twgardner2
Well-Known Member
My last two batches have come out with a flavor that I can only describe as "yeasty". I was previously describing it as "horse blanket" but I'm not sure I know what that actually tastes like. I've settled on "yeasty".
I believe it is due to high fermentation temperatures. Both batches used liquid yeast (WLP001) and a 2L starter. I've never had any issues with sanitation and this doesn't taste like an infection to me. It isn't medicinal or solvent-like. It just tastes like the yeast-cake smells. The first batch is really yeasty. I'm not even going to drink it. The second one is less yeasty and, I think, drinkable. I don't have my fermentation temp under control and I know it is the most important thing I need to work on right now. I want to get a fridge and johnson controller, but I just haven't found a fridge for the right price yet.
The first batch had no temp control whatsoever. It sat in "the brewery" in the basement at around 80-85 degrees. I haven't been doing secondaries so the beer sat on the cake for 25 days. Based on the first batch, I knew I needed to implement some form of temp control for the next batch, so I did the ice bath method, maintain temps between 62 at 70 during active fermentation. After active fermentation died down, I let the temp rise to ambient temp (again, 80-85). This beer sat on the cake for 28 days.
I was very surprised to taste the yeasty-ness in the second batch. I'm starting to think it is due to long(ish)-term primaries at elevated temps, and that controlling temp during active fermentation only reduced, vice eliminating, the off-flavor.
Until I do find my fermentation fridge, do you think I'd be ok if I continue with the ice bath cooling during active fermentation, then racking to secondary with out the ice bath? Luckily, temperatures are coming back down as fall approaches so it might not matter again until next summer.
I believe it is due to high fermentation temperatures. Both batches used liquid yeast (WLP001) and a 2L starter. I've never had any issues with sanitation and this doesn't taste like an infection to me. It isn't medicinal or solvent-like. It just tastes like the yeast-cake smells. The first batch is really yeasty. I'm not even going to drink it. The second one is less yeasty and, I think, drinkable. I don't have my fermentation temp under control and I know it is the most important thing I need to work on right now. I want to get a fridge and johnson controller, but I just haven't found a fridge for the right price yet.
The first batch had no temp control whatsoever. It sat in "the brewery" in the basement at around 80-85 degrees. I haven't been doing secondaries so the beer sat on the cake for 25 days. Based on the first batch, I knew I needed to implement some form of temp control for the next batch, so I did the ice bath method, maintain temps between 62 at 70 during active fermentation. After active fermentation died down, I let the temp rise to ambient temp (again, 80-85). This beer sat on the cake for 28 days.
I was very surprised to taste the yeasty-ness in the second batch. I'm starting to think it is due to long(ish)-term primaries at elevated temps, and that controlling temp during active fermentation only reduced, vice eliminating, the off-flavor.
Until I do find my fermentation fridge, do you think I'd be ok if I continue with the ice bath cooling during active fermentation, then racking to secondary with out the ice bath? Luckily, temperatures are coming back down as fall approaches so it might not matter again until next summer.