when can I drink my beer?

[madiba]

Just brewed my 2nd beer. I've had it bottled for two weeks now. should it be done "maturing" now, or is 3 weeks more realistic for optimal taste? It's a Pale Rye Ale. Looking for some advice. Don't wantto crack oepn a bomber if it's probably not ready.

 

[COLObrewer]

Every chance you get, at every stage of the game, take note of every sensory perseption, that's how we learn.

 

[SchizoFilly]

You can drink your beer at anytime you damn well please. On the other hand, it usually gets better with age, to a point anyway.

+1 Every chance you get, at every stage of the game, take note of every sensory perseption, that's how we learn.

Some beers are better young, and some need to wait for a few years (yes, literally) you'll only know on your beer if you start taste testing along the way and set a few back for long term. Of course, I keg and when it's gone it's gone.

 

[phatuna]

Yes, put one in the fridge now and enjoy it tonight.

 

[madiba]

thanks. good advice. will try today.

 

[SUDDZIES]

I like a pinch of two row between the cheek and gum while my stike water heats.

Your Pale Rye should be carbonated, but may taste a little green. Take notes as to the flavors and time in bottle of the first and last beer out of that batch. If you can spread that out over six months, you can learn much.

 

[Homercidal]

Send me a 6-pack and I'll let you know when it's ready. Might need to send another in a few days.

 

[Grinder12000]

I will try one brew after 2 weeks carbonating just to see how it's going. 3 weeks it is done carbonating but you will see that a beer REALLY smooths out after 3 or 4 months and you will wish you had not drunken it all.

Now after I bottle the first thing I do is set a 6 pack into a special 6 month corner NOT TO BE TOUCHED. You will be rewarded.

 

[Arkador]

I agree. throw one in the fridge overnight, and test it tomorrow. If you like it, throw more in the fridge. If you think it could improve a bit more, wait 3-4 days and throw another in the fridge.

I bottle a 6pack of 12oz to test in this fassion, and the rest in 22oz bottles to chill once i know it is ready.

 

[malkore]

Yes, put one in the fridge now and enjoy it tonight.

This...no.

You really really need to chill a bottle of beer 24-36 hours before you open it. Beer needs to cool, and then absorb the CO2 in the headspace of the bottle to get the optimal carbonation and head creation from said carbonation.

 

[brewmate76]

Malkore - very interesting. I bottled an amber ale in 1/2 16 oz PET bottles and 1/2 22 oz glass bottles. After 8 days of conditioning, I decided to open one of the PETs to try the beer. The bottle was hard to the touch so I figured there was a decent amount of CO2. But instead of chilling it as you recommend, I threw it in the freezer for 20 minutes. The beer tasted relatively flat even though I got that charachteristic "phhhhtttt" when I opened the bottle. Maybe I'll try again this weekend but let the bottle stay in the fridge for awhile.

 

[Revvy]

Go ahead and try them, but but don't judge it until it has been at least 3 weeks in the bottle. Or don't worry if it's not carbed yet either...And if it is fizzy and still takes like a$$ just give them more time, more than likely they will be just green..but that gets better with time.....and the time all depends on things like the gravity of the beer.

Generally speaking the 3 weeks at 70 degrees that we recommend is only a guideline, a minimum for normal grav beers...the higher the grav, the longer it takes to carb and condition. Don't forget, just because a beer is fizzy doesn't mean it is still not green, and tastes like a$$...That's the bottle conditioning part.

I've had stouts and porters take 4-6 weeks to carb...I have a 1.090 Belgian Strong Dark Ale that is 2.5 months in the bottle and it is barely beginning to carb up, I don't think it will even begin to stop tasting green and like rocket fuel for about another 2-3 months....

Hell during the winter I am lucky if I get ANY BEER to carb up inn 8 weeks, since my loft stays in the low 60 all winter...I wrap them in sleeping bags and other things to keep them warm.

And read this....Revvy's Blog, "Of patience and Bottle Conditioning.

Enjoy, but don't drink them all this weekend, you will regret it....