Green beer taste

Discussion in 'General Brewing Discussions' started by JAMC, Aug 26, 2012.

  1. JAMC

    JAMC Member

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2012
    Messages:
    168
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    16
    Location:
    England
    OK, now I know I probably shouldn't be sampling a beer only a week after bottling it, but I usually open one at this point to see how it's getting along - both for carb levels and flavour.

    The most recent batch does seem to be carbed up, but the flavours aren't quite there. I did use hops I've not tried before (pacific gem and motueka) so I'm wondering whether they've added flavours I wasn't expecting, but the main thing I notice is that for a beer with over 2lb of crystal/caramel malt and 9oz of melanoidin, it's not as malty as I was expecting.

    How long would you usually allow for a beer to reach it's "normal" flavour zone and how would you describe the "green" beer flavour?
     
  2. JAMC

    JAMC Member

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2012
    Messages:
    168
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    16
    Location:
    England
    I may have been panicking a bit yesterday when I posted this. I've opened up another bottle just to triple-check and it's much closer to what I was expecting - huge head, big malt flavour, hops flavours in sync etc...

    Probably just got a slow bottle last time.

    I promise to leave well alone now until next weekend.
     
  3. sbaclimber

    sbaclimber Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 13, 2012
    Messages:
    1,025
    Likes Received:
    701
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Germany
    Hehe, probably a good idea.
    I always leave my bottles at least 3 weeks before opening. Even then, I still think the flavors aren't really "mature" until after conditioning at least 4 weeks.
     
  4. LarryBrewer

    LarryBrewer Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 27, 2012
    Messages:
    1,728
    Likes Received:
    10
    Trophy Points:
    38
    Location:
    Portland, Oregon
    I've always noticed that Ales taste best after 45 days from when the batch was started. If they ferment for an average of 14 days, that is about 4-5 weeks of time in the bottle.

    I do the same thing in terms of opening 1 or 2 bottles early! Seems like I do that no matter how much beer is on hand, and I always get that green taste.
     
  5. JAMC

    JAMC Member

    Joined:
    Aug 14, 2012
    Messages:
    168
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    16
    Location:
    England
    I like this way of viewing it. In my case this batch was actually a 21 day primary ferment, so I've already knocked a week off.
     
  6. sbaclimber

    sbaclimber Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 13, 2012
    Messages:
    1,025
    Likes Received:
    701
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Germany
    That lines up exactly with my timeline too.
    10 days primary + 14 days secondary + 3 weeks conditioning = 45 days :)
     
  7. The Brew Mentor

    The Brew Mentor Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 19, 2012
    Messages:
    2,391
    Likes Received:
    3,652
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Mentor, Ohio
    I think it's really beer dependent.

    For example, tonight I transferred, from a primary, a beer that was 12 days old. It was a 1.042 American Wheat. FG of 1.007. I tasted the test jar and will serve this as soon as I can get it carbed up. That should be no more than 3 days. So 15 days from grain to glass.

    I've done it in less, but I brewed this for a competition and had plenty of time. This may have been ready 3 or 4 days ago, but this was the first chance I had time to move it.

    The main thing to remember is to take care of the yeast and the fermentation. Pitch enough healthy yeast and keep the fermentation temperature stabilized in the optimal range for the yeast used. Using a nutrient can also be helpful in some circumstances.

    Breweries commonly turn their beers in 2 weeks. There is no reason you can't.

    Bigger beers and lagers will certainly not fall into this category. Bottle conditioning will also add a week or so to the process.

    By the way, if you don't keg, you should or will. :D

    Brian
     
  8. sbaclimber

    sbaclimber Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 13, 2012
    Messages:
    1,025
    Likes Received:
    701
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Germany
    Very good point!
    (dry hopping in the secondary would obviously add some time too....)

    The one thing I have found about bottle conditioning is, yes, clarity and carbonation are achieved after about a week, but a fully *finished* flavor only after about 3-4 weeks.
     
  9. LarryBrewer

    LarryBrewer Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 27, 2012
    Messages:
    1,728
    Likes Received:
    10
    Trophy Points:
    38
    Location:
    Portland, Oregon
    My solution is to brew more. That way I always have something ready to drink. Takes awhile to build up a stockpile of beer, not to mention bottles/corny kegs. The feeling is pretty satisfactory though, to have 4-5 home brews to choose from, all past that golden 45 day mark.

    I have my next 4 batches planned out and I'm all stocked up on Amarillo and Simcoe.
     
  10. sbaclimber

    sbaclimber Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 13, 2012
    Messages:
    1,025
    Likes Received:
    701
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Germany
    *sigh*..... I need more storage space.
     
  11. The Brew Mentor

    The Brew Mentor Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 19, 2012
    Messages:
    2,391
    Likes Received:
    3,652
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Mentor, Ohio
    Where'd you get Simcoe and Amarillo already?
     
  12. BrewHop

    BrewHop New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 16, 2012
    Messages:
    86
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    Oakland, CA
    Agreed on the brew more... I have 3 carboys going right now, as well as 2 partially filled 5 gal, and a 5 gal oak barrel full... i might have a problem :) ... and my friends are going to be getting a lot of beer...
     
  13. The Brew Mentor

    The Brew Mentor Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 19, 2012
    Messages:
    2,391
    Likes Received:
    3,652
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Mentor, Ohio

    A Problem?? I think not.
    I have 4 kegs on tap, 2 full kegs conditioning in another fridge, 10 gallons fermenting, 2.5 gallons ready to bottle and 2 or 3 random cases of bottles around in case I want something different.
    Right now I'm feeling like I need to brew! What's next?
    Beer is good! :D
    Brian
     
  14. LarryBrewer

    LarryBrewer Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 27, 2012
    Messages:
    1,728
    Likes Received:
    10
    Trophy Points:
    38
    Location:
    Portland, Oregon
    FH Steinbart in Portland, they are hooked into Brewcraft USA. It wasn't cheap though, about $2.50/oz! Nitrogen sealed packs supposed to be really good for shelf life.
     
  15. LarryBrewer

    LarryBrewer Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 27, 2012
    Messages:
    1,728
    Likes Received:
    10
    Trophy Points:
    38
    Location:
    Portland, Oregon
    And you own a home brew store... lol. Makes things very convenient.
     
  16. the_jetset

    the_jetset New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 29, 2012
    Messages:
    12
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    1
    Location:
    Mexico City

    Yep! I've found that this is the best solution (in fact, it is the ONLY solution that seems to work in my case)

    I used to brew "as needed". But I found that when you are sitting there watching that ONE BATCH slowly come to drinking age .... at most only 2 or 3 bottles (sometimes no bottles) actually made it to the 30+ day conditioning mark. .... everything else was "sampled" between 5 - 20 days after bottling!!

    However, I now have about 5-6 batches of beer in conditioning at any given time. (the equivalent of about 12 cases of beer)

    This method allows me to easily let batches arrive at the 30-45 day conditioning mark (even when I have my friends over and dip heavy into some batches) It also gives me a wider variety of beer to choose from. And in addition, I'm not pressured to brew immediately. I can do brew-days that fit into my ever-changing schedule more easily.
     
  17. chessking

    chessking New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 8, 2012
    Messages:
    255
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    Aurora, Colorado
    +1 Keep all your vessels full.
     

    Attached Files:

  18. The Brew Mentor

    The Brew Mentor Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 19, 2012
    Messages:
    2,391
    Likes Received:
    3,652
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Mentor, Ohio
    Hey CK,
    That's a beautiful sight! :mrgreen:
    Brian
     
  19. chessking

    chessking New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 8, 2012
    Messages:
    255
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    Aurora, Colorado
    Go big, or go home.
     

Share This Page

arrow_white