Different Opinions...

[Thommo]

Put down a wheat kit with 200gms of Carawheat steeped, and some hallertau, std method. Racked after a week for the first time ever. Tasted awesome at racking. Bottled after a week in secondary, tasted even better. I was convinced that this was going to be one of the best beers I'd made so far.

I usually wait a week for my first taste, but lasted only 5 days for this one. Bitter disappointment. No bubbles (definately used prime sugar - each individual bottle) and a slight off taste. Cracked another one in front of the soccer on Wednesday night, and it was much worse.

I've recently got a mate of mine into homebrewing and put one in the fridge to show him what an infected beer is like - not as a practical joke or anything, and I informed him it was infected before I gave it to him.

The beer was still flat, but my mate liked it!!!! And I don't mean he thought it was okay...he actually liked it. I had a sip, nowhere near as bad as the second example, but I thought I still detected an off taste. Anyway, now I am confused as to if it's even off or not. I'm pretty sure it somehow got exposed to too much oxygen when racking.

Do I wait and see some more, tip it, or save it for my mate when he comes to visit and keep all the good stuff for myself?

Any comments, thoughts or advise are appreciated.

 

[RichLum]

Wheat beers kinda have that flowery/funky kinda smell to them anyway... as for tasting off, maybe it's just a personal preference thing...?

Not sure about the lack of carbonation though... what temperature were the bottles stored at after bottling?

If you or your mate don't have any ill effects (upset stomach or worse) then it probably is OK and I'd be keeping it for him to drink whenever he is around.

I maded a smoked ale ages ago just for something different and can't drink the stuff. One of my mates likes it though so I always put a few bottles in the fridge whenever he comes round.
Or use it in cooking...

Rich

 

[Thommo]

Thanks for the quick reply. I store my bottles under the house to try and keep them as cool as possible, but I think at the moment it's been about 22-24 degrees, even under there. Shouldn't have gotten too hot though.

I know what you mean with the smoked Ale. I made the Yukon Brown Smoked Ale kit and thought it was horrible. After about a year though it was alright. (Or perhaps my tastebuds had changed.)

As far as the wheat goes, the Wednesday bottle was undrinkable, so I guess it's possible that I just had an infection in that bottle. I'll try another one this week end keep you posted.

 

[RobW]

Thanks for the quick reply. I store my bottles under the house to try and keep them as cool as possible, but I think at the moment it's been about 22-24 degrees, even under there. Shouldn't have gotten too hot though.

I know what you mean with the smoked Ale. I made the Yukon Brown Smoked Ale kit and thought it was horrible. After about a year though it was alright. (Or perhaps my tastebuds had changed.)

As far as the wheat goes, the Wednesday bottle was undrinkable, so I guess it's possible that I just had an infection in that bottle. I'll try another one this week end keep you posted.

[post="92139"][/post]​

I had a similiar thing with a single bottle from an APA batch - a distinct phenolic flavour. It didn't actually taste too bad - I was hoping a few more might have gone the same way B) - all the others have been fine.

 

[Wortgames]

Dumb question, but did you boil the wort or the wheat tea? If not you may have a lactic infection from the wheat, which will give you a fruity sourness (or maybe a sour fruitiness).

 

[WillM]

G'day Thommo

Sorry to hear they aren't tasting good. Unfortunately it happens from time to time (well to me anyway).

Here's a couple of suggestions:

For the carbonation, give the bottles a shake and leave them a couple more weeks. After that, put them all in the fridge. If one tastes bad, try another and you might get some taste good to drink. A couple of yeasts I've used have taken a long time to get the bottles carbomated as they drop out (floculate) really well, not leaving much yeast behind to gas up the bottles. They do eventually, I'm just impatient.

As Rich said wheat beers taste a bit funny anyway, but you would have tasted that when it was racked. Perhaps something when wrong with your bottle, cap, tap or racking tube sterilization.

Anyway, I hope you get more good than bad ones.

 

[rodderz]

If the beer has only been bottled for 5 days Ide say that it isnt ready for drinking yet and wont have full carbonation. I usually wait at least 2 weeks for my bottle primed ones. The sugar content which is yet unfermented could also be giving it funny flavours

I'de say it'll be fine in a few weeks!

 

[hockadays]

I made a wheat like this the other day that tasted **** for the first month and its just coming good after 7 weeks.

Matt,

Patience young skywalker...

 

[Thommo]

But master hokadays, the power of the dark wheat is too strong!

 

[warrenlw63]

Thommo.

You say they haven't carbed? Could be early days yet. Another suggestion is did you rinse your sanitizer thoroughly from the bottles? :unsure: Remote possibility but excess sanitizer (particularly bleach) could kill off some of the yeast preventing carbonation. Could also explain strange flavours. h34r:

Warren -

 

[OCC]

I did a esb bav wheat 2 month ago and after 2 weeks it was only semi carbonated and tasted wierd but after leaving it for a month and a half it's drinking fine.
i think you were to keen to hook into them and they were'nt carbonated yet ,like guns and roses once said "just a little patience"
occ

 

[devo]

If the beer has only been bottled for 5 days Ide say that it isnt ready for drinking yet and wont have full carbonation. I usually wait at least 2 weeks for my bottle primed ones. The sugar content which is yet unfermented could also be giving it funny flavours

I'de say it'll be fine in a few weeks!

[post="92188"][/post]​

agree

If you bottle your beer you shouldn't be touching it for at least 4 weeks.

 

[Thommo]

4 WEEKS?

Bugger.

I ususally try my first one at one week...knowing full well it will be too green, but trying it just to see how it is coming along. Untill now they've all been carbonated though. However, it was my first attempt at racking so there was probably alot less yeast floating about. Pretty sure I rinsed all the bottles thoroughly enough (I hope). Guess I'll just have to be patient.

Thanks for all the replies. Only time will tell.

I was gonna try another one tonight as well...

 

[Thommo]

Glad I didn't tip this one out. Not too shabby at all now. Thanks for getting me to be patient.

 

[mistylane]

I had the same expereince - swore it went bad in the fermenter, still has a weird aroma after 3 weeks in the bottle but tastes damn good now!