HELP!
Brewed 11 gallons of this recipe (New Castle Style English Brown) and for some reason it has a nutty and bitter aftertaste that almost makes it undrinkable. I have poured out the last few ounces of the last 2 pints I had! I bottled conditioned for 3 weeks @ 70F at this point and just tried a couple last night.
Recipe was:
66% 2-Row pale
11% flaked corn
5% C-20
5% C-60
5% C-80
4% Pale Chocolate malt
3% Cara-Pils
Target Hops @ 60 min and EKG hops @ 15 for 24 IBU based on my calculator for boil volumes.
S-04 yeast with 2L starter
Mashed at 156F (for a maltier profile)
IBU target of 24
I am always careful on sanitation, never had an issue on 15 batches I've done so far.
I used S04 dry yeast with a 2 Liter starter and pitched the thick yeast slurry from the starter (1/2 cup to each 5.5 gallon fermenter).
I aerated by shaking the fermenter vigorously before and after adding the yeast slurry.
I sanitize using Starsan and soak anything that will contact my beer in a tub of Starsan.
I really don't think contamination is to blame.
I ferment in a chest freezer using a digital temperature control and the beer temp was in the mid 60's for the entire 21 day fermentation and I didn't bottle until day 28 in primary.
I have no idea what happened or why it tastes like this. I can't really describe the taste but all I can think is that it is very "nutty" and "bitter" with a hint of chocolate with an aftertaste that lingers for several seconds. I would not describe the aftertaste as "sour", more harsh/bitter and not a hop-bitter.
I have 105 bottles of this stuff left and the only thing I can think to do is let it sit in the basement at 70F for another couple months and hope it becomes at least drinkable. I wish I could let a more experienced brewer try a taste of this to give an opinion on what it could be. This is my very first batch that is not good. On my drinkability scale this one is currently around a 3/10.
Brewed 11 gallons of this recipe (New Castle Style English Brown) and for some reason it has a nutty and bitter aftertaste that almost makes it undrinkable. I have poured out the last few ounces of the last 2 pints I had! I bottled conditioned for 3 weeks @ 70F at this point and just tried a couple last night.
Recipe was:
66% 2-Row pale
11% flaked corn
5% C-20
5% C-60
5% C-80
4% Pale Chocolate malt
3% Cara-Pils
Target Hops @ 60 min and EKG hops @ 15 for 24 IBU based on my calculator for boil volumes.
S-04 yeast with 2L starter
Mashed at 156F (for a maltier profile)
IBU target of 24
I am always careful on sanitation, never had an issue on 15 batches I've done so far.
I used S04 dry yeast with a 2 Liter starter and pitched the thick yeast slurry from the starter (1/2 cup to each 5.5 gallon fermenter).
I aerated by shaking the fermenter vigorously before and after adding the yeast slurry.
I sanitize using Starsan and soak anything that will contact my beer in a tub of Starsan.
I really don't think contamination is to blame.
I ferment in a chest freezer using a digital temperature control and the beer temp was in the mid 60's for the entire 21 day fermentation and I didn't bottle until day 28 in primary.
I have no idea what happened or why it tastes like this. I can't really describe the taste but all I can think is that it is very "nutty" and "bitter" with a hint of chocolate with an aftertaste that lingers for several seconds. I would not describe the aftertaste as "sour", more harsh/bitter and not a hop-bitter.
I have 105 bottles of this stuff left and the only thing I can think to do is let it sit in the basement at 70F for another couple months and hope it becomes at least drinkable. I wish I could let a more experienced brewer try a taste of this to give an opinion on what it could be. This is my very first batch that is not good. On my drinkability scale this one is currently around a 3/10.