How to identify off flavors

My first attempt at homebrewing was years ago when I made a Caramel Oatmeal Porter but it never turned out quite right (though after 6 months in the fridge, it was at least drinkable) but I decided to jump back into game. But I also want to figure out where I go wrong with each batch and improve on it.

Started off with just a simple Scottish Ale a few weeks ago. I made a "Son of a fermentation chamber" and it's worked quite well so far but it seems the temps did creep up to 74 degrees at least once while I was at work (ice melted too quickly) for maybe two hours. When I racked the beer to the secondary (to clear it after 7 days in the primary), it has a taste and smell that I can only describe as that "Belgium trippel ale" taste. The beer does have a good malty flavor at the end once you get passed the initial taste. Based on what I think I know, that's the esters from the high temp fermentation. But for the most part, the beer was at 68-67 degrees the whole time.

How do I know if it's Esters (is there a test, litmus, etc..?) or some other byproduct of the yeast such a diacetyl?

nocsimian said:

simple Scottish Ale... When I racked the beer to the secondary (to clear it after 7 days in the primary),

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well this wont answer your question, why take a big beer of the primary in only a week? what were your gravity(s)?

My initial sample for the starting gravity was lost due to a erroneous swing of an arm. I didn't want to pull another sample from the primary in fear of a contamination issues (contamination being one of the issues driving me out of the hobby years ago).

As for why only 7 days in the primary, I was simply following the directions that came with the recipe. I've read a few threads already about leaving the beer on the yeast cake and I'll most likely leave the next brew on for a bit longer.

If you're already aging the beer in secondary, those flavors may mellow. At only a week, the beer you tasted was still very green.

I figure the flavors will mellow with time (not terribly confident it will turn out the way I want but it should be be drinkable).

I guess the true core of my question is there a "home brew lab" way of analyzing the contents of my beer? A micro-chem analyzer for the DIY'r per se?

It should be ok. Give it a few more weeks in the fermenter tho.