Is long conditioning only for Bad Beer?

[LeedsLad]

I've only done a dozon or so kits but it seems I can get a pretty good idea of the final outcome from tasting out of the fermenter, once its done its thing . As a result , I get stuck into my 'good' beer after a couple of weeks (once its cleared and conditioned) and its only the 'bad' ones that I leave to improve. Whilst the bad ones are better after 2 or 3 months, they never seem to reach the point of the 'good' beer in terms of flavour. The longest I've left a kit was 6 months in the bottle, a Wherry that was undrinkable at 4 weeks and still pish at 6months. Commercial breweries dont condition their beer for 8 to 12 weeks (that I know of) so can my good brews really improve that much from time in the keg? Is it kit dependant or how the beer gods were judging my commitment at the time (ingredients+sanitation+temp control). thanks for any advice

I'd also be interested to know the longest anyones been able to leave a beer and the outcome. Cheers

[Ditch]

I've put my own stuff down the neck, after five days in the FV, the minute it's all in the keg. Not something I'd in any way suggest, of course. Especially as it's still got a vile tepidity to it

However, within three to five days in the keg? Cracking pint!

I know that really tells ye jack about exactly what ye asking. But, it may offer a clue

[Roy]

All of the kits i've done have got better with age. I'm slowly getting through my batch of a Hoegaarden clone that's over 3 months old and it's absolutely stunning. Tasted gorgeous in the FV after a week and even better now. Me and my mates polished off about 6 bottles between us in about 20 mins last weekend. Really need to get another brew on.

I guess now is the time to get brewing for Christmas...

[dernaroy]

Roy, what was the Hoegarden clone kit that you used? Sounds good.

[Roy]

I used a muntons conneisseurs wheat beer kit with SAAZ and EKG hops. Orange peel and corriander too. There's a massive thread on it, have a search. The brew I made doesn't taste like hogaarden but it is gorgeous!

[Samson]

Since I started brewing last Christmas every batch I have made I have put one of the bottles aside and labled it up with the date it was brewed on and what was put in it, so this Christmas I'm going to crack them open and have a taste test between them to see if their is any difference in them. I mainly brew coopers lager so some of them will have a good 8 months between them and I will see if longer conditioning makes a diiference