Drinking my zombie killer clone last night while eating rice and eggs (its what my 3 yr old could eat...he's been sick). The beer has been great. Then with the brown rice and eggs with some Parmesan I was getting strong off flavors. Diacetyl mostly. Then when I finished the food, a couple sips left...and it was gone?
Diacetyl with certain food pairings?
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While I don't know the specific chemistry, this phenomenon is the basis of doing food pairings with beverages. The flavors may not exist in either the food or the beverage, but the combination brings out new flavors, not always pleasant. For example, people talk about pairing up tannic red wines with dark chocolate, but I can't stand the combo myself, even though I love both separately. If I had to guess about your pairing, I would think the diacetyl would come from the parmesan cheese.
Okay...so as I think k about this....yeah, I understand the chemistry of the beer/food pairings can combine to form weird tastes and aromas. The issue is that the combos with my beers is off in a way that I don't taste with commercial beers.
I'm assuming its water chemistry. I'm wondering about chlorine. I was just talking with a friend who filters mainly to remove chlorine.
Anyone want to chime in here? Water chemistry? Or specific factors of water chem?
I'm assuming its water chemistry. I'm wondering about chlorine. I was just talking with a friend who filters mainly to remove chlorine.
Anyone want to chime in here? Water chemistry? Or specific factors of water chem?
Are you sure you're tasting the right off-flavor? Diacetyl has a buttery flavor and is a normal byproduct of fermentation that is reabsorbed at the completion of fermentation. Its presence in the beer is a result of not all of it being absorbed, which is normally a yeast issue (or bacteria). If it's not normal for the strain you chose to produce a lot of diacetyl, then you should look at your fermentation. Pitching rate, aeration, and temperature control. When fermentation is complete, do not immediately remove the yeast from the fermenter. Let it sit for a few days. Just because you can not taste diacetyl in the beer after fermentation is complete, it does not mean that it doesn't exist. This is something that is taught when learning to make lagers, but it applies to ales as well. The beer can still have acetolactate which is used in the formation of diacetyl which can linger and eventually become diacetyl.
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