WilliamWS
Well-Known Member
So I don't really know if I'm posting this in the right place because I don't really consider myself a beginner but I'm definitely not as experienced as a lot of folks here.
My problem is that, after many batches, I've just experienced my first "off flavors" in my beer and I'm trying to determine the source. It is sort of an odd plastic flavor. I do use tap water but I also use Campden tablets so I don't think it's from chlorine (I've always done this and never had a problem). I used a good size starter (1800ml for 1.051) and got vigorous fermentation within 4-5 hours so I don't think it's an issue of under pitching. I also use a fermentation chiller similar to "SOF" and kept fermentation at about 67F so I don't think its a temperature issue.
I've more or less narrowed it down to one of two things (at least in my mind and I may be wrong): either a wild yeast infection picked up during the half hour or so it took me to get to a pitching temp in the mid 60's (full boil), or too many late hops additions (this was my first attempt at "hop bursting"). I used 2oz each of both amarillo and riwaka with the great majority added inside of 20min.
I'll admit that the beer is still very young and hopefully it'll go away but I'm not holding my breath. After a week in primary I transfered to secondary and took a gravity reading and tasted. The plastic flavor was very pronounced. After another four days I tasted it again (last night). The flavor wasn't quite as strong as before but still very present.
What do you think?
Also, I'm not generally one to give up on a beer early but for this one I'm under some time constraints. I'm brewing a few batches for a friends wedding the second week in August and this was going to be one of them. Now I'm worried it'll be unusable. If it were an option I'd just set this one aside, and wait and see how it turns out while brewing another one of my (proven) recipes for the wedding. But unfortunately I only have so much space/equipment/time so I'm going to have to decide what to do with this batch in the next few days.
Thanks for the help
-William
My problem is that, after many batches, I've just experienced my first "off flavors" in my beer and I'm trying to determine the source. It is sort of an odd plastic flavor. I do use tap water but I also use Campden tablets so I don't think it's from chlorine (I've always done this and never had a problem). I used a good size starter (1800ml for 1.051) and got vigorous fermentation within 4-5 hours so I don't think it's an issue of under pitching. I also use a fermentation chiller similar to "SOF" and kept fermentation at about 67F so I don't think its a temperature issue.
I've more or less narrowed it down to one of two things (at least in my mind and I may be wrong): either a wild yeast infection picked up during the half hour or so it took me to get to a pitching temp in the mid 60's (full boil), or too many late hops additions (this was my first attempt at "hop bursting"). I used 2oz each of both amarillo and riwaka with the great majority added inside of 20min.
I'll admit that the beer is still very young and hopefully it'll go away but I'm not holding my breath. After a week in primary I transfered to secondary and took a gravity reading and tasted. The plastic flavor was very pronounced. After another four days I tasted it again (last night). The flavor wasn't quite as strong as before but still very present.
What do you think?
Also, I'm not generally one to give up on a beer early but for this one I'm under some time constraints. I'm brewing a few batches for a friends wedding the second week in August and this was going to be one of them. Now I'm worried it'll be unusable. If it were an option I'd just set this one aside, and wait and see how it turns out while brewing another one of my (proven) recipes for the wedding. But unfortunately I only have so much space/equipment/time so I'm going to have to decide what to do with this batch in the next few days.
Thanks for the help
-William