tasting the beer as it brews?

[mxchris]

Well I'm on my way of brewing my first batch of beer. I just racked into my secondary tonight and took a hydro reading. I poured the flask of beer into a glass and tasted the beer for the first time, it wasn't that bad. Has any one else tasted thier beer as it was fermenting? How does it compare to the finished product? I would assume it will only smooth out.

I used a pre hopped IPA starter can and added 2 lbs of amber malt with 1 oz of hops at he last 10 min of the boil. Total boil time was 25min bacause it was pre-hopped.

 

[Orfy]

It hink most of us taste it at every opportunity. I have never once yet thrown a sample after taking readings.

If I din't know my beer would be transformed by a little aging and carbonation I could quite happly drink my young flat beer straight from primary or secondary. I like it.

 

[Passload]

Don't worry it will mellow out alot. I do the same thing, taste testing at evey hydro reading. You really get to know the different stages of beer.

 

[ajf]

The best thing about home brewing is drinking the final result when it is ready.

The next best thing is sampling along the way, and anticipating how the brew is going to turn out. You should do this in moderation however, as there is nothing worse than drinking the last bottle of a batch, and then realizing that it would be even better if it were to mature for another week or so. Don't ask how I know this

 

[david_42]

Sampling is the only way to know how a brew is progressing. Flavors change from week to week, sometimes day by day. I take notes with each sample.

 

[Rhoobarb]

I always taste any SG sample! I taste my OG sample, then the sample I take when I rack to secondary and the FG sample at bottling. With some brews, the samples are so good, you can drink them down and want some more. With others, the taste might be harsh, but mellows and/or changes with each sample.

 

[Chairman Cheyco]

Did you boil the kit along with the the extra extract? If so, I believe you will have destroyed any of the finish hops in there. When I'm tweaking a kit, I boil everything but the can and add it at the end, thus preserving any dry, or finish hops 'installed by the factory.'

 

[BlightyBrewer]

I'm drinking my Santa's Winter Warmer at the moment. It has been in the keg for 2/3 weeks, but the taste is slightly different every day I taste it. I find it quite interesting to follow the progression of the ale to full maturity...and I'm incredibly impatient!

 

[AHammer16]

Did you boil the kit along with the the extra extract? If so, I believe you will have destroyed any of the finish hops in there. When I'm tweaking a kit, I boil everything but the can and add it at the end, thus preserving any dry, or finish hops 'installed by the factory.'

I thought pre hopped extracts were just bitter hopped. I dont think the aroma or flavor hops would take to concentrating and canning. But what the hell do I know.

 

[Truble]

I taste/test all of the samples for my SG readings. It gives you a good idea of how the brew is proceeding, and it is just plain good.

tonight, I get to sample some of my latest bottled batch!!! YAHOO!

 

[debkid]

I thought it was a beer law that you HAD to taste with every racking??

 

[Chairman Cheyco]

I think it depends wether the ingredients say hop oils or hop extracts. One of the two can be destroyed by boiling. I can't remember which off-hand, it's in Papazian's book. I just never boil any of them to be safe.

And yes, I think it's law that you need to taste every time you touch the beer.

 

[Shambolic]

Yes, taste your beer at every opportunity!!

If you only ever taste the finished, bottled and conditioned product, you'll never appreciate the changes that the brew undergoes in the brewing process.

For example, the wort is usually very bitter (as well as sweet, of course!) when I transfer it from the boil pot to the primary, but much more mellow and delicious when I rack to secondary...

These sort of things give you ideas etc. on how to improve future recipes/techniques...