I think I've got a diacetyl issue with my California Common that I just tasted for the first time. I can't tell for sure. My wife doesn't like beer, so when I asked her to smell it to see if she could smell a buttery smell, she told me it smelled like beer.
Basically, I fermented for 8 days at about 61 degrees, racked (it then foamed slightly for another 2 days after racking. Maybe I racked too soon.), and then let it sit in the secondary for 3+ weeks. It was the Wyeast California Lager version, pitched from a starter, and it was at a pretty constant temp the entire time. I then bottled and left it for two more weeks.
Is this something that will clean up, or am I stuck with the slight off flavor? I know I probably racked a little early (Gravity had gone from 1.049 to 1.021, I think) since it foamed again after racking, but it seems like the overall higher fermentation temperature would have cleaned it up, no? Who knows. Maybe I'm just imagining the flavor, since I ate beans and franks before I drank it.
Basically, I fermented for 8 days at about 61 degrees, racked (it then foamed slightly for another 2 days after racking. Maybe I racked too soon.), and then let it sit in the secondary for 3+ weeks. It was the Wyeast California Lager version, pitched from a starter, and it was at a pretty constant temp the entire time. I then bottled and left it for two more weeks.
Is this something that will clean up, or am I stuck with the slight off flavor? I know I probably racked a little early (Gravity had gone from 1.049 to 1.021, I think) since it foamed again after racking, but it seems like the overall higher fermentation temperature would have cleaned it up, no? Who knows. Maybe I'm just imagining the flavor, since I ate beans and franks before I drank it.