Smithy
Well-Known Member
So I have this flavor show up in my beers inconsistently. In 25 brews, this has happened 4 times. The first 2 times it showed up in the same beer recipe. Made me believe that it was the ingredients that I was using just didn't work well together. I brewed something completely different at a later date (Other brewing in between) and it showed up again!
Recently it showed up in my "house beer". I always have this beer on hand and was my first successful recipe. Two weeks ago I brewed my house beer and then I brewed my pumpkin spice beer. All in the same day. Pumpkin spice is perfect, the house beer (brewed first) has this strange smell and flavor. First time this has shown up in my house beer.
I use pellet hops. My house beer uses Matueka hops. Very citrusy like limes or grapefruit but gentle to drink. Its a hop that is seldom used by brewers (at least from my brew store where I buy them. Hopunion brand). 3 of these beers had this very hop added in conjunction with another hop. House beer is only this hop. The fourth beer used cluster hops. So the fourth beer removes that it could be this hop (Matueka).
The flavor is difficult to describe. I would say bitterly sour. Tastes the same as it smells. Like what you would think a bad grapefruit would taste like. One brewer thought it was "band aid". Read up on that one and I don't think so. I personally believe it to be old hops but I have never first hand experienced what old hops would do. One reason I say this because it's a seldom used hop (except for the one beer hop that was not Matueka). How long have they been in the store I buy from? The house beer that I recently brewed, I used hops that had been sitting in my refrigerator for at least 4 weeks. Not too much more time than that. Bag was never opened. No idea how long it had been in the store before that.
Question is, does a place exist that you can send in a sample of your beer and they can tell you what the potential compound is that is adding this flavor and smell and that doesn't cost a ton?
My processes are consistent as well as my equipment is always sanitary. Empirical opinions, thoughts and discussions would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance.
Lee...
Recently it showed up in my "house beer". I always have this beer on hand and was my first successful recipe. Two weeks ago I brewed my house beer and then I brewed my pumpkin spice beer. All in the same day. Pumpkin spice is perfect, the house beer (brewed first) has this strange smell and flavor. First time this has shown up in my house beer.
I use pellet hops. My house beer uses Matueka hops. Very citrusy like limes or grapefruit but gentle to drink. Its a hop that is seldom used by brewers (at least from my brew store where I buy them. Hopunion brand). 3 of these beers had this very hop added in conjunction with another hop. House beer is only this hop. The fourth beer used cluster hops. So the fourth beer removes that it could be this hop (Matueka).
The flavor is difficult to describe. I would say bitterly sour. Tastes the same as it smells. Like what you would think a bad grapefruit would taste like. One brewer thought it was "band aid". Read up on that one and I don't think so. I personally believe it to be old hops but I have never first hand experienced what old hops would do. One reason I say this because it's a seldom used hop (except for the one beer hop that was not Matueka). How long have they been in the store I buy from? The house beer that I recently brewed, I used hops that had been sitting in my refrigerator for at least 4 weeks. Not too much more time than that. Bag was never opened. No idea how long it had been in the store before that.
Question is, does a place exist that you can send in a sample of your beer and they can tell you what the potential compound is that is adding this flavor and smell and that doesn't cost a ton?
My processes are consistent as well as my equipment is always sanitary. Empirical opinions, thoughts and discussions would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance.
Lee...