why do my beers take so long to taste good?

[BWN]

It seems like no matter what I do it takes forever for my beers to be drinkable. I brewed a APA on Jan. 28th and kegged it on Feb. 17th. It tasted yeasty up until about a week ago. I get this with a lot of my beers. I don't mind waiting I have a pretty good pipeline going but I am trying to figure out if there is anything I could do different. I started out with month long primaries then started racking to the keg after fermentation was complete. I have switched back to long primaries but I still need a month or better in the keg for it to taste good. I am wondering if I would be better off racking early then letting the beer age in the keg. Am I under pitching? The pale ale had an OG of .1042 and I used a package of rehydrated notty. Could it be I am not getting my pH right in the mash? I am just using test strips. Could it be mash temps, or mash time? Fermentation temps?

Like I said I don't mind waiting but would just like to figure out if there is something else I could be doing or not doing.

 

[william_shakes_beer]

I do 4 weeks primary 4 weeks (bottle) conditioning and mine are always drinkable. Do you have a lot of off flavors that are cleaning up? what are you defining as drinkable?

 

[BWN]

I guess they are drinkable but they are not what I would consider good. I want to say they taste like homebrew but I don't really have a lot to compare to. They end up being good but I just want to see if I can make that happen faster. I ferment in my basement and it is around 60 degrees this time of year. I am thinking maybe the yeast is just slower due to cooler temperatures and taking longer. Although I read about people fermenting notty and 1056(the 2 strains I use the most) in the low 60's all the time.

 

[1Mainebrew]

Change your yeast, you are probably just sensitive to it. Pitch enough yeast (mrmalty.com), and pitch it a few degrees below fermenting temperature (this made a HUGE difference in my beers) and ferment cool- which you are already doing so that's good. I suggest those few things, starting with changing your yeast. Which yeasts have you noticed this yeasty flavor with?

 

[BWN]

I think I taste it more with the notty, I am looking back through my notes and It seems like it happens more often with lighter colored beers or beers that tend to be more mild if that makes sense. I made a IIPA a while ago and it wasn't as bad due to the dry hopping being the foremost flavor and aroma.

 

[slomo]

If you are tasting yeast you might think about doing two weeks in primary, one week in secondary, and then keg. With an og of around 1.040 it shouldn't take too long for your brew to taste "drinkable".

 

[gr8shandini]

If "yeasty" is the only off flavor you have, it's just a matter of getting them out of suspension. Cold crashing, gelatin, and using more flocculant yeast strains will all help in that regard. Are you leaving the keg at room temp or putting it in the fridge?

 

[Beer-lord]

3 weeks primary and 4 in bottle or 3 in keg and mine are good, except stouts which take longer. What temps are you fermenting and are you using lots of adjuncts?

 

[ludomonster]

You could split a wort between two vessels and pitch different strains. If both are still yeasty, consider your process.

 

[bbbblaine]

I second the yeast change and low temp fermentation idea.

I used US-05 and Nottingham for several beers and they seemed to take a long time to get to be "good" beers. My last batch was an Amber Ale that I brewed with Pacman yeast and fermented at just below 60F and it was drinkable on bottling day (yesterday)! In fact, it was not only drinkable, but was very GOOD already.

 

[BWN]

If "yeasty" is the only off flavor you have, it's just a matter of getting them out of suspension. Cold crashing, gelatin, and using more flocculant yeast strains will all help in that regard. Are you leaving the keg at room temp or putting it in the fridge?

I'm putting the keg in the keezer, so it is cold. I think I am going to try different strains. Thanks everyone for the input I would never have thought of trying to change yeast even though it is a really simple and obvious answer.

 

[jaysbrewing]

Some beers age a bit better with a little age