Beer smells and has a slight taste of manure

Manure.

Not kidding. I just transferred my Amarillo and MO SMaSH from primary to secondary and had a bit of a taste test along with the Hydro (which was spot on). The recipe for said beer is as follows:


3 gal batch All grain stovetop BIAB

6.5 lb Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM)

0.50 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - First Wort 60.0 Hop
0.50 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Boil 15.0 min Hop
0.50 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Boil 0.0 min Hop
-
0.50 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] - Dry Hop 10 Days

Yeast:
American Ale (Wyeast Labs #1056) w/starter.


Upon smelling the beer my cohort and I both detected a distinct manure-like smell. Upon tasting I felt that the same smell transferred to the taste and my buddy did not taste anything amiss. I know I know leave the beer be, but this is quite a funky odor and we have had a few failed batches in the past :/

Please let me know what you all think. Appreciate it folks!

Maybe better described as "earthy"?

I've read on the forums that Amarillo can have a funky flavor if used all by its lonesome. Worst case, if it doesn't go away and you don't like it, try dry hopping with something complementary. 10 days could also cause something a little funky.

Just to be sure, what temp did you ferment at, and how old were the hops?

While I've never experienced it with 1056, some yeasts can produce sulpher smells that could easily be classed as 'manure' like

It will fade surely, but the first time I had this from a batch it floored me how much it stunk! It totally went away by the time I kegged it and was a very tasty beer. That was with W34/70 dry yeast.

Thanks for the responses folks.

I wouldn't classify it as earthy sadly. I just decided to forge ahead and dry hopped as per recipe. I fermented in a cool-ish dark closet at around 73 to 70 degrees so a little warm but not scorching. The hops were properly sealed and smelled quite fresh. As to a specific date I could not say. Never had an issue with my LHBS having old hops. I hope that the smell is just a funky odor that dies off soon. I plan on kegging soon and letting it sit for a week cool at 12 psi. Thanks

Just out of curiosity, how do you know what manure tastes like?

Yrogerg1089 said:

I fermented in a cool-ish dark closet at around 73 to 70 degrees so a little warm but not scorching.

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If the ambient temp was 73 you likely fermented closer to 78F or so, which is definitely a little high for 1056. I assume you're getting your supplies from Brew and Grow so I'm sure hop freshness isn't an issue here. Next time see if you can ferment closer to the mid 60s and you'll vastly improve your beer. If you haven't already, look up how to make a cheap swamp cooler or even use a bath tub. I've personally never had any manure-like characteristics from 1056, but possibly you are over-sensitive to some of the Amarillo traits? Hopefully someone else can chime in on that.

JR_Ewing said:

Just out of curiosity, how do you know what manure tastes like?

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Errr, this?

JR_Ewing said:

Just out of curiosity, how do you know what manure tastes like?

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Worked on a farm all through High School...

Also Hawks ya I have been looking into either a coolbag (I believe that is the name) or getting a small fridge in which to keep my keg or use as a fermentation chamber.

It is interesting that you mention the sensitivity to the Amarillo. As I mentioned before my buddy only got the smell and not the flavor. And yea Brew and Grow is a good store no issues with hops. Thanks

I've drunk bull testicle stout, but never manure ale. Betcha money some of the drunks at GABF woud try manure ale! (Hell, that's why I tried the bull testicle stout- it was creamy with a little nutiness on the finish). I know OFF TOPIC.

Enterobacter infection is a possibility I suppose. It doesn't happen often, but it DOES happen occasionally.

Maybe you and I need to combine our batches, I have a Zombie Dust clone that tastes like cat pee smells if that makes sense. They will clear up I think...both Citra and Amarillo have some strange flavors and I think dry hopping for the full 10 days didn;t help it any.

ron said:

Maybe you and I need to combine our batches, I have a Zombie Dust clone that tastes like cat pee smells if that makes sense. They will clear up I think...both Citra and Amarillo have some strange flavors and I think dry hopping for the full 10 days didn;t help it any.

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SWMBO owns a cat so ya I know what that smells like and can easily imagine the taste.

I am just struck by the off odor and the reoccurring theme of that fact that it may be the Amarillo hops causing the odor. Before brewing this batch I consulted many threads on the best SMaSH combos and Amarillo/Marris Otter was a popular one. Well I will know before too much longer I suppose. Also just to get the forums opinions; I am new to kegging (one batch kegged thus far) what would be the best way to keg my SMaSH brew? Force carb at 30psi or cool it and let it sit at serving pressures? (10-12psi)? Thanks gents

So, update, if anyone cares to read this far down in the forums. :cross: I kegged this beer today (I dubbed it SMaSH the Armadillo) and I am pleased to say that the smell has dissipated and been replaced with a very pleasant Orange/grapefruit aroma. I suppose just sticking with the recipe and forging ahead was best. I've got her on gas and will be trying it soon. Also it tastes amazing!

I got that today when checking an IIPA. When I pulled the airlock it smelled strong of (for lack of a better term) "crap." Look at it this way, manure is vegetable matter than has been acted upon by enzymes and biological digestive processes in the animal. Hops in beer are vegetable matter that is acted upon by enzymes and biological digestive processes of yeast.

It will clean up and clear.

Interestingly, it was a highly hopped beer and used the same yeast. I notice it coming most from the yeast caked on the side of the carboy.

And growing up around cattle, I am quite familiar of all the sensory nuances of manure.

Yrogerg1089 said:

Worked on a farm all through High School...

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And you were forced to EAT IT???? Next obvious question did something in fact crap in your beer???Maybe Pets?? Maybe the farmer was tweeting on his I-phone, not paying attention and ran the combine out of the Barley, and into a neighboring cow pasture. The evidence of his lack of attention coming forth as an "OFF" flavor in your beer??

patthebrewer said:

And you were forced to EAT IT???? Next obvious question did something in fact crap in your beer???Maybe Pets?? Maybe the farmer was tweeting on his I-phone, not paying attention and ran the combine out of the Barley, and into a neighboring cow pasture. The evidence of his lack of attention coming forth as an "OFF" flavor in your beer??

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Yes, I let some "crap" just fall into my beer....

Ive experienced this with 1056 and US-05 both. Dissipated after sitting for a week.

off topic.....if you had actually lived in Amarillo as I did for several years you would understand the phrase "smelling the money". Maybe your hops was just extra "high dollar".

cageybee said:

off topic.....if you had actually lived in Amarillo as I did for several years you would understand the phrase "smelling the money". Maybe your hops was just extra "high dollar".

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I grew up in Fort Worth and we used to have manure fights called "fresh money fights."

Could it be that the Manure your smelling could be described as a "Grassy" smell? It could be Aldehydes, which form with poorly store malts.