General homebrew discussion, tips and help on kit and malt extract brewing, and talk about equipment. Queries on sourcing supplies and equipment should go in The Store.
I currently have a draught (longnecks) bottled and I intend on giving it a hit next weekend....By that time it'll have been in the bottles for 3 weeks, is that okay? The concentrate tin suggested a minimum of 2 weeks.
Also I have bottled a Lager and I ALSO intend on giving it a hit next weekend...it'll have only been in two weeks....still okay? The concentrate tin suggested a minimum of 2 weeks aswell.
Sorry afew more questions
I've got a Canadian Blonde concentrate that doesnt mention any bottling time minimum on the tin....would two to three weeks be okay to drink?
Lastly I have a European Lager suggesting that bottling time would be 12 weeks.....Would it be okay to drink earlier then that......I'm not very patient! hahaha
3 weeks is essentially as wuickly as you would want to crack one in most cases so get amongst them if you want.
Just remember that the longer you leave them, the better they'll taste.
Up to you, but I usually get drinking after 3 to 4 weeks while still putting half a dozen aside for a comparison months down the track. Always better-tasting beer.
If you keep in a rhythm of always having a beer in the fermenter, it means you aren't tempted to crack new ones as soon as possible because you're still drinking the last brew or two.
Once you get into the rhythm it really pays dividends.
Yeah I'm trying to work it out that I constantly have brew ready to drink. I've got my hands on a second fermenter so I'll get that cracking and buy myself a whole heap of PET bottles.
It's going to be interesting to taste my first brew! hahahahaha
Do a test with your early brews. Like taste them out of the fermenter, then after 10 days, then 2 weeks and then 1 every week. I did this and it's a great learning experience to understand what they taste like young versus with a few months ageing.
Believe me the difference will make you want to wait the 2 months and once you get rolling with the brews you won't drink anything younger than 2-3 months.
Hiya ..yeah the beer will have bubbles look like beer but not taste as good after 2 weeks, but when you get the second ferment er going and start drinking 6 month old brew you'll understand why it's best to leave it to age a bit.BTW ask as many questions as you want that's what this bit is here for..if you don't ask you'll never find out
WSC wrote:Believe me the difference will make you want to wait the 2 months and once you get rolling with the brews you won't drink anything younger than 2-3 months.
I think that the wheat beer being ready quickly depends on the yeast rather than the addition of wheat. Did you use a wheat yeast like WB06 or a quality liquid yeast?
Bizier, you've phrased that as though dry yeasts aren't quality.. There are certainly cheap nasty dry yeasts, e.g those that come with kit cans, but there are quality dry yeasts... The variety is just far more limited, as the range of yeasts that will handle being dehydrated is relatively limited.
I apologise Keg, that was meaning to read wheat yeast (WB06/liquid) VS any other ale/lager yeast. As I understand it the wheat yeasts have a pretty ballistic metabolism.
As for Dry Vs Liquid:
If you get good results with dry, then great. I use a fair bit of US05 and even sometimes Nottingham and Windsor... but if I was going to brew a weizen, I'd be spending the extra on a liquid to get specific phenolic qualities that I personally like in a trad wheat beer. I haven't used WB06, and may never do so, I may well love the profile and be missing out on the best thing since sliced bread... but I might never know.
I did the step to liquids to get specific properties and it has improved my beers a huge amount and gives an exciting new world of scope.
Bizier wrote:I think that the wheat beer being ready quickly depends on the yeast rather than the addition of wheat. Did you use a wheat yeast like WB06 or a quality liquid yeast?
It was a Coopers kit can, and just the kit yeast. I know i should have probably grabbed a separate yeast from the HB store, but being the novice, I dare say these are the mistakes that we make.
Give one a go, no harm done! two weeks in this weather is enough to carbonate. I think it's actually a very good idea to try at least one this young. You can then appreciate how much they can change with some ageing.
Bizier, no apology necessary, was just clarifying. I've also used liquid yeasts, and can definitely appreciate that there's a much wider range suited to more specific beers; but as far as more common varieties go, i've had great success with US05 (which is apparently the same as 1056), K-97, S-23 etc.
I suggest to anyone trying young/green beers, chill them for 24 hours to stun the yeast before attempting to digest it... if you don't know what I am talking about, it is less than a dandy stroll in the park to find out first hand.
I have a European Lager suggesting that bottling time would be 12 weeks.....Would it be okay to drink earlier then that......I'm not very patient! hahaha
