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madewithchicken · 12-08-2008, 05:21 PM

I made a pretty standard APA with cascades and Glacier.

It was not that long ago I switched over to 6.5 gallon glass carboys. But I have done at least 4 or 5 batches in it before. My carboy sits in the basement during fermentation. There is no direct sunlight, but it is not that dark down there during the day. I have never had a problem with light struck beer before.

But my beer tastes kind of like a slightly more hoppy Heineken. It has the flavor that all of the beers that come in a clear/green glass bottle share.

3 weeks in carboy
cold crashed in a cornie.

My only real worry is that i am wrong about it being light struck. This was my first AG. And I got a really low efficiency (which I have fixed.) And I want to confirm that that is not the problem.

I decided to call this brew "Star Struck Pale Ale."

Denny · 12-08-2008, 05:24 PM

Your description doesn't sound like the classic "skunky" aroma/flavor symptoms of lightstruck beer. Do you have fluorescent lights or direct sunlight on your beer?

madewithchicken · 12-08-2008, 05:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Denny

Your description doesn't sound like the classic "skunky" aroma/flavor symptoms of lightstruck beer. Do you have fluorescent lights or direct sunlight on your beer?

No direct sunlight. But there are windows in the basement. It is not really dark down there. When ever I am in the basement there are florescent lights on.

**Moonshae** · 12-08-2008, 05:34 PM

I always wrap an old dark towel around my carboys to protect against light. It's usually dark in my basement, but I do go in to check on things, so I prefer to minimize any chance of exposure.

madewithchicken · 12-08-2008, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moonshae

I always wrap an old dark towel around my carboys to protect against light. It's usually dark in my basement, but I do go in to check on things, so I prefer to minimize any chance of exposure.

That is the plan in the future. In the past I used plastic Ale Pails.

dontman · 12-08-2008, 05:53 PM

Skunky beer is different from what you describe. It is one of those things that, like wet cardboard, is very distinctive but hard to imagine until you taste it.

Maybe you are getting a particular twang from those Cascades that you were not getting with PM or extract. Just a thought. But the first time I used a citrusy hop (Cascade in fact) in an AG I got an almost metallic taste from it. It mellowed to delicious citrus overtone at about 4 -5 weeks in bottle.

madewithchicken · 12-08-2008, 06:35 PM

It is not the cascades for sure. I use cascades in almost every batch of beer i have ever made.

So if it is not light struck what is it that makes corona (clear glass), Heineken (green), and new castle (clear) all have the same crappy flavor. All 3 are different style beers but they all have that taste.

**BierMuncher** · 12-08-2008, 06:43 PM

I did an experiment a while back.

I brewed a basic light ale (a 60-schilling grain bill with no dark grains).

I was trying to intentionally give the beer a slight skunk to mimic a St. Pauli Girl style beer (for my Dad who loves the stuff).

I fermented in a bucket, but then transferred to a glass carboy and parked it under my fluorescent shop lights, 24/7 for 10 days.

Sure enough, the beer took on that very familiar (though faint) skunkiness.

I covered the beer with a blanket and let ti rest another week. Cold crashed and then BMBF'd for a party. Sure enough, everyone said it tasted like either a Corona (style) or a Heineken.

Fluorescent lights will, given enough constant exposure, affect the flavor/aroma of your beer.

madewithchicken · 12-09-2008, 11:45 AM

Thank you BierMuncher. I was almost sure I was right. So it has to do with the fluorescent lights. I guess the lights are on down stairs more than I thought.

The beer is not ruined, in fact I have gotten used to it. Though I wish it was a APA.

Oh and thank you BierMuncher for the BMBF. You saved me some real money.

**BierMuncher** · 12-09-2008, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by madewithchicken

...Oh and thank you BierMuncher for the BMBF. You saved me some real money.

Uh...well...actually...

My invoice is in the mail.