Marzipan Flavour In Fresh Barleywine

[lonte]

Bottled my Barleywine last night and for interest filled 1x330ml bottle (no priming sugar) and put it in the fridge. Drank it after it had chilled a little. Now remember, this has only been fermenting 12 days, from OG 1090 to somewhere at or a little below 1020 and was only bottled hours earlier so I don't expect it to be much good. Anyway, among my tasting notes I read this morning, which include that it is a little thin, but a huge malty/alcohol sweetness exists is an obvious (underlined) Marzipan/almond flavour notation. Never heard this flavour used to describe any of the standard faults and as this beer has months until first official drinking, and years following that to develop, I''m not overly concerned, but has anyone an idea of what I might have tasted and what it might mean? On on, Lonte.

 

[oldbugman]

recipe might help.

 

[Inge]

recipe might help.

For what it's worth, all I could think of was:

'The wound is starting to smell a little like almonds!'

B)

 

[Guest Lurker]

Cyanide?

 

[lonte]

recipe might help.

It's (my interpretation of ) "Hard & Hardy" from "BrewingClassic Styles" ... not an almond in sight !!!

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Batch Size: 22.71 L
Boil Size: 27.83 L
Estimated OG: 1.100 SG
Estimated Color: 15.2 SRM
Estimated IBU: 64.5 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Boil Time: 120 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amount Item Type % or IBU
9.79 kg Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) Grain 94.59 %
0.28 kg Caramel/Crystal Malt -120L (120.0 SRM) Grain 2.71 %
0.28 kg Caramunich II Malt (61.0 SRM) Grain 2.71 %
60.00 gm Target [9.00 %] (60 min) Hops 61.3 IBU
20.00 gm Goldings, East Kent 4.2% [4.20 %] (20 minHops 3.2 IBU
20.00 gm Goldings, East Kent 4.2% [4.20 %] (0 min)Hops -
0.50 tsp Koppafloc (Boil 10.0 min) Misc
10.00 gm Yeast Nutrient (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
11.60 gm PH 5.2 Stabilizer (Mash 60.0 min) Misc
2 Pkgs Nottingham (Craftbrewer #-) Yeast-Ale


Mash Schedule:
Total Grain Weight: 10.35 kg
----------------------------
My Mash
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Sacchrification Add 24.84 L of water at 78.3 C 68.0 C

 

[lonte]

Cyanide?

Hmmmm, SWMBO has been asking about my Life Insurance cover a bit lately!

 

[Darren]

I would say it is alcohol and unfermented sugars. Is it a "Malibu" coconut suntan lotion type of flavour or is it in the aroma of the beer??


cheers

Darren

 

[berapnopod]

Only time I have come across marzipan flavour (benzaldehyde) is in krieks. It comes from the cherries. But I didn't see any cherries in your recipe.

Something in the back of my mind is ringing a faint bell that I have heard of it turning up before (w/o cherries). Maybe in Noonans book? I'll let you know if I dig anything up.

Berp.

 

[berapnopod]

Just found the following post here.
It's only for those that love to learn complex chemical names by heart.

Summary: you may get almond flavours from a number of chemicals that either come from the grain or from a vigorous/extended boil.

Or cherries.

Berp.

 

[Trev]

I've always thought that CUB yeast tends to give some faint Marzipan/Almond flavour.

In a class last year at UoB, we had CUB (Blond or something) as the bland base beer in a sensory evaluation class. When asked to describe all the various flavour notes, quite a few of the folks included almond in their description.

Maybe some %^$#$ has poured some Carlton Cold in your fermenter

Trev

 

[Muggus]

Yeast derived flavour maybe?
I've had almond/coconut flavours pop up in a barley wine I brewed, but I think that was more an oak property.

 

[lonte]

Summary: you may get almond flavours from a number of chemicals that either come from the grain or from a vigorous/extended boil.

Interesting, haven't read the link yet, but this was the first time I extended to 120min boil and did so a little more vigourously than usual. Will (try to) read link now ...

 

[sah]

Anyway, among my tasting notes I read this morning,

Hey Lonte, you must have had a couple if you had to refer to your notes from the night before! The almonds might have been from the mixed nuts you were munching on? :lol:

Scott