Nottingham Yeast, really? Fusel alcohol question

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BenjaminBier

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Nottingham yeast cake, you fermented my 1.090 strong ale to 1.012 in 4 days and you spiked in temperature from 60 to 78 in just 36 hours. Really??!!

I tasteda sample and it's a little fruity, but tastes good.

I searched around for nottingham yeast threads and found a lot of references to fusel alcohols, but can someone try to describe them? I'm wondering if they are immediately detectable during primary or if the competing yeast and green character masks fusels until later. The beer has a tiny bit of alcohol heat, but it's not noticeable in the aroma and it doesn't leave an alcoholy aftertaste.

In other words, how and when do I know if my beer is ruined by high fermentation temps?
 
The fusels are already there, but a sample at 4 days of such a big beer is not going to be that helpful. I think you're going to have to wait awhile to see what you ended up with.

And yes, Nottingham is a beast. I pitched 2 rehydrated packs in an RIS on Sunday morning and it has gone from 1.085 or so to 1.025 as of this morning. At 61F. Crazy.

Edit: forgot to describe the fusels. I perceive them as unfriendly ethanol - an alcohol presence, but hot, harsh, and generally unpleasant.
 
Fusel alcohols in small amounts present as a bit of alcohol heat like you're describing. In larger quantities they have a harsh solvent taste, like rubbing alcohol or acetone (nail polish remover). Notty produces a lot of fusels at warmer temps, but it sounds like you've managed to stay cool enough to avoid an overage of them. Your beer is not ruined, and the little bit of alcohol heat you have now will mellow a lot as it ages.
 
Thanks all!

I really appreciate the support. RDWHAHB has worked well for my first year of brewing but this one had me a little worried.

Normally I would never sample a beer this early, but since fermentation shows all signs of being over after 4 days, I was a little shocked and wanted to see what was up inside of the carboy.

What I am gleaning from you guys is that if fusels were created in fermentation, I have two things to look for. One is a harsh, unfriendly alcohol taste and Two is a slow, long-term change in the beer as it ages.

Since I don't have harsh unfriendly alcohol tastes now, that is good, but the only true measure is time.

Amazing!!!
 
BenjaminBier said:
Thanks all!

I really appreciate the support. RDWHAHB has worked well for my first year of brewing but this one had me a little worried.

Normally I would never sample a beer this early, but since fermentation shows all signs of being over after 4 days, I was a little shocked and wanted to see what was up inside of the carboy.

What I am gleaning from you guys is that if fusels were created in fermentation, I have two things to look for. One is a harsh, unfriendly alcohol taste and Two is a slow, long-term change in the beer as it ages.

Since I don't have harsh unfriendly alcohol tastes now, that is good, but the only true measure is time.

Amazing!!!

Just to add to the symptoms, fusels give me a wicked, hangover-type headache after just a few...and notty did one in on me...but, my ferm temps were wild..you should be ok!
 
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