Need help troubleshooting something. Recently submitted my APA to competition, and a bit confused by what happened. Both judges marked down oxidation as a major fault. I checked a bottle last night - and it was foul - clearly oxidized. Both judges noted perhaps there was a seal problem, however noted decent head and carbonation. Of course, the oxidation and lack of hop aroma completely unbalanced the flavors. AND my apologies to the judges. To be clear - my last sample after checking the judging sheets confirms their notes.
I split this batch half into keg (force carbed) and the other half into bottles and bottle conditioned. The early bottles I had were very good, but the hops in the bottle last night was completely gone and the beer was NOT good at all. The bottles are stored at room temperature - and I have a few left. I am trying to figure what actually happened.
The force carbed beer was fresh and very aromatic. Cascade being low AA, I used a lot of whole hops in the boil for an APA. Initially the beer tasted grassy, but over the next month or so - it mellowed out into a good beer. I didn't taste the bottles until after 1 month in bottle, but the initial bottles tasted good - if a bit different than the kegged. I assumed from the bottle conditioning.
Fermentation was in a closed and purged stainless vessel. Transfered to keg and into bottle bucket under Co2.
So question - I didn't taste the same cardboardy taste in the keg or in the early bottles. Clearly the submission bottles tasted horrible... and the beer I opened last night also tasted horrible. I assumed oxidation would have occured in the transfer into the bottle bucket, but some of the bottles came out fine. Also - if there was a bad seal - why decent carbonation?
Recipe is below, note I used a Belgian strain, not S-05 like normal but it didn't come forward. I am also wondering if the taste is possibly from the yeast. Phenols mixing with aging hops in the beer? Fairly lost where to improve process on this one...
Ingredients
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
10.50 gal The Colony, Bastrop Texas - Aqua Water Water 1 -
13 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 2 57.8 %
4 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 3 17.8 %
4 lbs White Wheat Malt (2.4 SRM) Grain 4 17.8 %
1 lbs Acid Malt (3.0 SRM) Grain 5 4.4 %
8.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 6 2.2 %
1.00 oz Northern Brewer [8.50 %] - First Wort 60.0 min Hop 7 16.7 IBUs
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 45.0 min Hop 8 9.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 9 7.5 IBUs
2.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 10 9.7 IBUs
1.0 pkg SafBrew Specialty Ale (DCL/Fermentis #T-58) [23.66 ml] Yeast 11 -
Beer Profile
Est Original Gravity: 1.054 SG Measured Original Gravity: 1.060 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.010 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.011 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.7 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 6.4 %
Bitterness: 42.9 IBUs Calories: 200.2 kcal/12oz
Est Color: 11.1 SRM
Mash Profile
Mash Name: Temperature Mash, 2 Step, Light Body Total Grain Weight: 22 lbs 8.0 oz
Sparge Water: 7.24 gal Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F Tun Temperature: 72.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: TRUE Mash PH: 5.20
Mash Steps
Name Description Step Temperature Step Time
Protein Rest Add 28.13 qt of water at 131.7 F 122.0 F 30 min
Saccharification Heat to 148.0 F over 15 min 148.0 F 75 min
Mash Out Heat to 168.0 F over 10 min 168.0 F 10 min
Carbonation and Storage
Carbonation Type: Keg Volumes of CO2: 2.3
Pressure/Weight: 12.54 PSI Carbonation Used: Keg with 12.54 PSI
Keg/Bottling Temperature: 45.0 F Age for: 14.00 days
Fermentation: Ale, Single Stage Storage Temperature: 65.0 F
Thanks, Matt
I split this batch half into keg (force carbed) and the other half into bottles and bottle conditioned. The early bottles I had were very good, but the hops in the bottle last night was completely gone and the beer was NOT good at all. The bottles are stored at room temperature - and I have a few left. I am trying to figure what actually happened.
The force carbed beer was fresh and very aromatic. Cascade being low AA, I used a lot of whole hops in the boil for an APA. Initially the beer tasted grassy, but over the next month or so - it mellowed out into a good beer. I didn't taste the bottles until after 1 month in bottle, but the initial bottles tasted good - if a bit different than the kegged. I assumed from the bottle conditioning.
Fermentation was in a closed and purged stainless vessel. Transfered to keg and into bottle bucket under Co2.
So question - I didn't taste the same cardboardy taste in the keg or in the early bottles. Clearly the submission bottles tasted horrible... and the beer I opened last night also tasted horrible. I assumed oxidation would have occured in the transfer into the bottle bucket, but some of the bottles came out fine. Also - if there was a bad seal - why decent carbonation?
Recipe is below, note I used a Belgian strain, not S-05 like normal but it didn't come forward. I am also wondering if the taste is possibly from the yeast. Phenols mixing with aging hops in the beer? Fairly lost where to improve process on this one...
Ingredients
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
10.50 gal The Colony, Bastrop Texas - Aqua Water Water 1 -
13 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 2 57.8 %
4 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 3 17.8 %
4 lbs White Wheat Malt (2.4 SRM) Grain 4 17.8 %
1 lbs Acid Malt (3.0 SRM) Grain 5 4.4 %
8.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 6 2.2 %
1.00 oz Northern Brewer [8.50 %] - First Wort 60.0 min Hop 7 16.7 IBUs
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 45.0 min Hop 8 9.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 9 7.5 IBUs
2.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop 10 9.7 IBUs
1.0 pkg SafBrew Specialty Ale (DCL/Fermentis #T-58) [23.66 ml] Yeast 11 -
Beer Profile
Est Original Gravity: 1.054 SG Measured Original Gravity: 1.060 SG
Est Final Gravity: 1.010 SG Measured Final Gravity: 1.011 SG
Estimated Alcohol by Vol: 5.7 % Actual Alcohol by Vol: 6.4 %
Bitterness: 42.9 IBUs Calories: 200.2 kcal/12oz
Est Color: 11.1 SRM
Mash Profile
Mash Name: Temperature Mash, 2 Step, Light Body Total Grain Weight: 22 lbs 8.0 oz
Sparge Water: 7.24 gal Grain Temperature: 72.0 F
Sparge Temperature: 168.0 F Tun Temperature: 72.0 F
Adjust Temp for Equipment: TRUE Mash PH: 5.20
Mash Steps
Name Description Step Temperature Step Time
Protein Rest Add 28.13 qt of water at 131.7 F 122.0 F 30 min
Saccharification Heat to 148.0 F over 15 min 148.0 F 75 min
Mash Out Heat to 168.0 F over 10 min 168.0 F 10 min
Carbonation and Storage
Carbonation Type: Keg Volumes of CO2: 2.3
Pressure/Weight: 12.54 PSI Carbonation Used: Keg with 12.54 PSI
Keg/Bottling Temperature: 45.0 F Age for: 14.00 days
Fermentation: Ale, Single Stage Storage Temperature: 65.0 F
Thanks, Matt