# My Beer Tastes Like Olives



## peas_and_corn (13/3/07)

I recently kegged a steam beer, and it has the distinct aroma and taste of green olives. It's not strong, but it's certainly there. The steam beer spent quite a while in secondary (over a month while I was in Japan), so it's certainly not green. This is my recipe-

4kg Pilsener
500g Crystal
1kg Munich
250g Melanoidin
100g Wheat

15g Warrior, 70min
40g Northern Brewer, 60min
20g Northern Brewer, 50min
7g EK Goldings (what was left in the pack), 20min
10g Willamette, 10min

Yeast: Wyeast 2112 (California Lager)

My only theories is that either it is a character of the hops I used (there's a couple there I hadn't used before) or that it's an infection that didn't ruin the beer (the flavour, while unusual, doesn't make the beer bad- rather, it adds an extra dimension I wasn't expecting). I've made it before with the same grain bill and yeast but different hops but didn't have the same flavour (or if it was there, I couldn't taste it).

Ideas?


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## razz (13/3/07)

Fingerlickin_B, I think you may have answered your question. Perhaps do some searching on the hop that you haven't used before. You didn't say which one, is it Warrior, it's the only one there I haven't used. Also, just maybe your temp could be responsible as you weren't around for 4 weeks.


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## Kai (13/3/07)

Could be a combination of vegetal off-flavour, yeast bite and grassy hop. That's the best I can picture olive.


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## crozdog (13/3/07)

Peas & corn

I'd say it is probably from the hops that you haven't used before.

How was Japan? Where'd you go? I hope the info I gave you was useful. Maybe send me a PM so as to keep this thread on topic :unsure: 

Crozdog


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## peas_and_corn (13/3/07)

razz said:


> Fingerlickin_B



:blink: 



razz said:


> I think you may have answered your question. Perhaps do some searching on the hop that you haven't used before. You didn't say which one, is it Warrior, it's the only one there I haven't used. Also, just maybe your temp could be responsible as you weren't around for 4 weeks.



Yeah, the one I didn't use was Warrior (maybe I shouldn't have put in the plural). But as it was a 70 min addition, I didn't think it'll have that much of an effect on the flavour.



Kai said:


> Could be a combination of vegetal off-flavour, yeast bite and grassy hop. That's the best I can picture olive.






crozdog said:


> Peas & corn
> 
> I'd say it is probably from the hops that you haven't used before.
> 
> ...



Kai, Crozdog- it could be a combination of a lot of things, really. I had a look for info on Warrior, but couldn't find a lot that was hugely useful. However, I will continue to search.

PM on its way, Crozdog


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## Stuster (13/3/07)

AFAIK, PnC, :lol: Warrior is known as a clean bittering hop. Doubt it was that, especially as you added it at 70. Info on Warrior here.


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## peas_and_corn (13/3/07)

Stuster said:


> AFAIK, PnC, :lol: Warrior is known as a clean bittering hop. Doubt it was that, especially as you added it at 70. Info on Warrior here.



 

Well, it's not the Warrior, then! Hmm, this gets more interesting all the time...


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## razz (13/3/07)

Sorry peas_and_corn. Must have had a brain fade.


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## tangent (13/3/07)

i've smelled green olives in a beer before
can't remember what the beer was though.
this was a bottled/carbed beer so it doesn't seem like it's going to fade much.

drink it with some crackers and cheese


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## peas_and_corn (13/3/07)

razz said:


> Sorry peas_and_corn. Must have had a brain fade.



lol it's all good, no harm done



tangent said:


> i've smelled green olives in a beer before
> can't remember what the beer was though.
> this was a bottled/carbed beer so it doesn't seem like it's going to fade much.
> 
> drink it with some crackers and cheese



I find it quite refreshing in a strange way- I quite like it


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## Malnourished (13/3/07)

To me, a green olive taste (like the dodgy ones you get in big jars at the supermarket) means infection. I'm not sure exactly what causes it though. I've tasted several beers which have had this flavour, both HBed and commercial. I find it really objectionable. I suppose if it is an infection it'll get stronger with time, so that might give you an idea.


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## braufrau (13/3/07)

peas_and_corn said:


> I recently kegged a steam beer, and it has the distinct aroma and taste of green olives. It's not strong, but it's certainly there. The steam beer spent quite a while in secondary (over a month while I was in Japan), so it's certainly not green. This is my recipe-
> 
> <snip>
> 
> ...



My guess (for what its worth) is that its some curious esters produced by the yeast.
Fruity smells are esters (as I'm sure you know!) ... here's a cute page on fruity smell chemistry
http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/motm/ethylacetate/smells.htm

Well 2112 is supposed to produce fruity esters at room temperature, that's part of the steam
beer character right?

-braufrau


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## peas_and_corn (13/3/07)

Malnourished said:


> To me, a green olive taste (like the dodgy ones you get in big jars at the supermarket) means infection. I'm not sure exactly what causes it though. I've tasted several beers which have had this flavour, both HBed and commercial. I find it really objectionable. I suppose if it is an infection it'll get stronger with time, so that might give you an idea.



The flavour has gotten a tad weaker- however, if it is an infection (which is a possibility), it's possible that the coldness slowed it down and the compounds that give the flavour are floating at the top of the keg.



braufrau said:


> My guess (for what its worth) is that its some curious esters produced by the yeast.
> Fruity smells are esters (as I'm sure you know!) ... here's a cute page on fruity smell chemistry
> http://www.chm.bris.ac.uk/motm/ethylacetate/smells.htm
> 
> ...



Description of 2112 from the Wyeast website:

2112 California Lager Yeast. Particularly suited for producing 19th century-style West Coast beers. Retains lager characteristics at temperatures up to 65 F, (18 C) and produces malty, brilliantly clear beers. Flocculation - high; apparent attenuation 67-71%. (58-68 F, 14-20 C)


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## Kai (13/3/07)

No mention of green olive production there.


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## Yeasty (13/3/07)

Yer my latest infected brew (see vinegar thread) had a taste of olives in it. If u can stand the taste, keep drinking.

Id say its partly infected, but if your happy then keep it for visitors


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## Ross (13/3/07)

Not tasted green olives, so may be way off, but if its a vegetal corny sort of smell, it could well be DMS. I had this in one of my brews & it was so over powering I couldn't drink it full stop - whereas others could not smell or taste it & thought the beer fine. It too subsided in time.

cheers Ross


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## Guest Lurker (13/3/07)

Acetaldehyde tastes a bit like green olives to me.


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