jvlpdillon

Recipes 

I entered my first competition a few weeks back. I didn't do so well. I got back good comments so I was pleased regardless. I am not disagreeing with them I am just hoping to dissect their comments to improve for next time.

I brewed an 18A Belgian Blonde.

Simple recipe.

6lbs Belgian pils
6 lbs German pils
1 lb cane sugar
1/4 lb brown sugar

WLP570 yeast.
S-33 for bottle conditioning (not necessary I know)

ramp mashed from 70 to 155 over three hours.

OG 1.064
FG 1.006
4 weeks primary
2 weeks secondary with gelatin at 40 degrees. This was really clear, and with the low FG I didn't think it would carb up so I threw in the S-33. Again I know this may not have been necessary.

I was told there an aroma of an of a possible infection from a sour referred to as catty, resembling a gueze flavor/aroma, clearly not to style for a blonde.

Here was a clear mistake in my part. Only the bottles I submitted for the competition were not going to be carbed in time. So I made certain they sat next to a halogen light bulb for a few days. The comments did say there was med-high carbonation. I did not make a hot carbed control that I could taste what the judges tasted.

Could this silly mistake of carbing at down right hot temperatures cause the sour flavor in the yeast(s) WLP-570 / S-33?
Was one bottle possibly contaminated, and I had really bad luck?
Would an infection not necessarily show any visible signs?
Or is possible this was so overwhelming to the judges but I don't notice?

I have had a few of the properly conditioned (room temp for a few weeks) and have not noticed the same "sour" flavor. I have also not noticed any signs of infection in the rest of the bottles. These are not carbonated very well yet though.

I do try and follow good sanitation but I could have just been called out for not being careful enough.

There is another competition in a few weeks. I am going to try again with the same batch. So this may tell me the answer then. Thanks for the possible answers before that. I know most of the answers will come back "maybe" but just curious if there was a silver bullet.

mordantly

Recipes 

were the bottles brown? even brown bottles, in this situation, it's similar to leaving them out in the sun. you light struck the poor beer and the hop oils reacted as the result. keep the beer in a warm, dark place such as a closet for 3-4 weeks then a few days in the refer minimum before checking carbonation levels.