Intentionally ruining beer

So, I've got some beer almost done fermenting, and I was wondering (perhaps at bottling time), how could I intentionally screw up a few bottles so that I get some of the most common off-flavors? I am really just wanting to have a good reference so that I can pick these flavors out in the future. Any suggestions?

Category:Flavor problems - Home Brewing Wiki

Check out the link above. It has suggestions for re-creating off flavors if you click on each flavor. In some cases you cannot drink the finished product but can at least associate by smell.

I would not fool around with that.

Personally I would wait until you GET a bad thingy and then figure it out.

It's like an intentional walk in baseball - it could through you out of your rhythm.

You can order a Beer Taste Troubleshooting Kit from the Brewer's Association, but it's a little spendy. If you are part of a homebrew club, you might convince them to spring for this. I'm actually going to suggest my homebrew club invest in this at our next meeting.

The 1/26/06 BBR podcast actually goes chronicles James and Steve's experiences in tasting these off-flavors using this test kit.

I've wondered about the same thing. It'd much easier to diagnose future problems if you knew what, for example, oxidizing your beer tastes like.

Man, I have enough trouble sending two bottles to competition. I don't think I could ruin my own beer on purpose, it's weirdly precious to me. Every one.

Here is what the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) recommends to doctor beers for training new judges:

BJCP Exam Study Guide

I have tried many of these at our homebrew club and they are very helpful.

smizak said:

Man, I have enough trouble sending two bottles to competition. I don't think I could ruin my own beer on purpose, it's weirdly precious to me. Every one.

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When James, Andy and Steve try it on the podcast, they use Coors Light (listening to it right now, incidentally!).

I find the title of this thread disturbing.....Even more disturbing than a thread titled "What is the best way to kill my children?"

I understand the spirit of research, but sometimes science can go too far.

FlyGuy said:

Here is what the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP) recommends to doctor beers for training new judges:

BJCP Exam Study Guide

I have tried many of these at our homebrew club and they are very helpful.

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Hm, although I wasn't thinking of doctoring the beer in this way, it seems like it could teach my tastebuds what I want to know.

I'm thinking that for this exercise to be instructive to you, I'd recommend you do it with an easy-drinking, crisp and clean beer that you know very well; any American light lager will probably fit the bill quite well, in my opinion.

I really hope that my homebrew club does something like this.

Laughing_Gnome_Invisible said:

I find the title of this thread disturbing.....Even more disturbing than a thread titled "What is the best way to kill my children?"

I understand the spirit of research, but sometimes science can go too far.

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I am a bit disturbed at your response.... I mean, how can you criticize the OP for his act of "beer-disrespect" when you yourself have laid claimed to dangling the ol' winkie in your brew?
I would much rather have a little diacetyl than a bottle of "Winkie-brau"!

i've only skimmed this thread so pardon me if it's been mentioned but some infections will ferment down well past the point that a normal yeast would quit. this means gushers, or in some cases bottle bombs. exploding glass sucks, i'd avoid it.

john from dc said:

i've only skimmed this thread so pardon me if it's been mentioned but some infections will ferment down well past the point that a normal yeast would quit. this means gushers, or in some cases bottle bombs. exploding glass sucks, i'd avoid it.

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Bingo! As I stated earlier, this is the main feature I use to identify a wild yeast infection. The plasticy-phenolic aroma/flavour isn't a distinguishing feature on its own since it can arise a number of ways.

And I have also had one batch that had gushers and potential bottle bombs. Nasty to deal with. Definitely something to avoid.