How and Why did my beer change styles?

I've been brewing for about a year now using the Mr. Beer kits and recently brewed my first non-Mr. Beer recipe. It was an IPA recipe that was recommended by the employees at a home brew store. I followed the recipe pretty accurately. Having tasted the first couple bottles of this beer, it tastes nothing like an IPA. Rather, it tastes like a Hefeweizen. Isuually when you screw up a recipe it ends up tasting bad, so I am wondering if anyone can explain how this happened. It tastes great, but it is definitely not an IPA.

Note: I used dried light extract and Willamette hops.

What's the recipe and yeast? Also how clear is it, is there a lot of yeast in suspension still?

I used Munton's Ale Yeast. I lost the recipe instructions.

It is a pretty clear beer, with an amber color. It has the lightness and the sweet spicy flavor of Hefeweizen.

Muntons yeast are not the best and if you are comparing to MrBeer you will have to reeducate your palate, IMO. We will need to see a recipe and hop schedule to determine if you actually brewed an IPA.

The recipe was called the Mr. Better IPA and I got it from the people at Leener's. It was available online, but now I can't seem to find it. My printed copy was ruined.

StewyP said:

Note: I used dried light extract and Willamette hops.

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Can't imagine an IPA with just williamette hops...it is possible just will take a lot o hops to get to the IPA ibu range

Hefe flavor usually comes from the yeast strain and muntons I've never read it can give the clover/banana flavor but who knows...

Next time keep notes on your ingredients one of the keys to really improving as a brewer so you can go back and figure questions like these out...without notes...who knows

Googled Mr.Better IPA = no results without scrolling thru many pages. We will need the recipe an hop addition schedule to analyze. Willamette alone can make an IPA, but I have never seen a recipe like that. I fear the problem is either with the recipe or with the change from Mr.Beer kits which are very basic. Think... making a hamburger helpers kit as opposed to making something with fresh ingredients.

Someone posted this in a MrBeer forum:

Better MR. IPA - Leeners
•4 oz Caravienne Malted Barley
•2 lbs Golden Light Dry Malt Extract
•2 oz Willamette Hops (divided)
•1 Muslin Hop Bag
•1 Muslin Grain Bag
•1 1/8 tsp Munton's Ale Yeast

I think these are 2 gallon recipes right? That would be about a 1.045 beer, they don't give the exact hop additions but say they do an ounce at 60 and the rest late that's about 35 IBU's. If this is your recipe OP it didn't change styles, it was never near an IPA to begin with.

If you're looking for recipes any in the database can be scaled to 2 gallons. Also what temp are you fermenting at? I assume the off flavors are yeast related - partially just bad strain I think but also could be compounded if fermenting hot.

@chickypad

Yes, that was the recipe, though I also used some assorted steeping grains that they prepared for me. I had a feeling that it was an off recipe. Granted, I like the result, but definitely not what I was going for. What style would you call that recipe?

I was fermenting at about 68 degrees F.

Thanks!

A pale ale I would say by the recipe. If you like the taste then I'd also call it success.

The banana and clove that's so desirable in a Hefe is an off-flavor when fermenting other strains at too high a temperature. If the ambient temperature was 68, the internal temperature of the beer was likely 75 degrees or so. That's too warm for just about any strain.

chickypad said:

Also what temp are you fermenting at? I assume the off flavors are yeast related -

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What off flavors. The OP never said *anything* about off flavors. In fact he said the beer tasted great.

woozy said:

What off flavors. The OP never said *anything* about off flavors. In fact he said the beer tasted great.

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He said his beer that was intended to be an IPA tastes like a Hefeweizen - a beer style known for high levels of esters/phenols which are considered off flavors in other styles. He lucked out in that he enjoys this particular beer. But if everything he brews ends up tasting like bananas, it's something he'd probably be well advised to fix.

woozy said:

What off flavors. The OP never said *anything* about off flavors. In fact he said the beer tasted great.

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It's an off flavor if it turns the beer from the intended style to a different style...

Just wanted to thank everyone for the helpful comments and discussion.

Brotha, that's what we're all about! Haha