summer ale - too bitter

[i*windows]

my summer ale has been in the primary for 2 weeks, and I thought Id have a little sample as its stopped fermenting now. it smells good and the first taste is pretty good(but thin), but there is a hell of a bitter after taste. I followed the recipe and am a bit deflated that it doesnt taste good. Will the overly bitter taste fade after time? I'm thinking of moving it to a cooler place, any ideas please before I chuck it out and try again.

couple of thoughts, could it be the water? I used out bavarian tap water - but then remembered that I have a water softner which uses sodium tablets. the water is great to drink, but maybe not too great to brew.

[crafty john]

Can't really comment without seeing the recipe, but generally they do mellow in time so don't chuck it. If you can post your recipe I could have a look.

[Jocky]

Would be good to see the recipe.

[Jocky]

Also what was the starting and final gravity readings?

[far9410]

patience!

[Spikesdad]

+1 to the above. Give it time, the bitterness will go. Dont chuck it out. Enjoy the beer anyway, it is beer after all.

[i*windows]

thanks for the encouragement. the recipe is from another site, I made 1/2 the quantity. Will the body also improve once bottled?

50grm East Kent Goldings hops
25grm Progress hops
2 x 1kg light dried malt extract
350g Crushed Crystal Malt
English Ale Yeast
80g sugar for priming the barrel.

[BazC]

I've had kits that tasted thin and watery straight from the FV but were great once they were conditioned, I'm sure yours will be fine, this is supposed to be a great recipe - I'm going to attempt and all grain version soon.

Here the full recipe for anyone who's interested.

http://www.brewuk.co.uk/store/recipes-summer-ale

[i*windows]

so I've now bottle the beer, primed it with a golden syrup mix and will set it aside for a month or so. I've set aside a bottle to "test" and its already a little better than before; super smooth until the end then a bitterness. But its English Beer in Bavaria and I'm ready to knock up my next batch- if I could make some Timmy Taylors that would be heaven

[parky]

Compared to other beers that i have brewed, i find the Summer Ale a bit thin, but then the f.g. is only about 3.5%, you should try, the Thunderbolt, and if you like your beer hoppy, Way to Amarillo, i only use Tesco or Asda's, Value Still Water, and every brew iv made compares to pub beer.

[greenxpaddy]

I am working out that you did a 22l batch. If so the IBU is around 55 with that many hops (but depends on the boil time)- that s going to be bitter.

[RobWalker]

I had one that was bitter beyond my personal taste a while ago. The solution was to leave it a few months, and then after that, man up and enjoy it to be honest...or lose a brew. :p

I'm hoping it's not an off flavour, I've lost two beers in my time - one from VWP, the other from some dodgy flaked barley or black malt - not sure which. That one had a really weird thin off flavour that was unplacable.

[Wezzel]

+1 for leaving for a few weeks. The bitterness always mellows.

Incidentally, do you live in a hard water area and if so do you treat the water? It is easy to mistake the astringency caused by hard water with hop bitterness (as I have recently discovered!). Especially noticeable with pale beers.

[i*windows]

thanks for the info guys; I've been trying to leave it to mature but keep drinking it only half a dozen bottles left. Time to make some more

and yes I live in a very hard water area, and we use salt tablets to soften the water....

[crafty john]

thanks for the info guys; I've been trying to leave it to mature but keep drinking it only half a dozen bottles left. Time to make some more

and yes I live in a very hard water area, and we use salt tablets to soften the water....

Patience is a virtue you need to get a rolling stock so if any beer isn't to your liking at first you can leave it to mature and not be tempted to drink it, it can't be that bad though or you wouldn't have kept drinking it.

Good luck with your next brew