Same Batch, Different Taste

[Lobby Lobster]

Hi all,

I have noticed a few times now that some bottles from the same batch of lobster juice will be more bland than other bottles.

I'll be drinking from my favourite batch, crack a new bottle and find that taste has disappeared/lessened.
Not talking about infection or anything, just less flavour.

Sometimes the contents of a barrel will actually look lighter in colour on the top - though this could be just a trick of the light.

I haven't seen anybody mention this on the forum before. Is it a fact of life or are their ways around it?
Or am I dreamin'?


Cheers

Lobby

 

[unrealeous]

The contents at the top of the fermenter can often look lighter since as the yeast starts to settles out when fermentation has finished, the top part tends to clarify before the bottom.

Is there are taste difference in these layers? Perhaps - but I wouldn't assume so, especially if you let your bottles carb up properly (and let all the yeast settle out so all bottles are clear before drinking).

 

[Lobby Lobster]

Not 100% sure if the taste difference relates to the layers.

Think I'll number my next batch as the come out of the fermenter and do some comparisons.

 

[bum]

Not 100% sure if the taste difference relates to the layers.

I would be very surprised. The CO2 rising from the bottom of the fermenter would keep things mixed up pretty well.

I'm a little confused about your problem. Is it random bottles that taste bland or that they begin to taste more bland over time? Hopping and bitterness will fade over time. Malt flavours will round out. Also some styles of beer are best drunk fresh because they just don't have much of a shelf life.

 

[Lobby Lobster]

I'm a little confused about your problem. Is it random bottles that taste bland or that they begin to taste more bland over time? Hopping and bitterness will fade over time. Malt flavours will round out. Also some styles of beer are best drunk fresh because they just don't have much of a shelf life.

Hi bum,

Just random bottles.
I do tend to chop and change the batches that I drink from all the time - one of those, one of those but I have convinced myself that I'm not imagining it. Probably should do more testing with consecutive bottles from the same batch.

I am looking to put one or two of my favourite brews in a comp in November and want to be sure I give them the best examples possible.

 

[bum]

Is it possible that a previous beer in the same session is changing your perception of the beer in question? Not saying this is the answer, of course, it is just that the random nature of the flaw seems odd. If you weren't so certain about it not being an infection of sorts my first question would have been about your bottling process.

Is it possible some bottles might have been oxidised while other haven't?

 

[Lobby Lobster]

I wouldn't have thought so but I guess it's a possibility. I'm pretty thorough with my bottling procedure and I measure my priming sugar pretty evenly, but maybe it's something I need a second look at.

Or maybe it is just my palate changing after a few different brews.

I just wondered if anyone felt the same or if it was common knowledge. Evidently not.

 

[bradsbrew]

I have found the same thing with bottled beers from the same batch. I just put it down to the amount of sugar in the little sugar measurer , the one with small side for stubby big side for tallie, as I believe it is pretty inaccurate and also the amount beer that goes into the bottle.
Perhaps you could try bulk priming, that way the whole batch will get the same amount of priming sugar?

Cheers

 

[Lobby Lobster]

Thanks Bradsbrew.

Yeah, could be. My fill levels can vary I guess. It's got me thinking to review my whole process - which is a good thing.

I'm a bit anxious about bulk priming but perhaps it's time to give it a crack. I'll do some more reading.

Cheers.

 

[Shed101]

I'm a bit anxious about bulk priming but perhaps it's time to give it a crack. I'll do some more reading.

Do it! You won't look back

 

[argon]

Do it! You won't look back

+1... once you do it, you'll realise how easy it is and never do it any other way again... that is until you start kegging and don't have to think about priming ever again.

 

[Lobby Lobster]

Oh I'll get to kegging one day. Bottling is starting to wear thin.

First though I have to get a bigger pot for full size BIAB's (rather than just partials) then sort out a fridge.

2011 will be the Year Of The Keg.

 

[bignath]

Is it possible that a previous beer in the same session is changing your perception of the beer in question?

I was thinking the same thing that bum has suggested.

I've noticed a similar thing over the years, and one way i found to be of interest to me is to eat a jatz/ritz/water type cracker before changing beers from my stockpile. I think i remember a wine taster telling me to do this and that it will have an effect similar to resetting your palate before a different drink. buggered if i know technically if it works but it seems to work for me....

Particularly if i've gone from a really hoppy, high ABV beer to something much more mild..

 

[felten]

The same thing is in Brewing, science and practice

The tasting room should be situated in a quiet area free from any smells. They suggest six booths 6080 cm wide with a counter top 4050 cm deep and 90 cm high. Dividers between the booths should project c. 46 cm and extend from the floor to the ceiling. Walls, floors and ceiling should be of smooth non-absorbing material of a pale neutral colour. The booths may be equipped with a hatch (sliding door, bread box or carousel) so the samples can be delivered from an adjacent preparation room. The booths should be odour free with a slight overpressure of air that has been filtered through charcoal. The air should be at 22 C and at 4555% relative humidity. Shadow-free illumination at 7080 foot candles should be provided. Odourless water and salt-free crackers should be available to cleanse the palate. A small sink may be provided but, if so, the drains should be readily dismantled to allow for cleaning.

That is hardcore tasting

 

[Lobby Lobster]

That is hardcore tasting

Sure is!

I had a toasted sanga the other night with ham and hot english mustard.

Could hardly taste any beer for an hour after that - but I soldiered through.

 

[Bongchitis]

The same thing is in Brewing, science and practice



That is hardcore tasting

I work in the food industry and we do all that stuff aswell as multicoloured lighting to remove percieved colour from ones analysis in a blind tasting. Very expensive and fiddly but it has to done to maintain the integrity of your products whilst changing formulations etc.

We call ours the TAB because of the booths or the Brothel because of the lights.