6 Months :-)

Well it's been 6 months since I made my first Extract beer, which was a non-kit with hops and yeast., I saved a bottle of it to try and learn a bit more about what happens in the aging process. Heres a Picture:

Its from www.howtobrew.com, john palmers Cinncinnati Pale ale recipe, switched around as at the time the LHBS didn't have Light LME, so i used Amber LME and Light DME, with nugget and cascade hops. As a first beer it was very nice, and really kicked off my quest you now see here. Anyways, onto the taste test of a6 month old beer.... Taste=OLD. theres a big difference in taste from when I first tasted it,theres absolutely no Hop aroma, theres a bittering taste, which has mellowed with time, and Its quite hard to detect the late additions (20 & 10 cascade 14g each. I think its fair to say that I won't age my beers like this, unless I think it needs it, or the recipe recommends it. On a separate note, I tried my Blonde ale again last night as well. Based on this recipe: http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f66/busty-brunette-blonde-ska-true-blonde-clone-321035/index2.html which has actually got better with age, I think the fact I used actual grains helps alot. And considering I didn't like it first time up, after 5 months, its one damn tasty beer. Such a shame theres none left. Oh and last note: I accidentally dropped a few White flag Nelson Saison, and one cap popped, So clearly I had to drink it... what a hard life. taste is good lots of 3711 esters, so I've taken a 6 pack to the motel and put them in the fridge to see what its like cold and carbed etc. Picture to follow.