Cidery Beer

[henderjo]

Hi all,

I been brewing from a couple of years now and have been enjoying it, and the beers. Only problem is many of my beers seem to be turning out like cider once they are kegged and gassed.

Out of the fermenter they usually taste ok - then the final product... cidery beer.

I mostly have the trouble with lighter beers. Usually I'm brewing largers or ales from K&K using fermentis yeasts. I have temp control and haven't had any notable infections to date (find a big bit of wood to touch).

Could it be as simple as pitching to hot? By just a couple of degrees - this is the only thing I can think of, but would love to hear any suggestions so I can go over my process.... again.

Cheers,

Hendo.

 

[manticle]

Cidery as in thin or as in actually tasting like green apples?

 

[Bubba]

Have you bottled any beers...as a 19l keg should have some left over to bottle. if you have, has the bottles beer also turned out cidery.
My question here is it something to do with the keg cleaning/sterilising process, or with the transfer to the keg that is getting a contaminant...maybe not oxidisation as it would result in "wet cardboard" taste, but maybe somehting else.

Would be good to keg a batch, and bottle some of the same batch and do a comparison.

 

[henderjo]

Manticle - it's slight - not green apples in strength, not even close, it just doesn't taste like beer... more like a pot with 3 or 4 table spoons of cider in it.

Bubba - I never really bothered with bottling - you raise a good way of taking the kegs out of the issue, thanks - might try that when the next brew finishes.

Hendo

 

[manticle]

What sugar are you using for the kilo? If it's straight table sugar or dextrose, try replacing some of it with malt extract. Good call on the kegs too.

Green apple can be a yeast stress issue (among other things) although it doesn't sound like what you're getting. Nonetheless make sure your yeast is fresh and has been stored well (fridge)

 

[henderjo]

I use dex and LDME about 50/50 usually. Thanks - Doing another today, so I'll have a very close look at what I'm doing as I go. I don't think it's infection - yeast stress may be worth a look.

Cheers.

 

[colonel]

I recon the yeast may not be happy.
I had a couple of similar brews years ago, then I tried lowering the temperature to about 18deg for the next few brews, and the problem dissappeared.
It may have been a coincidence, but I don't seem to have had the same problem since.

 

[milob40]

i haven't had an issue with kegs but today i opened a couple of bottles i had left over from kegging and noticed the same cidery taste.
i thing it has been caused by not storing at cool enough temps when conditioning (sitting on shelf of shed next to sheeting)
i sampled another bottle from a different batch bottled on the same day as the crook one and it was perfect(this one was sitting on top of the fridge in shed)
, i no longer bother bottling leftovers now as i dont have a dedicated space for 4 bottles from each brew.
:icon_cheers:

 

[Steve@PMF82]

I was going to start a new thread - but seeing as this is already up and about and its sort of related...

My first beer was a kit (last), Coopers Aussie Heritage lager - fermented at 18, bottle conditoned - using drops
almost 3 months in bottle, in cold storage.

its ok, some bottles have been better than others, some are overcarbed and in the glass they just taste cidery
and metallic, esp the head. At warmer temps i can almost taste some green apple. But less of the harsh what i now
think was carbonic acid taste, warmer temps being the co2 escapes the beer easier ect.

So, i had 7 bottle caps left lying around, so i thought id chill some down in the freezer, till they get to that syrupy stage.
I then transferred to new bottles and recapped, following all sanitary procedures.

After a few days in fridge, these are WAY better now! just swilling from bottle, like i can actually taste the beer!
So i ended up with 58 bottles, over time i may just work through them re-bottling. Effort and waste of caps i know
but at least i can just give them away or 2 guests in straight in bottle, without having to go through the " its homebrew spiel"

cheers all

 

[henderjo]

Now that you mention it... mine do get worse as the temp comes up. OK when its really cold, but more and more cidery as it warms up.

 

[Hatchy]

What kits have you noticed it from & what sort of temp are you controlling the beer at? I'd normally put a cidery taste down to kit yeast but you've eliminated that. How well did you clean the kegs out when you got them? Pulling apart my kegs, soaking them, rinsing them & putting them back together was one of the longest days of my life but I'm glad I did it. I label them when I use them now & once one gets 5 labels on it it gets pulled apart & soaked.

Bottle a batch & see how it turns out. Everyone loves bottling right? I do double batches because I can fit a 60L fermenter in my fridge but not 2 x 30L. I've started bottling 2 cartons from each batch & kegging what's left. I love it because it means I get to drink some straight away but still have some left when the keg blows.