"quality control" (bottled beer)

[poo hed]

hello,

I usually start drinking my beer before it's entirely "ready" but i keep noticing that the occasional bottle tastes oustandingly nicer in comparison to another and was wondering what factors may influence the cause of differing "quality" from bottle to bottle?.

i transfer to a bottling bucket, batch prime and syphon into bottles (auto syphon and bottling stick) and i label the final two bottles as "dregs" (more visible sediment when holding to light after bottling), but i drink them first so it doesn't really give me an indication of if; more sediment in bottle relatively speaking means "worse taste" (or if it's the other way around).

Also to carb, i keep my beer in a large carboard box, close to a radiator (temperature doesn't exceed 21though) and the ones nearest to the heat source don't neccesarirly carb up more quickly, it's alot more random.

I was wondering if anyone has taken note of, when bottling, if what one would think were the "choice cuts" from the fv; the very top i assume? tasted alot nicer then the "dregs" at the bottom? or vice versa and if given enough time, the randomly lesser tasting ones will eventually catch up?.

Mainly; how do you think one could ensure the "quality" to be as close to constant throughout the whole batch ?, would ensuring the sediment of a bottling bucket was totally mixed throughout (taking care not to oxygenate it), do the trick and then let it all settle in bottle ? (there may be more sediment in bottle that way; but as i say i haven't worked out if that is a good or bad thing?)

Any thoughts? or do you think im being pedantic

(and it's not simply a case of "beer tasting nicer the more drunk i get"!!!)

thanks!

[potatoes]

One idea I have is temperature of the bottle when drinking. Is each bottle the same temp? I notice that some beers taste better at room temp, and others taste better out of the Fridge.

[Tramorak]

Can't say I have noticed this (other than with the dregs which I frequently forget to mark).

I use a bottling bucket and batch prime, before syphoning my beer onto it. My bucket has a tap so I am not syphoning, just attaching a bottling stick to it, so my only suggestion is that you could be introducing some levels of oxygen into the beer while syphoning. I know it is noticeably different when I forget to label the "dregs" and I get one after a few weeks.

Just a suggestion.

T.

[wxmexile]

I have noticed a simaler thing. I mainly brew lagers and bottle, all are kept under exactly the same conditions through to drinking - however some (completely randomly) have a much tighter and better lasting head with smaller bubbles and seem to be of a slightly better 'quality' to others! bizarre!

[poo hed]

hello again,

i drink them all at roughly the same temperature, so i don't really think that's a factor(?) and it's variation noted in the same kit.

i don't think i am introducing too much oxygen also, to get the syphon started, i put the bottling stick on the end into a pan and syphon off enough to begin so the syphon and stick are entirely full of liquid, i drink that little bit from the pan later, it doesn't go into bottle.

it's not that the beer tastes bad or anything, just get the odd one that makes you think "mmmmm f****** hell that tastes nice" or another that may taste that little bit worse then the rest.

does more yeast in bottle mean a quicker carbination ? (i would guess so (?))

and also; as leaving the beer on the yeast in the primary for extended periods (i do 2 weeks at least now) seems only beneficial? would it not also be better to have a greater amount of yeast present per bottle to have the same effect ?

i wonder what ratio of the sediment at the end of bottling is good healthy yeast (vs dead yeast and hop bits etc) ? and if actually mixing the sediment in would be a good thing ?

[greenxpaddy]

One thing to consider is the quality of the glass you are using to drink from. Was it handwashed or dishwasher washed and was it rinsed well? Any soap residue will affect taste.

[wxmexile]

I'm always really careful with my glasses, usually just rinse with hot water or if i hand wash i always thouroughly rinse and dry before using, and all my glasses are head keepers, but have still experienced this 'one bottles better than the next' phenomenom!

[Monkeybrew]

I also think that what you may have recently eaten/drunk can really affect your taste-buds

[poo hed]

i was kind of referring to when you have a bit of a session, one pint glass washed and rinsed to begin, then "several" drinks in that glass of differing "quality" after, i usually eat before i drink, but not during.