So, I am a bit anxious...

[Bulldog21]

I bottled my first batch exactly 7 days ago today with the intentions of having the first one on Thanksgiving... I have a couple buddies coming over for football later today and was thinking off trying them at that point.

Is 7 days long enough or should I exercise my patience and wait at least until Thursday?? Everyone says 2 weeks but wanted to get some feedback from the community.

Thoughts??

 

[bottlebomber]

Most of my beers are at least partially carbonated after a week. You do know that you have to refregerate them first right? The cold makes beer able to absorb the CO2 in the headspace.

 

[Bulldog21]

I have had the the lot sitting in a dark closet at room temperature for the past week but put 6 in the fridge last night.

They will have about 18 hours of chilling before I open the first one. Is that enough time for those 6?

Worst case they are bit flat tasting?

 

[Revvy]

I don't know who "everyone" is, but I wouldn't expect a NORMAL grav beer to be carbed at only 2 weeks in the bottle, so for me that would be an automatic waste of a beer....But it's your beer so you can do what you want.

The 3 weeks at 70 degrees, that we recommend is the minimum time it takes for average gravity beers to carbonate and condition. Higher grav beers take longer.

Stouts and porters have taken me between 6 and 8 weeks to carb up..I have a 1.090 Belgian strong that took three months to carb up.


Temp and gravity are the two factors that contribute to the time it takes to carb beer. But if a beer's not ready yet, or seems low carbed, and you added the right amount of sugar to it, then it's not stalled, it's just not time yet.

Everything you need to know about carbing and conditioning, can be found here Of Patience and Bottle Conditioning. With emphasis on the word, "patience."

Just remember if it tastes like crap, because it is green, or is flat as a Kansas pancake, don't think there's something wrong and start an "why is my beer not carbed yet," or "why does my beer taste this way" " thread. Because there's nothing wrong.

 

[kh54s10]

I have had the the lot sitting in a dark closet at room temperature for the past week but put 6 in the fridge last night.

They will have about 18 hours of chilling before I open the first one. Is that enough time for those 6?

Worst case they are bit flat tasting?

A bit flat and possibly green. The taste will "mature" with longer bottle conditioning. I have never tried one that early. I have had some fully carbed at 2 weeks and others that took 3 weeks and more. The ones opened after that length of time tasted more refined.

 

[Bulldog21]

So it seems that I am a bit too early at one week and even for Thanksgiving on Thursday... Maybe I'll pop one just to satisfy my need for gratification!

Thanks Community! It takes a village

 

[dutchoven]

You can also gently invert your bottles to kick up the yeast ... should speed up carbonation a little bit.

 

[lowtones84]

Revvy's advice is good, but if you -really- want to try one after 7 days in the bottle, go ahead. I do this sometimes personally, but I only open one bottle and split it with my brew partner. Some people might think it's a waste, but I kind of enjoy tasting what it's like at different stages in development. That said, it will definitely be "green" and possibly flat as well, so don't make too many judgements about it at this stage.

 

[bottlebomber]

I don't know who "everyone" is

Unfortunately I think that the kit "instructions" from some of the online brew shops are helping to perpetuate this. Northern is probably the worst, but I've seen several that say in essence: bottle, keep at room temperature for 2 weeks, chill, enjoy! As if its ALWAYS that simple

 

[Brew_4iT]

It is kind of like hold em' poker you know. Most people starting out are anxious and want the pot as soon as possible. Over time you learn to be patient as the rewards are more beneficial that way. I have beer in primaries now where I have to remind myself to rack, but then think, well... it will get only better if I leave it.

 

[Bulldog21]

Revvy's advice is good, but if you -really- want to try one after 7 days in the bottle, go ahead. I do this sometimes personally, but I only open one bottle and split it with my brew partner. Some people might think it's a waste, but I kind of enjoy tasting what it's like at different stages in development. That said, it will definitely be "green" and possibly flat as well, so don't make too many judgements about it at this stage.

Thanks LowTones84... I think I'll take your advise and try one today, can't hurt.

Plenty more brewing ahead of me and this is my first batch. I figure if I try one today I'll know what it tastes like at different stages, I would imagine this will only help me later...

I am not even sure what "green" tastes like so maybe I'll find out today and can use that to my advantage in the future...

 

[JonM]

I usually sample one at around two weeks and a couple at three and four. Every time - I mean EVERY single time, my average-gravity beers become wonderful at about 5 or six weeks in the bottle and I ALWAYS think, "WTF was I thinking? I wasted all that beer by drinking it way before its prime."

Anyway, try some now just to find out what it tastes like now. make sure you have a whole bunch still around five weeks from now. You'll be amazed at how much better it is at five or six weeks. Cheers!

 

[Bulldog21]

Thanks Jon... The good news in all of this -- I can always make more ;-)

 

[JonM]

Thanks Jon... The good news in all of this -- I can always make more ;-)

Once you get a good pipeline going, you'll have those awesome moments of "what's this? Oh, this is that XYZ I bottled three months ago and forgot about" and then it's pure liquid gold.

 

[Bulldog21]

That's sort of what I was thinking... Looking forward to that problem...

 

[The_Professor]

There is nothing wrong with QC testing anytime you want.
So you stuck six in the fridge.
Open one up and either give it a taste yourself or let everyone give it a try.
Let them know it is an early sampling.
And if it is good enough for one more bottle...go ahead...
The properly aged bottles will be better.

 

[Bulldog21]

Coming from The_Professor, I know it's good advise! Thanks!

 

[Bulldog21]

Ok... Cracked one and when I popped the cap I had nice carb sound when I opened it but no head on the pour. Also, it has a bit of a 'cider' taste to it... Happy with the color (see attached)...

Should I be worried about the cider taste? Not worried about the carb based on this thread but a little worried about the taste...

 

[Revvy]

Should I be worried about the cider taste? Not worried about the carb based on this thread but a little worried about the taste...

*Ahem* Didn't I say something about this?

Just remember if it tastes like crap, because it is green, or is flat as a Kansas pancake, don't think there's something wrong and start an "why is my beer not carbed yet" or "why does my beer taste this way" thread. Because there's nothing wrong.

 

[BOBrob]

Ok... Cracked one and when I popped the cap I had nice carb sound when I opened it but no head on the pour. Also, it has a bit of a 'cider' taste to it... Happy with the color (see attached)...

Should I be worried about the cider taste? Not worried about the carb based on this thread but a little worried about the taste...

Poor guy looks all fizzle out. Now you know how green beer tastes. Listen to revvy and wait , that way the foam will last long enough to take a picture. Welcome to brewing. Cheers

 

[bottlebomber]

*Ahem* Didn't I say something about this?

Its cidery because he added too much simple sugars!

 

[Bulldog21]

Well I only added the sugars they told me to - not sure how I added too much...

Anyway, point taken, back to waiting!

I'll pick my next flavor next week ;-)

 

[Ogri]

Dude'!!!!!!!!!!!


You brewed a Bloody Mary J/K

 

[Bulldog21]

Hey - I'm a first timer!! Be nice - LOL!

 

[BlainD]

I don't know who "everyone" is, but I wouldn't expect a NORMAL grav beer to be carbed at only 2 weeks in the bottle, so for me that would be an automatic waste of a beer....But it's your beer so you can do what you want.

The 3 weeks at 70 degrees, that we recommend is the minimum time it takes for average gravity beers to carbonate and condition. Higher grav beers take longer.

Stouts and porters have taken me between 6 and 8 weeks to carb up..I have a 1.090 Belgian strong that took three months to carb up.

Glad I read this. Sad I may have to wait 3 more weeks for my first beer.

 

[Ogri]

Hey - I'm a first timer!! Be nice - LOL!

LOL I'm only a few batches ahead of you, mate

Actually, picture got me thinking that once the beer clears up it'll be a really nice looking red ale. What was your recipe??

Oh, and welcome to the addiction.

 

[Bulldog21]

Irish Amber from MidWest supplies... Hopefully the next few weeks provides some progress!

 

[DMartin]

I bottled my latest batch of house ale three weeks ago this past Friday, and I opened up a single bottle to test. It was good, but my experience tells me to wait till Christmas, not Thanksgiving, to open the rest.

It's always a good idea, if you want a brew for a special occasion, to schedule brew day 2 months prior, so you have about 6 weeks in the bottle.

 

[Homercidal]

Looks good! You should lose a bit of the cidery taste as the yeast finish up, and the carbonation will also change the flavor some.

Nothing wrong with drinking it early to see how it's going. Just be ready to notice a change during the next few weeks.

 

[Revvy]

Its cidery because he added too much simple sugars!

Where does it say he added too much simple sugars? I don't see a recipe posted....

That whole "Sugar makes beer cidery thing is way over rated....if he followed the recipe he didn't add too much, he added the right amount for the recipe...

You can add up to about 30% sugar in a recipe and it be fine....It's when someone is adding a few extra pounds to bump up the abv where you run into that issue....but many styles call for sugars all the time, and they don't make the beer cidery.

 

[Bulldog21]

I bottled my latest batch of house ale three weeks ago this past Friday, and I opened up a single bottle to test. It was good, but my experience tells me to wait till Christmas, not Thanksgiving, to open the rest.

It's always a good idea, if you want a brew for a special occasion, to schedule brew day 2 months prior, so you have about 6 weeks in the bottle.

Thanks DMartin!

 

[ayoungrad]

The "cidery" flavor could actually be "green apple" from acetylaldehyde, which will at least somewhat improve with time in the bottle.

 

[Bulldog21]

The "cidery" flavor could actually be "green apple" from acetylaldehyde, which will at least somewhat improve with time in the bottle.

That's exactly what my buddy and I thought, we both said "apple"...

 

[Revvy]

The "cidery" flavor could actually be "green apple" from acetylaldehyde, which will at least somewhat improve with time in the bottle.

Exactly.

 

[Bulldog21]

So, based on this feedback I now know that I seem to be on track and things are progressing well... Just need to wait it out a bit longer...

I still have a 2L growler and a case and a half of bottles to go so i'll be in good shape come Christmas.

Maybe Santa will bring me some bubbles in my beer for Christmas!!