Update on the No Rolling boil IPA

[landis]

Quick update on the brew! No Rolling Boil

In summary about a month ago I brewed my first 5 gallon extract batch with specialty grains, but never achieved a rolling boil. I tried using a GE hot plate with a stock pot, because I feared damaging the stove's glass cook top and the wrath that might ensue.

This Friday will be 3 week of bottle conditioning, and the beer is starting to take on delicious flavors. I've been taking samples every 5 days just to chart the progression, and last night was the first time I was able to actually enjoy the beer. I suppose it is still young, but I can definitely taste a difference.

At this point the beer is not very bitter at all. It's not terribly sweet, but definitely not the Pale Ale bitter that I was originally shooting for. I was also expecting that off vegetable flavor Kasier suggested, but so far none of that has showed up. The beer is slightly murky, but I suppose that could be because it is still young.

All of the flavors in general are very subtle, but I have noticed a maturation in flavor over these two and a half weeks. So all in all it's not what I was hoping for, but it turned out to be delicious anyway. Is there a name for a non-bitter pale ale other than "a mistake"? I'm not sure how to classify it, but I won't have a problem finishing off these 5 gallons. A nice simple summer beer good for kicking back a few.

I've purchased some new equipment, so hopefully my second non-mr.beer brew will turn out even better. Maybe I'll head to the LHBS Friday to pick out some ingredients. Not sure what to make next.


:EDIT:
Sorry looks like I double posted this one as a reply to my original thread - that crazy internet

 

[Kauai_Kahuna]

Could I suggest when your at the LHBS, pick up another ferementor and start filling up your pipeline.
May all your beers be great.

 

[Rhoobarb]

Yes, get another batch brewing and let that pale ale sit a little longer. It will continue to get better.

 

[landis]

I was the dummy who had originally double posted this one.

In the other version of the thread I posted this:

Dredging this one up once again after another month of sitting.

Now about 7 or 8 weeks of sitting in the bottle this beer is wonderful. It had a sweetness about it before that was bearable, but not the flavor I was looking for. Now that sweetness has mellowed out and I can finally taste the hops and subtle malt flavors.

Definitely not a complex beer, but one that has mellowed out and aged well. I wish I had more than 6 bottles left. I guess I learned the lesson about patience and letting the beer do its thing. That and it really is hard to mess up a beer - looks like time helped this one.​

Looks like after holding onto it for a month it matured wonderfully.