Fusel alcohols with a california common?

[doctormiah]

I recently attempted a California Common beer with WLP810. It was a 2 gallon batch, and my first AG BIAB. I opened one of the bottle conditioned brews to see how carbonation was going along and I got a harsh alcohol/burning sensation along with fruity esters. The color, clarity, and some of the background malt flavor was enjoyable. These off-flavors overpower the beer and then I had a horrible headache the next morning (only drank one of these and one other homebrew so probably not from over-indulgence). My question is more of whether this off-flavor would be likely to be fusel alcohols. The flavor was not there at time of yeast pitch.

Recipe (2 gallon):
3.5#US 2-Row
0.25#C40
0.25#Special B
(Mashed at 150 for an hour with a 1/4 tsp gypsum)

0.25oz Northern Brewer @60
0.25oz Northern Brewer @10

1/4 tsp Irish Moss
1/2 tsp Yeast Nutrient into primary

2 vials of WLP810, added to a 0.8L starter (packages were older but used yeast viability calculator to determine a pitch rate of just under 200billion cells)

Pitched at 61F, allowed to get up as high as 66F, and fermented in two 1 gallon glass carboys for 3 weeks. Cold crashed then bottled and conditioned for 14 days. Bottles were conditioned with 1.8oz corn sugar for goal of 2.5 volumes.

Any feedback is appreciated!

 

[dangerbrew]

Hmm... could be that the ferm temp got too high. I know the maximum high end for that yeast to avoid any esters is 65 F but I'm not sure if that would go as far as to produce fusels.

As for the headache... what did your abv come out to when all was said and done? There's always the chance of some infection as well.

 

[revansCAAD8]

Even though I understand WLP810 is more temp forgiving, its still a lager yeast and I think you fermented a bit too high. I would think mid 50's would have been better, as being at that it's upper temp limit can still can give off flavors/esters.

Robert

 

[Darwin18]

It sounds like you fermented too high from the off-flavors that you are describing. It's a pseudo-lager yeast and while the listed range for it is 58-65F, I would have fermented at 60 F. How were you controlling your fermentation temperatures?

 

[doctormiah]

I was using a swamp cooler method, and if I try this again I will have to have more regulated temps, I was hoping it would be more forgiving. The ABV only came out to 5.2% (1.050 -> 1.010). Thanks for the advice.