The last bottle is the best bottle

[Rankinstein]

I've seen it mentioned in the forums a number of times and you guys are right, the last few bottles of your homebrew are sadly the best. I just had the second-to-last bottle of my very first batch (partial grain altbier kit) and it wasn't until that bottle that I really identified what "green" tasted like--because it didn't have any of it!

Even though everyone that tried all the previous bottles really enjoyed it, there was always this hint of a weird flavor that I guess only I could taste. Now I'm noticing the same taste in a test bottle from my 2nd batch that's only been in the bottle for a week but now I can finally RDWHAHB since I know that green taste will go away if I give it time.

So for you other newbies in here like me that are tempted to burn through your first few batches the moment they are fizzy--hold a few bottles back a month or two longer than you can stand. The learning experience alone is worth it--the downside is you realize all your bottles would have tasted like that if you could wait.

Maybe one day I'll have a long enough pipeline that a whole batch can age that long...

 

[ChshreCat]

Yep. The last one is always the best.

That's why I always pour the last one down the sink so I won't be so disappointed when it's all gone.

 

[ChshreCat]

Kidding!!!

 

[Synovia]

So for you other newbies in here like me that are tempted to burn through your first few batches the moment they are fizzy--hold a few bottles back a month or two longer than you can stand. The learning experience alone is worth it--the downside is you realize all your bottles would have tasted like that if you could wait.

Maybe one day I'll have a long enough pipeline that a whole batch can age that long...

When I started back in January, I made a habit of throwing a 12 pack into one of my closets on bottling day. I've got 5 or 6 twelve packs up there now, and haven't broken into them yet. The beers were pretty good, but I'm curious to see what they taste like with some aging. Got relatives coming next week, so I'll break into them then.


As to pipeline, the first box of kegs showed up yesterday, so I'm getting there.

 

[Boondoggie]

I actually didn't find this to be true with a batch that I'm at the end of...

NB's Patersbier... a great brew, but it's losing some of it's belgian yeastie character as time goes on.

Not as good at 8 weeks as it was at 3.

 

[fratermus]

I find that applewein/applecider gets better over time. My oldest bottles are 11 months old and get smoother and more enjoyable.

OTOH, my Young's double chocolate clone started to break down at about the 6mon mark. Still good, but the pure chocolate flavor seems to be pulling apart into some less pleasant consituents.

 

[ajwillys]

This is why I always drink the last one first... and it's freakin' delicious!

 

[GreenwoodRover]

I generally agree, however i have a batch that is down to the last 8 bottles and they are getting worse and worse. I mush have picked up a gusher infestion during bottling. This was the only case where the first few tasted much better than the last few.