beer is flat

[JaredW]

Hi i have just tried my first beer out if the micro brew kit, i followed everything to the letter i pitched the yeast at 26C and it sat at a constent 24C i bottled it after 5 days after the hydromiter reading said 1010, i primed the bottles with 2 drops supplied and then put them back into the cubbord with a temp of 24C i left them for 7 days i chilled one and tryed iot, it had a bit of a yeasty taste and was like drinking a beer that had been out all night with the lid off, am i to quick in trying the beer and it needs longer in the cubord or does it continue to carbonate in storage

[ChrisK]

One of my batches was very flat after two or three weeks - it was the English Bitter. Unlike you though I certainly hadn't conditioned in the 20s.

 

I shook my bottles up (to get the yeast back into suspension) and they've been in my brew fridge at around 22 for about 10 days now. I tried one after 7 days and it was substantially better, but had near zero head retention.

 

I've only been brewing a short time, but my first brew (Australian Pale Ale) had nearly no head retention at the two week mark but now we're at around the 12 week mark is really very good.

 

I wouldn't expect your beer to be as flat and tasting like an old beer after a week of conditioning, but on the other hand they do get better with time. I try not to drink my beers in the first three weeks as I find they generally take that long to age up to par.

 

 

[PB2]

From the Micro Brew Kit instruction booklet [whistling

 

After 14 days, you may want to try your beer. Storing (conditioning) your beer beyond two weeks and up to at least three months should see the flavour improve, the bubbles reduce in size and the yeast deposit becomes more compact.

 

Many brewers store their beer for 6 to 12 mths prior to consuming...

[ChrisK]

for 6 to 12 mths prior to consuming...

 

 

:( I don't have the realestate to condition beer at +20 for a month let alone 6! :( This is why I haven't done a lager yet.

[JaredW]

Hi thanks, just another question after reading do i need to condition the beer in the brewing range of 21 - 31 digrees also?? for 3months?? thanks for your help so far,

[PB2]

Good idea to keep the temp at or above 21C for the first 7 to 10 days. After that, it doesn't matter so much, as long as they don't get too hot. High temp accelerates aging of the beer and raises bottle pressures = BANG [crying]

[LarryR]

Both my 2nd and 3rd batched took awhile to condition. I tried my 3rd batch at 2 weeks and it was flat, I shook the bottles and tried at 3 weeks and the beer was carbonated. We did have a cold spell around 20 but it still conditioned.

[ChrisK]

Good idea to keep the temp at or above 21C for the first 7 to 10 days. After that' date=' it doesn't matter so much, as long as they don't get too hot. High temp accelerates aging of the beer and raises bottle pressures = BANG [crying']

 

So temperature is only important for conditioning for the first couple of weeks? My garage/brewery doesn't have much temp control so can get down to 10 or so. If I keep the temp around 22 for the first couple of weeks then leave it to nature for another month, will things likely improve? Conditioning is my focus at the moment, while I've made some tasty beer, I'm yet to perfect head retention/carbonation.

 

 

 

[PB2]

Beer will develop (degrade, if bright beer) at a slower rate if exposed to lower temp'.

[ChrisK]

Bright beer? (I'm a beginner, remember? :) )

[PB2]

Bright Beer is beer that has not been naturally conditioned in a secondary vessel. The vessels are filled with beer that is already fizzy. Most commercial beer is bright beer.

[Luke]

So temperature is only important for conditioning for the first couple of weeks? My garage/brewery doesn't have much temp control so can get down to 10 or so.

 

Beware wild temperature swings Chris, warm beer expands and then contracts as it cools, good chance of sucking in air if your bottles aren't sealed properly.

 

[JaredW]

HI again and just thought id let you guys know that i conditiond in the 20's for another 7 days and then tryed the beer again it was realy very good im am very happy with the result already and im looking forward to sampeling it again at the 3month and then 6 month mark, thanks coopers im very impressed

[Slurtis Staggersalot]

When I was at the HBS the other day I was inquiring about cleaning products and the shop keep mentioned that if you don't rinse your bottles thoroughly the residue left behind can affect carbonation adversely. Is there any truth to that statement Paul?

[Muddy Waters]

All traces of cleaning products (Bleach etc) should be rinsed from bottles however no rinse sanitisers (Such as iodophor)which some people mistake as cleaners just need to be drained.

 

[happy] Just my 2c worth.

[PB2]

I was inquiring about cleaning products and the shop keep mentioned that if you don't rinse your bottles thoroughly the residue left behind can affect carbonation adversely. Is there any truth to that statement Paul?

 

Carbonation and foam stability are two different things. Residual detergent in the bottles will knock the foam stability around. Residual sanitiser (designed for killing bugs) may kill off the yeast which prevents the secondary fermentation (carbonation) from happening.

 

Either way, it's smart to rinse the bottles of any residue.

[Slurtis Staggersalot]

I'm going to mail order some of that starsan stuff, and give it a go. No rinsing required and no adverse effects according to the internet. I need to conduct my own tests though before I can establish an opinion [cool]

[TravisH]

When bottling (not often) I keep my beer inside the house for the first two weeks minimum before considering tasting. This enables a constant temp for maturity. Aged beer always tastes better. The easiest way I have found to have good quality beer is to brew alot and brew often. i.e. more than I can consume, therefore forcing me to have bottles/kegs maturing.

[PB2]

Aged beer always tastes better.

 

Not true for all beer styles. A beer with lifted hop aromatics may be fab' during the first mth but can lose appeal with age. This happens quite often - brewers make a beer, love it, and put a few aside to submit to a competiton. Then they are disappointed or disagree with the feedback from the judges but they forget that with age, it's not the same beer!