US-05 -> Belgian characteristics?

[iii9ix3]

I brewed an american pale ale two months ago and used US-05 yeast. 2 weeks after bottling, it was drinking amazing. Great hop aroma and clean flavor and no yeast characteristics that I could pick up. Over time, it started to quickly lose the aroma and develop a strong belgian yeast flavor. I entered the beer in a comp last weekend, and was given scores of 30 and 32, and both judges commented on the apparent flavors and aromas from the use of "belgian yeast". I have another batch that I used US-05 on, been in bottles about a month, and no belgian characteristics. Has anyone had this experience from using US-05, or have any idea what happened?

Thanks

9# 2row
2# vienna
.5# C20
.5# carapils

Simcoe and Falconers 7C's bittering and aroma additions.

ferment @64º (+/- 1º) in temp controlled freezer for 14 days. FG (1.010) reached by day 7.

 

[KeystoneHomebrew]

The only thing I can think of, is your malt body is giving you these flavors. Possibly if you used imported malts and/or high kilned crystal malts.

 

[BeerGrylls]

Did you ferment above the top end of the temp range?

 

[stpug]

What was the recipe for this beer?

 

[iii9ix3]

9# 2row
2# vienna
.5# C20
.5# carapils

ferment @64º in temp controlled freezer

 

[Yooper]

There are only two possibilities I can think of- one is that the fermentation temperature exceeded 75 degrees early in fermentation, and the other is an infection. If it's "Belgian" like cloves (phenolic) that would point to infection. If it's "Belgian" like fruity, that would point to a too-high fermentation or pitching temperature.

I've noticed that if I use S05 under 64 degrees, I get "peachy" esters, but nothing Belgian like.

 

[iii9ix3]

judges sheets note clove and banana aroma/flavors.

 

[stpug]

Well that blows my idea of specialty malts and simple sugars

 

[jheld00]

I second yooper I've gotten lots of peach like esters at 05's low end. I guess it's possible they mistook those peach esters for Belgian characteristics. If you post your recipe that might help us pinpoint your issue. Cheers

 

[iii9ix3]

first post edited to include recipe. I plan on brewing this again this weekend.

Thanks!

 

[austinb]

Since it started ok then got "Belgian" flavors it sounds like you got a yeast infection! No not the type that causes discomfort in your crotch, a wild yeast that causes flavors similar to the beers in Belgium. Could have possibly been introduced at bottling time. I usually keg now but if I bottle I keep a sanitized lid loosely covering the top of the bottling bucket to prevent wild yeasties and other unwanted spoilage organisms from getting in the bucket (yeasts and bacteria fall downward). Otherwise just make sure anything that touches the beer is sanitized, and don't dump beer from your hydrometer readings back in, it's not worth it!

If it makes you feel any better I made a blonde ale recently which ended up becoming a Belgian blonde, the yeast was us-05 which I had washed from a previous batch. I think somewhere either in the process of yeast washing or making a starter that a wild yeast got in it. It actually doesn't taste half bad though so I still went ahead and kegged it and I have been drinking it.

 

[iii9ix3]

I'm usually pretty good about sanitation as no other batches have been infected, but this seems to make the most sense to me. I'll try the lid on the bottling bucket, I usually keep it open.

 

[KeystoneHomebrew]

Not saying this is the answer, but "suggestion" of flavor can play a huge part in tasting as well.

It is possible you picked up on something, then those judges had less than clean taste-buds, and the idea of what this beer should taste like was cemented on the brain.

It is kinda like when I taste something very specific that was unintended in one of my homebrews. If I tell people about, most people will pick up on it. If I don't say anything, most people don't notice it.