Fruity Pebbles?

So I just moved my first all grain batch to the secondary to start the lagering process. I also took a hydro sample. I then drank the sample.

When I first tasted the sample, I thought to myself that this was by far the best beer I ever made.

However, I soon took another sip, at which time I realized that I tasted something funny. It tasted like fruity pebbles. Now, I took a few more sips, and I can taste some fruit, but it seems a bit more subdued. Honestly, my taste buds are all out of whack because I was making chili all day for a chili cook-off.

So I had two people sample the brew. One of them couldn't taste anything fruity (although she does not have a beer palette) and the other said she did taste some fruityness (although she's not exactly a beer person).

Honestly, it tastes good to me, so I'm not worried. I already RDWHAHB (actually I've had several). But I was just wondering if this is common with the lager strain I used, WLP830 (German Lager Yeast).

Note: The yeast was second generation

The grain bill is as follows:
5 lb vienna
3 lb pils
2 lb munich
.5 lb crystal 55
.5 lb caramunich
(Mashed at 148, I know it's low, but it was my first attempt, I'm happy I got conversion)

I used hallertau hops, although I don't think that would make a difference.

I am hoping that the beer is still young, and that this ester (if it is indeed an ester) will fade during lagering. I don't know why I would have ester production though, I made a huge starter (as per mr. malty) pitched the yeast at about 58-60 degrees, and fermented between 45-50 for about a month

My SG and FG were were 1.051 and 1.011

Thanks for any input!

Bump

Can't really help you but I'm drinking a batch now that I call Fruity Pebble Ale and yes I use a cup of the cereal in the boil. Turned out really good.

Congratulations: You have made a Leinie's Sunset Wheat Clone!

I don't think it is the yeast, though, according to the WLP site, their German Lager Yeast is a very clean yeast.

Bernie Brewer said:

Congratulations: You have made a Leinie's Sunset Wheat Clone!

I don't think it is the yeast, though, according to the WLP site, their German Lager Yeast is a very clean yeast.

Click to expand...

i was about to say the same thing

sunset wheat is strangely one of my favorite beers to have while relaxing. I Can't have many of them, but enjoy them every so often.

wmarkw said:

Can't really help you but I'm drinking a batch now that I call Fruity Pebble Ale and yes I use a cup of the cereal in the boil. Turned out really good.

Click to expand...

I made a dubbel with fruity pebbles and it came out one of the best I've brewed. Not sure if the pebbles had much to do with it, but I'm going to do another 2 gallon batch of it.

It's nowhere near as bad as leinenkugels sunset wheat. It's just a strange fruity aftertaste that should not be present in a German style lager.

Hopefully it will go away during lagering

ghank15 said:

I used hallertau hops, although I don't think that would make a difference.

Click to expand...

just realized you said that.
Last time i had made a wheat beer, i used hallertau. I remember the immediate smell of fruity pebbles i received... that could be it.
Also with the second strain of lager yeast... did it get washed? did you dump it on the trub? did it stay at lower temps?

If your initial fermentation was too warm you may have picked up some fruity ester's. Lager will help but if it was intact a product of high fermenting it wont go away completely...if its simply because the process hasn't finisshed then you should be ok.

Well I pitched at 60 but the ambient temp was between 50-52. Could that be it? Maybe I should cool a few more degrees in the future.

I'm guessing it was too warm. I prefer to keep lagers fermenting at 50 to prevent esters.

Yeah it must have been the pitching temps. In the future I'll pitch closer to 50