I am home brewing beer and was wondering how long I should let the beer age after bottling?

Question

The beer is a pilsner

Answer 1

It can vary widely, the usual advice is a week or two, but in some cases you may need to wait longer--up to a half year.

The important factor to determine time is the yeast.  If you bought a package of brewer's yeast, check the package or with the retailer who sold it to you for a recommendation.  If you did it old school, with bread yeast or even let it sit out to pick up the luck of the draw, I'd say weight two weeks and then try a bottle every week.  In this I'd set some aside into very small containers so you don't have to drink down a whole 12oz bottle of what may be immature beer every week.

Answer 2

A pilsner should carbonate in about 10 to 14 days, depending on the temperature. It will not improve significantly with age. Other beers require longer maturation periods. I do a spruce beer that I will not touch for a year or two.  

Answer 3

Beer carbonates within 2-3 weeks generally speaking.  The higher in ABV the beer is the longer it will have to sit in the bottle.  Aside from carbonation though I like to let my beer chill in the bottle for about a month and let the yeast chill out and some of the sediment to drop out.

As a rule of thumb I let beers of "standard" strength, such as a pilsener, sit for about a month before I start checking them.

Contrary to the other poster beer can and does definitely improve with age but just like wine not all beer improves with age.  A pilsener will most likely not benefit from a period of cellaring and will be most fresh when consumed within 6 months when stored properly.

Answer 4

Usually around minimum 2 weeks and max 3 weeks.

Beer is NOT like wine and does NOT get better with age and in fact gets worse with age.

Usually 2 weeks in the bottle is fine.

Answer 5

I generally brewed ales, but found that lagers were also capable of being emptied within a week. (Nothing to do with beer-brewing, plenty to do with self-discipline!)

Seriously, I would pull bottles on a weekly basis and see how they had matured. Surprisingly, I found that lagers hit a certain point, and pretty much stayed the same. Some of the ales often were better if I let them age longer (months, these would be IPAs). I would simply suggest you sample occasionally and declare them ready when you like the blended tones on your tongue. And save out a six pack of lagers for a couple months to learn from. Heavy malt and heavy hopping allows and needs longer aging times.

Your beer is best understood by your own educated tongue. Good luck, have fun, and don't forget to invite me over to sample your next batch!

(PS: Original Pilsners have a clear color, but plenty of alcohol and can be aged longer. American and Aussie "pilsners," made with less less malt and hops and way-too-much water, will not age as long.)