AHHH SKUNK BEER

Chumley667

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So I just bottled my first brew. Well it smells skunky as all hell. Its a simple Colorado pale ale. It has a super think color. I cant even see trough it. I made it and have let it ferment for a week and have now bottled it after getting the proper hydrometer reading. i'm trying to think what I might have done wrong. Anyway any help would be really really loved right now. also can I let it cure at room temperature in the bottle?
 
I say give it time. 3 weeks in the bottle at room temp to carb up. Since the yeast will still be active, they will continue to refine the beer. Lots of weird flavors seem to go away with time.

Also, though the hydrometer readings may indicate it is done, the yeast do a lot of clean up afterwards. I always leave mine in fermontor for minimum of 2 weeks before bottling so the yeast can keep cleaning things up.
 
Chumley667 said:
... bottled it after getting the proper hydrometer reading

Was your hydrometer reading the expect final gravity listed in the recipe? If so your beer may have still had a few point to go. Ideally you will want to check the gravity a few days apart, and if there is not change the yeast are done.

Sounds like you possibly have 1 to 3 things going on. One the yeast are still in suspension causing the brew to be cloudy. This will clear up with time and cold conditioning.

Two there is an excessive amount of protein in suspension. If that's the case, drink up its not going to clear up very quickly. However the brew should still taste fine.

Third, you have an infection. Give a solid 3 weeks to Carb up and then more to cold storage. After a week in cold storage you should be able to tell if it is a drinkable beer.

Remember beer needs time! Give your beer the time it needs and you will be rewarded.
 
Remember beer needs time! Give your beer the time it needs and you will be rewarded.

Maybe the most difficult part of homebrewing!!!
 
don't worry too much we've all been there, the skunk taste can be from bottles not the brew, and the thick not clear probably needed to stay in the fermenter longer to clean up, just let it set as stated before me and you'll be fine
 
Define "skunk." If it smells like the animal or burnt rubber, I'd suspect it's light struck - you kept the carboy in an area where it was exposed to sunlight or too much fluorescent light. If "skunk" means something different, I'd look to sanitation first, particularly since you say it's cloudy. But give it time, some things clear up over time. If it's light-struck, though, it's a drain pour - no amount of time will clean that up.
 
I sanitized it well. As for the lighting issue I am brewing in plastic so no light can get through. I will let it sit in the cold and home it clears up. If not....well then I'll pour it and try again with different conditions.
 

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