bry2
Member
- Joined
- 2/12/12
- Messages
- 22
- Reaction score
- 2
Hi all
I need some help to identify the problem with my currently undrinkable 6 week old beer. This is my 3rd extract beer and I used an all malt recipe with the following:
*Morgans Mexican lager can
*Liquid wheat malt can
*15 g of amarillo hops steeped for 10 mins
*Safale S04 yeast
I left it in the fermenter for 2 weeks with the beer temperature hanging around the very top of the recommended range for this yeast (24 deg C). However, it did not go higher 24 deg C (at least on the outside of the vessel). I know this is not ideal but as I have very little space, the only way I could have effectively cooled it down is if I were to leave it in a tray of water outside on the balcony.
The OG and FG were normal at around 1038 and 1008 respectively (from memory) and the fermented beer looked similar to my previous 2.
I tasted the beer before bottling and it was OK. After two weeks of bottle fermentation at 24 deg C (again). I popped one in the fridge and tried it - I was met with a very harsh taste of which I find hard to describe but is definately not sweet or fruity (perhaps fusel alchohol?). Totally undrinkable. After waiting another 2 weeks I tried 3 more. All three tasted similar and all ended up down the drain.
I understand that if I wait for a while the taste will improve, but for learning sake I want to know what went wrong. I assume the root cause is either contamination or high temperature.
The reason I tried 3 at the 4 week mark is because if it was contamination, I thought it may not have affected the whole batch of bottles.
On the other hand, if it was temperature, then why didn't the beer taste undrinkable after primary fermentation when both primary and bottle fermentation were at 24 deg C (checked with a infrared thermometer)?
Any ideas/comments would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
I need some help to identify the problem with my currently undrinkable 6 week old beer. This is my 3rd extract beer and I used an all malt recipe with the following:
*Morgans Mexican lager can
*Liquid wheat malt can
*15 g of amarillo hops steeped for 10 mins
*Safale S04 yeast
I left it in the fermenter for 2 weeks with the beer temperature hanging around the very top of the recommended range for this yeast (24 deg C). However, it did not go higher 24 deg C (at least on the outside of the vessel). I know this is not ideal but as I have very little space, the only way I could have effectively cooled it down is if I were to leave it in a tray of water outside on the balcony.
The OG and FG were normal at around 1038 and 1008 respectively (from memory) and the fermented beer looked similar to my previous 2.
I tasted the beer before bottling and it was OK. After two weeks of bottle fermentation at 24 deg C (again). I popped one in the fridge and tried it - I was met with a very harsh taste of which I find hard to describe but is definately not sweet or fruity (perhaps fusel alchohol?). Totally undrinkable. After waiting another 2 weeks I tried 3 more. All three tasted similar and all ended up down the drain.
I understand that if I wait for a while the taste will improve, but for learning sake I want to know what went wrong. I assume the root cause is either contamination or high temperature.
The reason I tried 3 at the 4 week mark is because if it was contamination, I thought it may not have affected the whole batch of bottles.
On the other hand, if it was temperature, then why didn't the beer taste undrinkable after primary fermentation when both primary and bottle fermentation were at 24 deg C (checked with a infrared thermometer)?
Any ideas/comments would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks