| Aging your newly brewed beer is an important step | | | | the bottled beer in a cool, dark place. The optimal |
| in the beer-making process. This can prove to be the | | | | temperature range is 66 degrees to 72 degrees. Do |
| most difficult step because you are surely very | | | | not store your newly brewed beer in the refrigerator. |
| anxious to try your new brew. However, if you try it | | | | Keeping it at cool room temperature allows the yeast |
| too soon you are likely to be disappointed in the | | | | to complete its work, allowing for optimal |
| taste. Newly bottled beer will need to age for a | | | | carbonation. After the first two weeks you may |
| period of at least 2 to 6 weeks for conditioning. | | | | store the beer in the refrigerator. This will help it |
| During the aging process the yeast will ferment the | | | | complete its aging process more quickly. Avoid any |
| remaining sugar that was used when bottling the | | | | temperature changes while storing your beer. Use |
| beer. This creates carbon dioxide, which naturally | | | | brown or amber bottles to help avoid harmful light |
| adds carbonation to your brew to make it perfectly | | | | damage. |
| bubbly. Also during this time unwanted sediments | | | | Once the beer is refrigerated it will stop the yeast |
| from the yeast and proteins will drop out and help to | | | | process and may begin to deteriorate. Test your |
| make a better, smoother tasting end product. In | | | | various recipes to see when the best taste is |
| some cases this process can take up to 6 months, | | | | achieved. Keep good records of your brewing recipes |
| however, it is most often accomplished within a | | | | including temperatures and techniques. This will help |
| month. | | | | you re-create the perfect batch of beer every time. |
| The amount of time the beer needs to age will often | | | | Be sure to record when you tasted your beer and |
| depend on the recipe. Follow the time frame that the | | | | how it was. Start with one bottle and wait a week |
| recipe recommends. In general, most home brews | | | | or so to try another. This will give you a comparison |
| are drinkable in a month; however, they reach their | | | | to go on. Once you are happy with the taste of your |
| peak flavor after a longer time, usually 8 to 15 | | | | beer make sure that the entire batch is kept under |
| weeks. | | | | refrigeration to keep the taste at its peak. |
| To ensure enhanced flavor, color and texture, store | | | | |
