Brewsit
Well-Known Member
I have had the same thing go wrong in three out of four of my last four batches, and I can't figure out what it is. They all have had the same overpowering ester (banana-ish) flavor, and a hot, almost burning sensation that makes the beer undrinkable. I thought it might be an infection in my equipment somewhere, but I wanted to get some other opinions.
I used the same equipment, and I'm good about sanitation, and use an oxyclean soak, thorough rinse and starsan soak. All of my equipment is very new, and I keep it clean, dry and indoors.
I ferment in a home-made fermentation chamber, insulated and controlled with an ebay temp controller, and temperature probe inside the fermenter, everything sealed well.
It happened in the first batch, a pale ale fermenting at 70F. The second batch it did not happen to, but it was a California Common fermented at 58F.
It happened to the third batch, a Best Bitter at 68F, and again a Saison, fermented at 74, raised to 77 through the fermentation (I used the AHS Saison blend yeast which calls for about 72-78). This one is still in the fermenter after three weeks, and I drew a sample, and that same smell of bananas is back again, along with the hot/burning sensation.
What the heck am I doing wrong here, and is this last batch salvageable? I have thrown out the first batch, and the Best Bitter is in kegs at room temperature, I'm hoping maybe there is something that can be done.
I used the same equipment, and I'm good about sanitation, and use an oxyclean soak, thorough rinse and starsan soak. All of my equipment is very new, and I keep it clean, dry and indoors.
I ferment in a home-made fermentation chamber, insulated and controlled with an ebay temp controller, and temperature probe inside the fermenter, everything sealed well.
It happened in the first batch, a pale ale fermenting at 70F. The second batch it did not happen to, but it was a California Common fermented at 58F.
It happened to the third batch, a Best Bitter at 68F, and again a Saison, fermented at 74, raised to 77 through the fermentation (I used the AHS Saison blend yeast which calls for about 72-78). This one is still in the fermenter after three weeks, and I drew a sample, and that same smell of bananas is back again, along with the hot/burning sensation.
What the heck am I doing wrong here, and is this last batch salvageable? I have thrown out the first batch, and the Best Bitter is in kegs at room temperature, I'm hoping maybe there is something that can be done.