[tonyp]

I recently bottled an Irish Red Ale and after 1 week of room temp carbonation, as an experiment I put half of the bottles in a fridge (approx 45deg) and half in the garage on the floor (exactly 60deg), each for another week.

After tasting them, my wife and I both agree that the bottles stored in the garage have a much more pronounced flavor, a much thicker/richer head. The fridge bottles have less of a head and you really have to chug it into the glass to get a head at all, and the bubbles are noticeably smaller but it has less of a bitter aftertaste.

Does this make sense? Can anyone explain why this is?

Thanks,
Tony

[morticaixavier]

are you serving at the same temps?

[tygo]

The bottles weren't fully carbonated when you put them in the fridge.  The lower temps slowed down or stopped the yeast from consuming the remaining priming sugar.  So they're less carbonated and have less head.  The higher carbonation level in the garage ones are affecting your perception of the flavor, making it "pop" more.

[tonyp]

are you serving at the same temps?

Yes

[morticaixavier]

in that case +1 to tygo

[tonyp]

The bottles weren't fully carbonated when you put them in the fridge.  The lower temps slowed down or stopped the yeast from consuming the remaining priming sugar.  So they're less carbonated and have less head.  The higher carbonation level in the garage ones are affecting your perception of the flavor, making it "pop" more.

Gotcha, so should I wait 2 weeks at room temp before putting in the fridge or 1 week room temp then 1 week at garage temp, then fridge?

[tonyp]

Ah ok, so if i let both sit for a few minutes and reach the same temp then the flavors, etc would be the same?

[morticaixavier]

The bottles weren't fully carbonated when you put them in the fridge.  The lower temps slowed down or stopped the yeast from consuming the remaining priming sugar.  So they're less carbonated and have less head.  The higher carbonation level in the garage ones are affecting your perception of the flavor, making it "pop" more.

Gotcha, so should I wait 2 weeks at room temp before putting in the fridge or 1 week room temp then 1 week at garage temp, then fridge?

unless it's hanging around for a goodly while I would store at garage temp after a week or so at room temp and only chill before serving. I like my beer at 'cellar' temp anyway so I rarely ever even chill before serving unless the style demands.

[morticaixavier]

Ah ok, so if i let both sit for a few minutes and reach the same temp then the flavors, etc would be the same?

perhaps. although I suspect tygo is also on to something. I certainly see changes in teh bottle after the 1 week mark in terms of carbonation so serving temp is probably not the whole problem

[Hokerer]

Ah ok, so if i let both sit for a few minutes and reach the same temp then the flavors, etc would be the same?

No, even if you let both come to the same serving temp, the fact that the "garage" beers have more carbonation is going to make them taste different (better).  The flavors might technically be the same but your perception of those flavors is influenced by the amount of carbonation.

[tygo]

Every once in awhile I get a batch that will carbonate properly in one week at say 65F.  But it almost always takes at least two until I feel like it's where it's supposed to be.

[tonyp]

good info guys, thanks I appreciate it


Cheers,
Tony