Rubber Cement IIPA

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temptnmonkey

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So I made my first "big beer" -- a double IPA (from extract, w/ loads of Columbus and Citra).

Everything went as planned. Tasted good pre and post fermentation. during bottling, it tasted delicious. OG was 1.078 with a FG of 1.019 (about 3 weeks in a primary).

After cracking one open after about 2 and a half weeks in the bottle, I noticed a strong solventy smell/taste that I'd equate to rubber cement (my wife suggested more of a nail polish remover). The hop flavor is awesome, but the background solventy flavor is rather peculiar (mostly because it had zero trace of it when I bottled). I don't think it is fusel alcohols because it should have been there during bottling (right?), and the beer doesn't feel very hot on the tongue, but who knows.

Any ideas what this might be?
 
nail polish remover, the ester ethyl acetate if that's where you want to start your research. Coincidentally because....its actually in nail polish remover.

If you are sure the taste wasn't there before, i would let the bottles ride at room temp for another week or two, and test one again. If it wasn't there before, im thinking that it will be ok with just a little more time.
 
sometimes stronger beers have that character while they're young. give it some more time and it should fade

what were you fermentation temperatures?
 
For a minute there,I though that was a kit name. Like caribou slobber or the like. I thought,what's next? Bull cookie brown? Hockalugey Hefe? Fusel alcohols are the usual culprit. I wonder if it was just a small amount that,as the yeast settles & the beer matures,it's now able to be sensed?
But they can be aged out,I've done it before.
 
Fermentation temps were likely in the low 70s. WLP001

They were a littler higher than ideal since I don't have any good and reliable means of controlling temps, so fusels are certainly possible. And I may be a little to premature with the beer. It probably is just a touch young. But I'm still trying to reconcile the difference in taste from bottling (no detectable solventy flavor) and post-carbonation (very noticeable solventy flavor).

Unionrdr, do you suppose Rubber Cement IIPA would be a good selling kit name? :D
 
Maybe,certainly no worse than Caribou Slobber,Gorilla Snot,etc. 2.5 weeks in the bottle can be a bit immature for IIPA's. In my experience,anyway. It carbed great in 10 or 11 days,but took some 5 weeks to condition properly. More conditioning time should do it. Beers always seem to carb faster than they condition.
 
I suppose just because it is well-carbonated doesn't mean it is conditioned. Good point for a newbie like myself to keep in mind. Thanks!
 
You're welcome. I like to mention little things like that for noobs,etc to understand at the get go. Take care of the little things,& the big things will take care of themselves.
 
just to be sure, is that low 70s temp ambient or wort temp? there will be a 5 or so degree increase during the height of fermentation. I'd look into a tub of water or some other 'swamp cooler' for a cheap means of temp control. 001 is pretty resialant tho as long as you pitched enough so its probably just needs more time.

not sure why it wasn't there prior to bottling, but flavors tend to change with carbonation.
 
Big beers like that take a while to condition. Its normal to have a taste like that in the beginning. It should be fine in a few weeks
 
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