"off" flavors in first brew

Hi all,

I tapped my first brew on saturday after 1 week in the primary and 1 in the secondary. a day chilling in the keg and 3 days of carbing up. I had a pale ale apricot (magic hat #9 clone). It's not terrible, but I tried a friends that was brewed the same day. I used an extract kit, he is an all grain brewer. I spoke to him and we went through everything I did. It was all right....EXCEPT, my temp really was all over the place when it was in the primary. It has a very stale...almost (to me anyways) yeasty taste. he is very crisp. You can smell the way mine is going to taste as soon as it hits your nose. I know how important temperature is. Is the most likely the culprit of my off flavored beer? I have to say, its not perfect...its not complete piss...but, its mine. so it shall be drank!!

TIA,

M

Can you be more specific on all over the place for the temps and the yeast. I think I use Wyeast British Ale II in my #9 clone which is pretty good up to mid 70's.

VTBrewer said:

Can you be more specific on all over the place for the temps and the yeast. I think I use Wyeast British Ale II in my #9 clone which is pretty good up to mid 70's.

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I used a white labs pitchable yeast. English ale. The ferm temp is 65-68. I came home one day and it had dropped all the way down to 59. Also for the first few days it was prolly at 75. So yeah. Allll over the place.

Yup..that's all over.

I'm gussing you got a little banany stuff up at 75, and perhaps the yeast dropped out at 59. How much apricot did you chuck in? Full can?

I bet it gets better. Let it sit some.

"banany"? Lol. Is that a technical term? I used a kit from Austin. They sent along a bottle enough for 5 gallons supposedly. I believe it was 3 oz.

Oh. When u say the yeast fell out. How does that effect the flavor? In what way I mean. The signs this has happened.

banany is my tech term for "fermented to high" you'll know it when you taste it.

If the yeast went from 75 to 59 quickly, they may have gone dormant and not finished their multiple jobs. One of them is to change your wort to beer and make alcohol. I think that happened. Another is to clean up after themselves. I surmise that you had a decent high end ferment, with slight banany coming in (masked by the apricot?) but then when you dropped to 59 they fell out (stopped workinging/no longer suspended) and didn't clean up well. The aftermath of that could be the "yeasty" off flavors you are tasting.

VTBrewer said:

banany is my tech term for "fermented to high" you'll know it when you taste it.

If the yeast went from 75 to 59 quickly, they may have gone dormant and not finished their multiple jobs. One of them is to change your wort to beer and make alcohol. I think that happened. Another is to clean up after themselves. I surmise that you had a decent high end ferment, with slight banany coming in (masked by the apricot?) but then when you dropped to 59 they fell out (stopped workinging/no longer suspended) and didn't clean up well. The aftermath of that could be the "yeasty" off flavors you are tasting.

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Well then... You sound spot on. It's not a horrible first brew but the off flavors definently take away from it. I've got five gallons so I guess I will be an expert of yeasty flavors. Lol. I've made a chamber already and brewed again yesterday. Should have my controller in a few days to prevent any more "banany" flavors! Thanks for your help.

I think it will get better. All homebrews eventually fix themselves, it's really amazing. Tuck it away for a bit and keep your fermenters full.

*edit* Also, pour a glass for a friend that will be honest with you. Don't tell him/her is a #9 clone. Don't tell him/her you taste off flavors. See what they say.

a week in the primary, and a week in secondary? seems a little short on time. did ya test it with a hydrometer to see if you hahve reached final gravity?

Sadly it's the only brew in the tap. My wit won't be ready for 3 weeks prolly.

dansbrew, yeah. I checked with my hydrometer. It was spot on.