Unwanted Bitterness on Beer

[4lejandrito]

Hi everyone!, This is my first post on the Forum, but i
I've been reading and learning from this community for a while now. I wolud like to say thanks you all people!! Keep up the good work!!.

My situation is this: I've cooked a 2,5 gallons IPA. It Finished fermentation after 2 weeks in a small fridge at 17°C constantly. So I prepair it to bottle. OG was 1050 and FG was 1028. The taste? Amazing!. I almost cry of joy. Very hopy and soft. So I boiled some water with sugar. Let it cool. I pass the worth to a new container whith my
autosiphon. Then I pour the sugared water over the wort. Let si a little bit, and then bottle.

4 Days passed by since i bottled the Beer and let them again into the fredge. So I dare to Open One of them since I noticed they already got some CO on them (i bottle in plastic bottles).
For my surprise, when I taste it: The gas was good. Hopy flavor?, Yeah.. well.. ok. But: Ho my good!! Why is ir Soooooo bitter!!! Almost undreankable. I can't understand this, since i tasted it before bottleing and was totaly fine.

Anyone have a Clue?. I want yo cry.

I'm using S04 yeast, Cascade hop, and mainly 2 row base malt.

Sorry for my English, solo hablo españolo! XDD. Thanks for taking the time. Kisses.

 

[OG-wan Kenobi]

When did you add the hops (how long did you boil them) and how much cascade hops were added to the 2.5 gallons of wort? The longer the hops boil the more bitter the beer will be.

Also FG of 1.028 is very high for an IPA especially using US-04 did you check the FG and then check it again a few days later to make sure it was done?

 

[LostHopper]

Few considerations:

Are you sure it was finished fermenting? 1.028 seems high to me for IPA with 2 row.

Some beers are a little harsh early on.

Hop schedule?

 

[IslandLizard]

FG was 1028.

That's very high. Did you measure that FG with a refractometer perhaps? If so, you need to use a correction formula. The alcohol it contains now throws off the refractive index.
Refractometer Calculator - Sean Terrill

Or use a hydrometer, instead.

 

[IslandLizard]

Almost undreankable. I can't understand this, since i tasted it before bottleing and was totaly fine.

Did you happen to transfer a lot of the trub (the sludge from the bottom of the fermenter) to your bottling bucket and bottles? Any trub that gets transferred to the bottles (you see it floating around in your glass) is very bitter, especially if you dry hopped. If you only transferred the clear beer on top, and it tasted good before, let it carbonate for 2 weeks and check again. 4 days is too short to carbonate.

Now, if your FG was indeed 1.028 (hydrometer reading) your beer wasn't done fermenting.

 

[4lejandrito]

When did you add the hops (how long did you boil them) and how much cascade hops were added to the 2.5 gallons of wort? The longer the hops boil the more bitter the beer will be.

Also FG of 1.028 is very high for an IPA especially using US-04 did you check the FG and then check it again a few days later to make sure it was done?

Thanks for the thoughts!. I add - 14 gr. 30 min. / 14 gr. 45 min. / 28 gr. 55 min. / Dry Hop (during 2 weeks) 28 gr. TOTAL HOPS: 84 gr. I only check FG at bottle time.

 

[4lejandrito]

Did you happen to transfer a lot of the trub (the sludge from the bottom of the fermenter) to your bottling bucket and bottles? Any trub that gets transferred to the bottles (you see it floating around in your glass) is very bitter, especially if you dry hopped. If you only transferred the clear beer on top, and it tasted good before, let it carbonate for 2 weeks and check again. 4 days is too short to carbonate.

Now, if your FG was indeed 1.028 (hydrometer reading) your beer wasn't done fermenting.

I don't think I transfered a lot of the turb into bottling bucket. Unless not that I can saw. I see the bottom of the bottles now and I notice a little turb down there. Not much, but like half a centimiter.

I did use half the pack of the S04 dry yeast. In past cooks, i noticed that a full pack fo S04 (11g) let me out with an over alcoholic beer (in a 2.5 gallons batch). So I try this time to use half.

I can relate this to the superbitter flavour though... I don't know pal... feeling lost! XD

 

[IslandLizard]

I add - 14 gr. 30 min. / 14 gr. 45 min. / 28 gr. 55 min.

FYI, in brewing we usually count back from flameout. Flameout is always at 0 minutes (0').
So 60' hops are added 60' before flameout; 30' hops 30' before flameout, 5' hops 5' before flameout. etc.

 

[Kharnynb]

hard to say now, if it was 28 grams bittering that was almost an hour...it will be super bitter in a 2.5 gallon batch.

 

[4lejandrito]

FYI, in brewing we usually count back from flameout. Flameout is always at 0 minutes (0').
So 60' hops are added 60' before flameout; 30' hops 30' before flameout, 5' hops 5' before flameout. etc.

OK, I will correct my self then.

14gr. 30min. / 14gr. 15min. / 28gr. 5min. / Dry hop 28gr.

Thanks!

 

[Kharnynb]

that's weird, sounds like you got a lot of trub in the bottles then, because if you only boiled half an hour with those hops and cooled reasonably fast, it should be good.
Carbonation will increase bitterness "feel" and you might be overcarbonating due to a not totally fermented beer.

 

[4lejandrito]

that's weird, sounds like you got a lot of trub in the bottles then, because if you only boiled half an hour with those hops and cooled reasonably fast, it should be good.
Carbonation will increase bitterness "feel" and you might be overcarbonating due to a not totally fermented beer.

Thanks for the thoughts Kharnynb.
Yeah, Im starting to feeling like It wasn't completely done fermenting yet. I hope time will soften the bitternes..
I cooled pretty fast. Less than 30 min.

Have you ever end up with a super bitter beer?

 

[IslandLizard]

I don't think I transfered a lot of the turb into bottling bucket. Unless not that I can saw. I see the bottom of the bottles now and I notice a little turb down there. Not much, but like half a centimiter.

In 16 oz or half liter bottles 5mm of trub is not too bad, but more than it should be. After 4 days it may not have all settled out yet either. Especially small hop bits and hop dust from dry hopping remain suspended for quite some time, as does yeast.

Any suspended hop dust will give you "hop bite," a peppery taste on the front of the tongue, followed by a harsh sensation mainly on the back of the tongue and in the throat.

Let the bottles carbonate for at least a week, 2 weeks is better, and keep upright when moving and putting into the fridge. You don't want to disturb that settled layer. When pouring out, pour gently and continuously. Tilt the bottle slowly to keep it pouring out, but without letting it "glug-glug," or tipping the bottle back. Any turbulence will rouse the sediment. Stop pouring as soon as you see sediment making it into the neck or starting to pour out. At that point, tip the bottle back quickly. You should have clear (or slightly hazy) beer in your glass.

 

[Kharnynb]

yea, it's good to leave the last bit in the bottle, with homebrew, especially bottled, you will always have a bit of trub in the bottom that makes the beer taste worse if you pour it out(unless you make certain wheat beers, where that's part of the flavour)

 

[4lejandrito]

What would be the consequences of over carbonating? Would I have a chance to end up with I nice and tasty beer?

Probably the orvercarbonating explains why it has CO in bottles so son (4 days).

 

[Kharnynb]

overcarbonation causes bottles to explode in worse cases, or geysers in slightly less bad cases.

also, carbonation makes certain tastes more intense, which you try yourself by buying some carbonated water and tasting a glass that has been freshly poured and one that has been standing in the fridge for an hour.

 

[IslandLizard]

I did use half the pack of the S04 dry yeast. In past cooks, i noticed that a full pack fo S04 (11g) let me out with an over alcoholic beer (in a 2.5 gallons batch). So I try this time to use half.

1/2 a pouch of S-04 in 1/2 a batch (2.5 gallons) of 1.050 beer is sufficient. Using more yeast (say, a whole pouch) will NOT make your beer more alcoholic. All yeast will settle out.

If you want less alcohol in your beer, brew a lower gravity wort (lower OG). Or you can use a yeast that doesn't ferment as far down (lower attenuation), keeping your beer somewhat sweeter.

 

[IslandLizard]

Yeah, Im starting to feeling like It wasn't completely done fermenting yet

I'm asking again, what tool did you use to measure your FG? This is an important reading.

2 weeks is usually enough time to ferment ales. Now 17°C (63°F) is a little bit on the low side, especially for S-04.

Depending on the actual temp the beer was fermenting at it could have been a few degrees off either way. So there is a chance it was not completed yet. The beer would taste a little sweet, and has low alcohol (2.9%).
https://www.brewersfriend.com/abv-calculator/

 

[4lejandrito]

Any suspended hop dust will give you "hop bite," a peppery taste on the front of the tongue, followed by a harsh sensation mainly on the back of the tongue and in the throat.

Thanks IslandLizard, your rock!.

I think what you just described above was what my tongue was feeling when I tried my first one!. Man, how do you know that well.. that's weird man.. Jajaj XDD.

Yep, I thinks I felt something like your description.

Thanks for the tip on the S04 puch. I was confused about that mather cos of the cell count and all that stuff. I will use a full pouch then.

<3

 

[4lejandrito]

I'm asking again, what tool did you use to measure your FG? This is an important reading.

I use a hydrometer like this https://www.brannan.co.uk/media/cat...e95/w/i/wine-and-beer-hydrometer-10-801-0.jpg

 

[OG-wan Kenobi]

In 16 oz or half liter bottles 5mm of trub is not too bad, but more than it should be. After 4 days it may not have all settled out yet either. Especially small hop bits and hop dust from dry hopping remain suspended for quite some time, as does yeast.

Any suspended hop dust will give you "hop bite," a peppery taste on the front of the tongue, followed by a harsh sensation mainly on the back of the tongue and in the throat.

Let the bottles carbonate for at least a week, 2 weeks is better, and keep upright when moving and putting into the fridge. You don't want to disturb that settled layer. When pouring out, pour gently and continuously. Tilt the bottle slowly to keep it pouring out, but without letting it "glug-glug," or tipping the bottle back. Any turbulence will rouse the sediment. Stop pouring as soon as you see sediment making it into the neck or starting to pour out. At that point, tip the bottle back quickly. You should have clear (or slightly hazy) beer in your glass.

This is what I am leaning to as well

 

[IslandLizard]

I use a hydrometer like this https://www.brannan.co.uk/media/cat...e95/w/i/wine-and-beer-hydrometer-10-801-0.jpg

Alright, that's accurate enough, and not the issue then.

You only attenuated 22 points (1.050-1.028). It should have been about double that, with an ending gravity (FG) anywhere between 1.010 and 1.014, depending on many things. So that beer was definitely not done yet. Most likely due to too cold fermentation.

With your next batch you need to double-check the actual temp the beer is (fermenting) at. I'd start by setting the fridge thermostat 2 degrees higher.

BTW, how do you know it was at 17°C?

 

[4lejandrito]

I got a thermostat.

Will it end fermenting in the bottle? What do you think.

 

[IslandLizard]

Thanks for the tip on the S04 puch. I was confused about that mather cos of the cell count and all that stuff. I will use a full pouch then.

No, there's no real need to use more than 1/2 pouch for 2.5 gallons of 1.050 gravity beer. That is, unless the yeast is very old, stored unrefrigerated, and/or it's a previously opened pouch that was stored for a long time.

The bigger issue lies with reusing a previously opened pouch of dry yeast. Ideally an opened pouch of dry yeast should be sealed well, stored dry and refrigerated and used up within a week after opening. You may get away with 3-4 weeks, but that yeast in an opened pouch is not getting any better with time.

 

[IslandLizard]

I got a thermostat.

An external thermostat that controls your fridge?
I'd check the actual beer temp with a thermometer. Also check for temp undershoots.

Will it end fermenting in the bottle? What do you think.

When those bottles are stored at room temps, yes, it will ferment out in the bottles, given enough time. You can check, they'll get very hard. They will gush when opened.

If they were glass they'd explode, leaving shards of glass everywhere, including your hands and wherenot when handled. They're known as "bottle bombs!" Very dangerous, and can cause serious injuries and ruin things far beyond comprehension.

 

[ncbrewer]

I use a hydrometer like this https://www.brannan.co.uk/media/cat...e95/w/i/wine-and-beer-hydrometer-10-801-0.jpg

Have you checked the calibration using water - and applying the temperature correction?