I've been having a persistent issue with my hefeweizens that I can't figure out. There's an off-flavor I'd characterize as slightly vegetal, almost herbal. Like a low-level celery note on the finish. It has appeared in every hefeweizen I've ever made, and in no other beers. In fact, this batch is part of a split batch, and the non-hefe beer isn't showing this flavor.
At first I thought it was DMS, but I just don't see how this is possible. I do a vigorous 60-minute boil and a very rapid chill using a CFC. I use the same pils malt for every one of my German-style beers and I've never experienced this flavor in any other beer.
I'm thinking this flavor has to be yeast-derived: if it had to do with my mashing procedure, I'd have seen it in other beers. If it had to do with my boil, I'd have seen it in other beers. If it was bacterial contamination, it would be a heck of a coincidence for the same issue to crop up in 5 separate hefe batches over the course of 2 years--and in no other beers.
Is it possible that this flavor is a sulphur compound from the hefe yeast that will go away if I leave it to clean up in primary? If I had to guess at a possible process flaw, I'd say that I might be rushing the fermentation a little. My usual procedure is to wait until the FG is stable for 3 days and then keg the beer--maybe I should wait it out and see if the flavor clears up?
Has anyone had any experiences similar to the one I'm describing?
At first I thought it was DMS, but I just don't see how this is possible. I do a vigorous 60-minute boil and a very rapid chill using a CFC. I use the same pils malt for every one of my German-style beers and I've never experienced this flavor in any other beer.
I'm thinking this flavor has to be yeast-derived: if it had to do with my mashing procedure, I'd have seen it in other beers. If it had to do with my boil, I'd have seen it in other beers. If it was bacterial contamination, it would be a heck of a coincidence for the same issue to crop up in 5 separate hefe batches over the course of 2 years--and in no other beers.
Is it possible that this flavor is a sulphur compound from the hefe yeast that will go away if I leave it to clean up in primary? If I had to guess at a possible process flaw, I'd say that I might be rushing the fermentation a little. My usual procedure is to wait until the FG is stable for 3 days and then keg the beer--maybe I should wait it out and see if the flavor clears up?
Has anyone had any experiences similar to the one I'm describing?