about two. I'm leak testing my reconfigured gas setup, before connecting it up again. Once that's leak free, I'll be able to pour a glass/pint of it. Really looking forward to that day..

I'd also recommend not drinking your home brew too cold. My English style brews are really good in the 45-55F range. MUCH better than when colder. If it's not great on the first sip, wait a few minutes and try again... Knowing what temp a recipe/batch is really good at (or when it gets really good) is important.

For example. I have a dark cream ale recipe that I brewed on NHBD... When it's first out of the bottle, in glass, at fridge temps, you get a bit of grainy bitter taste (chocolate malt). If you give it a couple of minutes, that goes away completely. So, at 45F (roughly) it's damned great. At ~40F, you get the bitter flavor. So, find where your brew tastes best, and have people (or yourself) enjoy it there.

Above all else, remember: RDWHAHB!

 

[Duffman53]

Damn that looks tasty!!!!!!!

 

[unionrdr]

You don't get that cider flavor just from using table sugar period. That's a total myth. I prime with it,I've made wine with it. You can add it to a beer recipe,just don't add a pound or more. some add as little as 200-250g,but no more than 300g when adding a bit of DME.
That flavor,ime,came from high pitch temp,even temps that ran a little high in brews where i'd used dextrose. But that's a temp issue,not an ingredient one.