Soapy Beer

So, when I made my last batch, I used some White Labs liquid yeast. The problem is I hadn't read the directions previously and had left it ou of the fridge for a week. I was concerned but relied on the Homebrewers Montra "It will be fine".
I became concerned after 3 days that I had no bubbling action. Chekced the forum and everyone said "It will be fine". Sure enough, I had bubbles on day 4.
Two weeks have passed and I tasted the beer for the first time. NASTY! It had little flavor, but finished with a soapy flavor.
I plan on letting it sit a few more weeks before I just throw it away. But, what happened.
1. Some funky bacteria joined the party prior to fermentation?
2. That was the first batch that I had cleaned everything with soap and rinsed thoroughly prior to sanitizing.
3. That was the last batch before I reallized that 75 degrees was too warm for ale yeast.
One or all the above?
I have since made what should be a killer 60 Minute IPA and a Brown Ale. I intend to make an India Style Brown tonight, and dont want to make the same mistake again.

Read this:
http://www.howtobrew.com/section4/chapter21-2.html

I had the same problem on two of mine. The first one, I thought, was because I had some soap leftover somehow from cleaning. So, on the second I rinsed and rinsed. Had the soapy flavor again! Come to find out it was because of the high temp of my fermentation (about 76). Started doing the water bath/wet shirt/fan trick. Since then, no soap.
Oh, and BTW, the flavor KIND OF subsides over time. Still there, just not as prevalent.

Good deal, thanks. Yeah, started using a tub of water with an occasional gallon jug of frozen water. Staying between 60 and 71, now.
Before the soapy episode, we had 2 batches with apple flavor, similar deal.

excellent info posted by Mutilated Pell City dude. I have had a few of these random flavors. But i drink it anyway 'cause I'm hardcore!

I have a batch of ESB going right now and it got pretty warm for about a week until yesterday when I put it in a tub with some ice and a fan on it.... I am hoping all is well. But if it does have a bad taste I would rather bottle/keg it and condition it to see if the off tasts goes away instead of dump it. From what I have been reading it's worth giving conditioning a try before dumping.

MrManTX said:

Oh, and BTW, the flavor KIND OF subsides over time. Still there, just not as prevalent.

Click to expand...

Damn, I wish I had known that a difference of 5-10 degrees would make such a difference. I appear to have the same problem.

Out of curiosity, how much time did it take for the flavor to subside? That is, what's my point of diminishing returns in terms of how long to wait? I assume you're talking about waiting time after bottling...