Need help on my hefeweizen having a tart/sour after taste? Re-used yeast.

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ReggieDunlop

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This is my 3rd batch of beer with the first two coming out really good so I'm hoping to get some troubleshooting help on my 3rd batch, a hefeweizen, which I just sampled after 11 days of fermentation at 72' and 6 days in the bottle, and found a nice banana nose, good carbonation and first swallow tastes good, but leads to a medium tart/sour aftertaste. I'm worried the sourness if from an infection, but hoping it is just the tang of the yeast for the style.

The recipe was a simple 6.6 lbs of Breiss Wheat LME and 1 oz Hallertau, but here's where it may get a little tricky. I am new to home brewing, but there is an experienced brewer in my neighborhood who brews about 300 gallons a year. He brewed a fantastic hef with yeast (originally White Labs WLP300) which he has re-used about 5 times and brewed with this yeast as recently as 8 weeks ago. He told me to use his yeast and save some money so I did.

I made a starter about 36 hours before and pitched room temp yeast into room temp (72') wort and it took off after 7 hours and didn't stop for 5 days. Possible starter infection? I waited until day 11 to bottle because of time constraints. I am pretty meticulous with cleaning and sanitizing.

I am wondering, and hoping, that I simply sampled the beer too early at 6 days and letting it sit in bottles for another couple of weeks will help mellow the tangy aftertaste. But I am also concerned that there may be an infection or that the re-used yeast mutated over time.

I am hoping to get your thoughts as my home brewer friend is out of town. Thank you.
 
Its hard to really know for sure, but id wait a bit to make any solid conclusions. Sure its possible that yeast rewashed that many times could have some bacteria or mutated strains in there causing an off flavor. But more than likely I would say 1. could be just extra yeasty (lots still in suspension) 2. Harsh taste of early carbonation 3. fermented at too high temp, esp if 72 was ambient. So far ive gotten best results of wlp300 mid 60s. As per usual advice I would just say RDWHAHB and wait another 2 weeks to check another one.
 
I just sampled this beer at 13 days and it made a world of difference. The sour/tart after taste is all but gone. I couldn't have hoped for a more significant change. I now have a tasty hef that I am excited to share with friends. Thank you to the gentleman who was kind enough to post his thoughts. I appreciate it.
 
Hey I am having a similar issue after about 8days of waiting. I used Safbrew-06 dry yeast. I have been pretty diligent making sure to be sterile through out the whole. I get this sort of sour bite after about 2seconds in my mouth. I had it after 7days and i am hoping i have the same issue as you. Glad to hear the taste gets better with age.
 
Update
Originally the taste was sharp sour, it mutated to a smokey meat taste,
So after further research the taste was perhaps yeast bite a meaty/smokey taste. that dissipated with-in 1week. It's not great yet but it is making leaps in the right direction. I have heard similar complaints from Safbrew wb06 users(not all of them). I'll update in a week with the latest taste sensations.


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