pdog44450
Well-Known Member
I've brewed probably 2 IPA's and 2 Pale Ales in my career. As a rule of thumb, I usually let all my beers, regardless of gravity, ferment in the primary for a minimum of 3 weeks, usually 6 weeks for 1.070+. I brewed a Pale 4 days ago that's currently in the primary which got me thinking... I've never bottled a hop forward beer after say 7-10 days, only 21 days. I was wondering if there is a loss in aroma or flavor in that time period that is substantial. The hoppy beers I made in the past lacked that strong fruity aroma and flavor from commercial beers. It still tastes like a hoppy beer but they seem to be missing that crisp hop "OOMPH" (regardless if I FWH, dry hop, or whirlpool) which got me wondering if it is because I am fermenting too long for such a beer style.
I'm sure some people out there have qualitative personal experience on this topic and if you do, did you notice that the flavor was better with a shorter fermentation then straight to keg/bottles?
I'm sure some people out there have qualitative personal experience on this topic and if you do, did you notice that the flavor was better with a shorter fermentation then straight to keg/bottles?