Ok, so I have been doing some home brew kits (mainly Brewers Best) for awhile now and have made around 5 batches now. I have come to the realization now that instead of trying my first one at the two week marks (bottle condition) I should wait until 4 weeks and allow it to refrigerate for approximately 48 hours. I have consistently noticed the beer appears to be what I would describe as green or immature still up until approximately 4 weeks, and the time allowed in the refrigerator seems to make a huge difference. Has anyone else found this to be true? FYI, my last two brews have been a Black Lager and a Vienna Lager. 2-3 weeks were drinkable, but at 4+ weeks were actually very tasty! Cheers! John
I tend to try about 1 bottle per week to see how carbonation is going and to evaluate whether I would feel OK serving it if I had guests. I generally find that they are fairly well carbonated inside 2 weeks, and they typically taste quite drinkable, so once they are properly carbonated, I have no problems serving them. "Greenness" can mean that you are packaging too early. However, my beers do tend to get more enjoyable with (moderate) time spent in the fridge. This week I finished off the last of a Kolsch and an American brown ale, both of which I had in the refrigerator since November; perhaps it's just sentimentality, but those last glasses were quite tasty. Hops will fade over time, so the American brown had lost some hop character. The Kolsch died at the top of its game.
I have always found that to be the case also. I have been listening to The Brewing Nework podcasts more ofter since i have sort of rediscovered my hobbie after recently getting into kegging/making 2L starters and have heard the question on many of the podcasts i listen to, "How soon is it drinkable/enjoyable?" For most styles, thier answer is almost always the same. If you pitch a proper amount of yeast, ferment at the correct temp, and have adequate sanitation, you should be able to drink it as soon as its carbonated. From a kolsch to a weizenbock, it may be better to varying degrees (+1about lagers improving after 3-6 weeks) after a few weeks aging, but it should be delicious fresh also. I have found that to be true in my last 3 batches I have done using starters. I am not saying you are under pitching however only that the above mention seem to make a difference in homebrew tasting "young". Jamil actually goes into his theory on aging and fine particulates falling out towards the end of the weizenbock podcast.
your experience is to be expected. to lager is to store in German. if you are making lager beers correctly you should store your beer in a cold environment for a length of time. the beer can resemble a lager style in all ways, but without allowed some time in cold storage, it won't be a proper lager. traditional German brewers have an inflexible schedule of time and temperature, but 4 weeks at near freezing temps is going to get us homebrewers what we need. lagering helps to balance the delicate flavors and aromas and will help the beer become crystal clear. the clarity is important with light, straw colored beers in particular. Cheers.
I don't know the theory behind it, but the last few pints drawn from the keg are virtually always the best. This is typically, maybe 8 to 10 weeks after brew day. That's one of the reasons I upgraded my system to brew 10 gallon batches - the first pint from the second keg is as good as the last from the first. However, at some point the lighter beers begin to diminish, so it's not a universal truth that the older it gets the better. You need to find the sweet spot for each style and enjoy it accordingly. There are very few styles that i'll drink at less than, maybe 4 to 6 weeks old. Patience is definitely your friend.
I made a Brewer's Best Scottish Ale from extract that was much better after 3-4 weeks in bottles. It changed from a caramelly flavor to more of a coffee undertone. I really enjoy it now. The IPA I made from BB didn't seem to have any difference beyond 2 weeks in bottles though.
and since folks here to an absurd degree seem fixated on your verdigris would it be alright by you if i degreenify you...
