Need a little help troubleshooting

My wheat beer has a strong black pepper like taste to it, and an equally strong smell. Definitely does not taste like a wheat beer.

It was suppose to just be an American wheat, used 5 lbs. of 2-row, and 5 lbs. of red wheat. Made a starter with coopers dry yeast.

I mashed for about an hr. in my cooler, but, unfortunately, smashed my hydrometer before the mash was done so have no gravity readings. Boiled for an hour, one week in primary, one week in secondary, then bottled.

I thought the smell was a litte off when I bottled, but after two weeks in bottles its pretty strong. I never came across this black pepper taste before and couldn't find anything describing it in my homebrew books. The color is perfect, and so is the clearity. It has really nice head retention, also. Just wish I had some gravity readings. Looking at the beer in a glass you would think its going to be really good. What could be wrong?

Thanks

Apart from some sort of accidental peppering in the kitchen during the boil (somebody thought you were making soup?!?), i'd probably suspect it's the yeast. Safale T-58 has some definite peppery undertones to beers i've produced with it. Not in a bad way, you just want to make sure to match up those flavor profiles to the style of beer you're creating.

I'm pretty sure the grains aren't going to impart that kind of flavor. Grains of paradaise will (use any adjuncts?). I'm assuming it was coopers dry ale yeast?

It was Coopers ale yeast. But all I used was the two grains, hops, and yeast. Don't think the kids would come by and put pepper in the brew pot. Haha! I was thinking the yeast to, but still not sure how match yeast with different brews, still pretty to brewing.

pmkealiher said:

It was Coopers ale yeast. But all I used was the two grains, hops, and yeast. Don't think the kids would come by and put pepper in the brew pot. Haha! I was thinking the yeast to, but still not sure how match yeast with different brews, still pretty to brewing.

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One of the guys on the forum swears by Cooper's yeast, but in my experience it's been junk. It's a small package (5-7 grams, I believe) and it just doesn't have good neutral flavor. I'd blame the yeast here, especially if it got above 74 degrees or so.

Next time, buy a quality dry ale yeast. There are several. Forget about Munton's, Coopers, and the one in the gold foil package (forget the name). Try S04 for English style ales, S05 for American style ales, and Munich yeast for wheat beers. They are all good yeast strains.

Fermentis WB-06 is great yeast strain... I've used liquid and dry yeast for wheats... by far my favorite is fermentis wheat yeast... Its in a light purple package.

BradleyBrew said:

Fermentis WB-06 is great yeast strain... I've used liquid and dry yeast for wheats... by far my favorite is fermentis wheat yeast... Its in a light purple package.

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Oh, yes, that's right- I forgot about that one! I've used it, too, with good results.

Another good dry "all purpose" strain is nottingham. But it must be kept at 70 degrees or under, as once it hits 72 degrees or so it gets a bit foul.

Awesome, thanks. Hey Yooper, love the Mattews pic, big Packers fan here!