IPA Failure & Success

It's been a busy couple of months working long hours and trying to get outside more with the arrival of spring here in Maine...finally!  Since my last post, I have bottled, aged and consumed the Palilalia IPA.  This brew has a deep copper color, a strong nose, a good solid head and has aged into a solid ale. 

After aging in my basement for 4 weeks, I put a bottle in the refrigerator for the weekend.  I opened, poured and tasted.  My excitement quickly turned to disappointment.  It had an off taste, and a long bitter finish.  Something wasn't right and now I have 5 gallons of the stuff.  What went wrong with my third batch of brew? 

Well, I decided not to react too quickly.  I'd give it a couple more weeks in the cellar and perhaps that would help mellow thing out.

A week or so later, it dawned on me that when I was washing the first  bottle out there were some particles stuck on the bottom.  In fact, I had to rigorously shake water to clean it out fully.  Maybe the bottle was contaminated!?!  Ah ha!  Let's get another bottle of this stuff in the refrigerator! 

Bottle #2... same dark copper color, aroma and head.  Looks and smells the same.  But alas, it tastes better!  In fact, it's pretty good!  Hmmm...  maybe all it not lost!  Well, in fact we have enjoyed 4-5 bottles of the Palilalia IPA and it's a darn good ale!  I really seemed to need the extra time 2-3 weeks in the cellar.

Final gravity was 1.012 and then I dropped my hydrometer and broke it :-(