So I just did my first batch of beer recently after about a year of winemaking, an Irish Red Ale. All in all, it came out really good, but there's a few things I noticed that I think I can do better next time. 1, a few of the last bottles got overcarbonated really fast, and I think this was because when I racked the beer onto the priming sugar, it didn't mix well enough and some of the beer at the bottom had more sugar.
It tastes pretty damn good, but occasionally I notice a slight off-flavor. It's hard to describe. I think it came out a bit overly bitter because I didn't have a hop bag so I just tossed the hops pellets into the wort and so there was a ton of hops just sitting in the bottom of my fermenter. But there's something else. I think it's probably oxidation, but I wouldn't describe the flavor as "cardboard". Maybe a little bit, I dunno.
Oddly, I seem to notice it most when a beer has just been poured, especially if the bubbles make me burp -- I really taste it on the burp, gross as that may sound. But it's only mildly unpleasant insofar as I know it's not a flavor that's supposed to be there.
I've tasted this, or something similar to it, once before. I bought a sixer of a major commercial brewery to remained unnamed's seasonal red ale (probably a coincidence) and it tasted a bit off. After I drank a couple bottles I noticed the "Best by" date was a few months past so I poured the rest down the sink. But I'm unclear how my 6 week old beer could taste like a beer that's too old.
Closest LHBS is about an hour drive in traffic, but I may have to just take a bottle up there and let them taste it unless one of you is relatively confident you know what I'm talking about.
I'm drinking one right now and it tastes great. No hint of the strange flavor. But halfway through, I may notice it on my palate for a few sips. Make any sense at all?
It tastes pretty damn good, but occasionally I notice a slight off-flavor. It's hard to describe. I think it came out a bit overly bitter because I didn't have a hop bag so I just tossed the hops pellets into the wort and so there was a ton of hops just sitting in the bottom of my fermenter. But there's something else. I think it's probably oxidation, but I wouldn't describe the flavor as "cardboard". Maybe a little bit, I dunno.
Oddly, I seem to notice it most when a beer has just been poured, especially if the bubbles make me burp -- I really taste it on the burp, gross as that may sound. But it's only mildly unpleasant insofar as I know it's not a flavor that's supposed to be there.
I've tasted this, or something similar to it, once before. I bought a sixer of a major commercial brewery to remained unnamed's seasonal red ale (probably a coincidence) and it tasted a bit off. After I drank a couple bottles I noticed the "Best by" date was a few months past so I poured the rest down the sink. But I'm unclear how my 6 week old beer could taste like a beer that's too old.
Closest LHBS is about an hour drive in traffic, but I may have to just take a bottle up there and let them taste it unless one of you is relatively confident you know what I'm talking about.
I'm drinking one right now and it tastes great. No hint of the strange flavor. But halfway through, I may notice it on my palate for a few sips. Make any sense at all?