Diacetyl - my first partial

[Dawkfan]

I brewed my first partial 4 days ago and I didn't see any signs of fermentation from my airlock but noticed a very thin krausen so I wasn't all that worried. Decided I would get a gravity reading tonight just to be sure, then I noticed a small crack in my lid. I thought great, nothing to be concerned about, but when I pulled a sample the smell and taste was terrible. Lots of butter!!

Thoughts? Too early to tell? Did I mess something up in the brewing process? I did mash a little warm for sure, it was pushing 160 initially. The wort tasted very sweet, so I thought I was good to go.

Thanks for the help, i know, I know.... RHAHB....I hope.

 

[flars]

Take another SG sample in two weeks. To early in the fermentation to worry. What was the recipe?

 

[flars]

Forgot. Sanitize your lid, dry then tape over the crack.

 

[Dawkfan]

I wanted to brew a simple beer for my first partial and decided on a simple English pale ale. Off the top of my head because I don't have the recipe with me:

5 gallon batch
3.5 gallon boil

5lb Canadian two row
.75 lb crystal 60
1.25 oz target @ 60 min
.75 lb turbinado @ 15 min
1.75 lb extra light dme @ 5 min
1 oz willamette @ 0 min
Yeast S-04 @ 64 degrees

 

[bu_gee]

Palmer attributes this sometimes to poor aeration prior to pitching. Does that seem like a possibility?

 

[CB_in_Tokyo]

Diacetyl is formed during fermentation. It will get cleaned up later. You are fermenting on the cool side (nothing wrong with that!) so it will likely take longer for the diacetyl to get cleaned up.

Just make sure you leave it on the yeast if the butter smell lingers after primary fermentation is done. You may want to consider raising the fermentation temps to 68C or so to help with the cleanup, but it likely isn't necessary.

As for your crack, it is likely the reason you didn't see any airlock activity, but since there was positive pressure your beer most likely didn't get contaminated.

What was your gravity reading btw?

 

[Dawkfan]

Palmer attributes this sometimes to poor aeration prior to pitching. Does that seem like a possibility?

Possibly, I don't have an aeration stone. I typically splash and stir as long as my arms can handle it. I've done probably 30-40 batches and haven't had an issue yet.

 

[Dawkfan]

Diacetyl is formed during fermentation. It will get cleaned up later. You are fermenting on the cool side (nothing wrong with that!) so it will likely take longer for the diacetyl to get cleaned up.

Just make sure you leave it on the yeast if the butter smell lingers after primary fermentation is done. You may want to consider raising the fermentation temps to 68C or so to help with the cleanup, but it likely isn't necessary.

As for your crack, it is likely the reason you didn't see any airlock activity, but since there was positive pressure your beer most likely didn't get contaminated.

What was your gravity reading btw?

Thanks for the reply. I never took an OG, I know not good practice but I was tired and wanted to finish up. It should of been around 1.045. It's sitting at 1.017 currently.

 

[CB_in_Tokyo]

Thanks for the reply. I never took an OG, I know not good practice but I was tired and wanted to finish up. It should of been around 1.045. It's sitting at 1.017 currently.

That it still has a ways to go before finishing. No need to worry about diacetyl at this point.

 

[Dawkfan]

Quick Update. Just kegged this beer and took a sample, no diacetyl detected at all. Can't wait to try this one, thanks for the help.

 

[Natdavis777]

Diacetyl doesnt have to do with mash temp. It is a typical byproduct of yeast during fermentation (esp English yeast). If you sample was taken during fermentation, it would be expected. Best course of action (something I always do) is to perform a diacetyl rest. This is basically raising the beer temp at the end of fermentation. I like to do it when krausen starts to fall. This usually indicates around 80% completion. Yeast is still active (which you want bc they clean up the byproducts) yet it doesnt cause off flavors with increased temps (since high temp off flavors are caused during the beginning, not end of fermentation).

Some people might say its not required for an ale, but is for a lager. I do it on all beer as my first (AG pale, was a butter bomb). It wont hurt the beer by doing a D-rest, but gives you peace of mind that you wont have diacetyl (from fermentation)