Bitter Nog

[Greatcthulhu]

Hi All. I recently brewed a Norfolk Nog. 30pts in a keg and 10 bottled. I tried some last night after 6 weeks in the keg and it's VERY bitter. Is this likely to mellow out a bit, or will I just have to put up with the bitterness- I've not tried any of the bottles yet, so I don't know if they're the same. Cheers.

[seymour]

Maybe, maybe not. Continuous fermentation in the keg has likely eliminated much of your initial sweetness, tipping the balance much more bitter. That is not likely to change, in fact, it may get worse if the yeast is still consuming malt sugars. However, if you wait a really, really, long time, hops bitterness fades in lengthy cellar aging. I'd say "it is what it is" and try to enjoy it while it lasts.

[Greatcthulhu]

OK thanks for the reply. I've not had this problem before- what may I have done wrong? Fermention was finished and I probably underdid the priming sugar if anything.

[seymour]

...what may I have done wrong?...

It sounds to me like nothing is wrong, per se, you just don't love the mature flavor balance of this particular recipe. If you liked it better in its younger state, what went wrong is your cellarman didn't pour through his real ale fast enough. You should've hosted a party or increased daily consumption

[Greatcthulhu]

Ha, ha, ha- cheers, I'll remember that in future.