IPA Has Odd Sweet Taste

[exileonmainst]

On November 4th, I brewed the extract version of this recipe:

http://www.homebrewing.org/assets/i...s/Big Brew 2007 Griffin Spit IPA Extract1.pdf

It was my second ever batch and it came out with this odd sweet taste. I don't know what - if anything - I did wrong to cause that. I'm guessing oxidization, but I don't know exactly what that tastes like other than "wet cardboard" ... which to me is kind of an odd way to describe something as I've never tasted wet cardboard. Wouldn't image it having a sweet taste though. Here are some notes on my process for this batch:

Had it in the primary for 11 days. I racked to secondary (I know, I know, don't kill me) because I wanted to free up my bucket to brew again (a primary-only chocolate stout that tastes really nice).

I racked on top of a gelatin mixture in the secondary. I also used Whirlfloc in the kettle. Even still, the beer is cloudy. I notice that room temp bottles look nice and clear though. I wonder if it's chill haze. I haven't poured out a room temp bottle to check. That or it's particulate from dry hopping.

I do not have a good temp control system, but had it in my basement and was able to keep the temps at mid to high 60's the whole time according to the thermometer sticker on the outside of the bucket/carboy. I did not cold crash as I lack the means to do so.

It fermented fine and got down to 1.020, which is what the recipe suggests. I made a yeast starter. It fermented really vigorously and briefly started bubbling out of my airlock on day 2 or 3. I hooked up a blowoff tube and fixed it.

In addition to the recipe's 1 oz summit dry hop, I also added 0.5 oz cluster dry hops that I had left over from another brew.

It took a long time to bottle carbonate. Like at least 4 weeks. During those 4 weeks I bottled my chocolate stoudt and conditioned it in the same place as this IPA and it carbed after 1-2 weeks. So I don't think temperature was the reason. I'm thinking it was the gelatin.

Any thoughts on what happened? Thanks

 

[h22lude]

Does it taste like sweet corn? When you boiled it, did you have a cover on the pot?

 

[wildactbrewer]

Does it taste like sweet corn? When you boiled it, did you have a cover on the pot?

+1. If you had a lid on it that would have trapped a lot of DMS causing a sweet corn taste. This can also happen if you don't cool it quick enough after the boil.

 

[RmikeVT]

I doubt it is the gelatin. Gelatin does not taste sweet.

 

[atom]

did you use strawberry gelatin?

 

[exileonmainst]

+1. If you had a lid on it that would have trapped a lot of DMS causing a sweet corn taste. This can also happen if you don't cool it quick enough after the boil.

I did not cover it during the boil. I'll taste it again and see if I notice a sweet corn taste. I don't think it took too long to cool. It was only around 3 gallons and I put the pot in a sink of ice water to cool it.

 

[exileonmainst]

Perhaps it had something to do with the extract? They mailed me a couple big tubs of it that were obviously hand portioned from a bigger container and sealed up with seran wrap and a lid. It wasn't a factory sealed container. Could old extract cause this?

For what it's worth, when I tasted the hydrometer sample on bottling day, I didn't notice the sweet flavor. But perhaps I didn't analyze it too hard due to my inexperience and the fact I only took a couple sips.

 

[noblesquirrel]

I did not cover it during the boil. I'll taste it again and see if I notice a sweet corn taste. I don't think it took too long to cool. It was only around 3 gallons and I put the pot in a sink of ice water to cool it.

My guess is it's the combination of the LME & the pound of crystal malt, coupled with your finishing gravity. 1.020 is a pretty sweet beer. The yeast choice will also add in some fruitiness that can accentuate that sweetness as well. I'd recommend going with the palest DME you can get in the future, it's closer to using generic 2 row. I'd also probably cut the crystal malt in half as well to help the beer dry out.

 

[andrewmaixner]

A friend made an AG IIPA that ended up sweet, but not "odd" just pleasantly sweet. Wife loved it, and she doesn't like IPAs. Unfortunately he doesn't keep records of temperature, and his hops were mostly homegrown so no solid AA numbers, and I haven't been able to reproduce it yet.

Is your sweet flavor truly "odd", or just unexpected? It could be incomplete attenuation.

 

[h22lude]

The higher FG definitely could give a sweet flavor but I wouldn't call it odd. Odd to me is something you don't want to taste in a beer. The sweet flavor from a high gravity beer is part of what makes high gravity beers unique.

 

[TheMilkMan]

Homebrew twang y'all. All my friends that don't have temp control get this. Ambient temperature fluctuation during day and night causes it. They let it sit in the keg for 2 months and it eventually drops out. Get a chest freezer and a johnson temperature controller, it will go away I promise.

 

[TheZymurgist]

My guess is it's the combination of the LME & the pound of crystal malt, coupled with your finishing gravity. 1.020 is a pretty sweet beer. The yeast choice will also add in some fruitiness that can accentuate that sweetness as well. I'd recommend going with the palest DME you can get in the future, it's closer to using generic 2 row. I'd also probably cut the crystal malt in half as well to help the beer dry out.

This is the most likely culprit. 1.073 down to 1.020 is going to leave a pretty sweet beer, especially for an IPA. Add to that you used LME, plus a fair amount of crystal malt, it's going to taste sweet. I'm sure this is what most would describe as that "extract taste."

 

[flars]

I would suggest buying another fermentation bucket and leave your beers in the primary for three weeks. A second, or third, bucket is a lot cheaper than trying to rush a beer.

 

[exileonmainst]

Thanks for the replies. I guess it's not really an odd sweetness. It's just not something I was expecting. It doesn't necessarily taste bad, but I generally like dry IPAs, so I don't personally think it's very good. But it's not dump-able or anything. Friends who have tried this brew (and are not as avid IPA drinkers) have commented on it being bitter and have not noted the sweet taste until I mention it. So maybe it's just a matter of perspective.

I recently acquired all the gear to do BIAB, so I'll pick a dry recipe (low on the crystal and add some corn sugar) and see if it's the recipe or the process.

 

[exileonmainst]

I would suggest buying another fermentation bucket and leave your beers in the primary for three weeks. A second, or third, bucket is a lot cheaper than trying to rush a beer.

Yup, I'm done transferring to a secondary from here on.

 

[exileonmainst]

Homebrew twang y'all. All my friends that don't have temp control get this. Ambient temperature fluctuation during day and night causes it. They let it sit in the keg for 2 months and it eventually drops out. Get a chest freezer and a johnson temperature controller, it will go away I promise.

A freezer or mini-fridge is my next upgrade. I just need to figure out the logistics. I live in an old rowhouse in a city and space is a concern. The basement has plenty of room but the stairs are NARROW so it's tough to find something I can get down there.

 

[TheZymurgist]

Thanks for the replies. I guess it's not really an odd sweetness. It's just not something I was expecting. It doesn't necessarily taste bad, but I generally like dry IPAs, so I don't personally think it's very good. But it's not dump-able or anything. Friends who have tried this brew (and are not as avid IPA drinkers) have commented on it being bitter and have not noted the sweet taste until I mention it. So maybe it's just a matter of perspective.

I recently acquired all the gear to do BIAB, so I'll pick a dry recipe (low on the crystal and add some corn sugar) and see if it's the recipe or the process.

My IPA grain bill is 93% 2-row, 7% Honey Malt, mash at 150º. It always finishes below 1.015, and OG is anywhere from 1.055 to 1.075, depending on whether I'm doing an IPA or a DIPA. Great showcase for the hops with a touch of sweetness to balance.

[EDIT] Yeast choice is key, too. Pick something with a minimum of 75% attenuation. I use The Yeast Bay's Vermont Ale (Conan strain) which adds some really wonderful esters.

 

[RmikeVT]

oops

 

[noblesquirrel]

My IPA grain bill is 93% 2-row, 7% Honey Malt, mash at 150º. It always finishes below 1.015, and OG is anywhere from 1.055 to 1.075, depending on whether I'm doing an IPA or a DIPA. Great showcase for the hops with a touch of sweetness to balance.

[EDIT] Yeast choice is key, too. Pick something with a minimum of 75% attenuation. I use The Yeast Bay's Vermont Ale (Conan strain) which adds some really wonderful esters.

Regarding that Conan Strain, I'll agree on that, particularly if you're using really expressive hops like Mosaic, Citra, anything from New Zealand/Australia. There are a number of new yeast purveyors that have been selling that strain. Here in Chicago, Omega Yeast Labs produces it and I really like the peach/apricot esters that it throws, so long as the hops work with them and not against them.