Newbie question of the year coming up

[J'sGarage]

What does green taste like?
I assume the flavours in my beer are a result of my recipe, and I'm happy to drink them the way they are, but a few people who I have got to taste them have said its still green. Is it the"not quite right" flavour or is there something I'm not picking up on?

 

[TheBigD]

From my very limited brewing history, green beer taste to me is unwanted flavours or harshness that exists which goes away after ageing

best way to judge is have a bottle at week one then compare to a bottle after week two and three etc.this is how ive learnt to tell what green beer tastes like.

My lastest beer is a coopers Australian bitter and the difference between week 3 and week 6 are worlds apart.

 

[chemfish]

"green" can be different things depending on the brew. I see it as the not quite right flavour, too sharp, too bitter, too much of something, not mellow enough etc.

 

[Spiesy]

Could also relate to the hops…

If you list your recipe and process, it might help members make a better suggestion as to what it might be.

 

[CrookedFingers]

I would take it as 'not ready'.

I use the term, "a bit green", in that way… i.e. not ripe/ready.

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

For a kit beer...Green screams Granny Smith Apples...

For an AG...very grainy....like eating raw grains..

 

[chemfish]

You can get grainy from extract as well, the bitter I did with steeped chocolate and crystal malt tasted like raw grain for at least 6 weeks before it started to get good.

 

[MartinOC]

I would take it as 'not ready'.

I use the term, "a bit green", in that way… i.e. not ripe/ready.

You nailed-it. Basically it means "immature".

For a kit beer...Green screams Granny Smith Apples...

For an AG...very grainy....like eating raw grains..

Sorry, Stu, but those are process-related faults that won't go away by maturation alone.

Acetaldehyde (green apples) is usually from under-pitching, fermentation too warm, or taking the young beer off the yeast too early before it's had a chance to clean-up after itself.

Grainy (tannins) from an AG beer means that the sparge has been over-done, trying to get as much extract from the grains at the expense of quality.

 

[J'sGarage]

OK, thanks guys! So basically any odd flavours are the green. Not necessarily bad flavours, just "not quite right" ones. I am waiting till the weekend before I have another glass, and will see if those flavours have reduced at all. I was under the impression that they may have been the recipe, but it looks like they are the "green" that was referred to.

 

[MartinOC]

A mentioned above, try tasting a "young" beer next to one that's had some time in a bottle or keg & you'll soon get the difference.

Edit: Your original question wasn't necessarily a "newbie" one, nor a stupid one. It means you're thinking about this & curious enough to ask questions. It's all good. Don't be afraid to ask questions!!

 

[verysupple]

Grainy (tannins) from an AG beer means that the sparge has been over-done, trying to get as much extract from the grains at the expense of quality.

I've never associated tannins with graininess. For me tannins make me think of astringency/mouth puckering. I think I know what stu meant, though. When my beers are young you can pick every different malt in it - the different characters are very bold and stand out from each other. When they've matured a bit they have just as much flavour but it's more melded rather than a bunch of distinct flavours. Better balanced, if you will.

EDIT: I agree with MartinOC that acetaldehyde is a flaw and not "green". Acetaldehyde does not age out once the beer is separated from the yeast.