Commercial Examples of Off-flavors (especially Diacetyl)

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DiegoProf

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Hi all,

So, my attempts to refine my philistine palate continue. And in the interest of not spending $150 on this: http://www.beertown.org/education/flavor.html -- I've been looking for commercial examples of beers that clearly exemplify certain 'off' flavors.

So far I've found:
- DMS: Rolling Rock
- Acetaldehyde: Budweiser (or so I've heard - haven't tested this one yet)

Anyone have any others to add? I'd especially like a clear example of diacetyl, since I'm just getting into the lager-making biz and want to know what I'm up against!

Thanks!

-Matt
 
You can create oxidation by leaving any beer at 100F for a year. Anything will skunk after an hour in the sun. Diacetyl is a little tougher, I can't think of anything other than sake were you would routinely find it. And even in sake, it isn't considered a plus.

That's kit is rather pricey. I paid $40 for the off-taste seminar at Oregon State & they had about 30 samples as well as an interesting test on bitterness.
 
TCJOH has a list of off-flavors and smells and how to recreate them, some drinkable, some only for smelling. It's not too tough and you'd definitely learn a lot more by adding the ingredients all to the same beer so you can get a feel for comparative flavors.
 
david_42 said:
Anything will skunk after an hour in the sun.

I did this with my plale ale a feew weeks ago and it didn't skunk. Maybe the winter rays of the winter sun don't have much UV left.

Kai
 
Kaiser said:
I did this with my plale ale a few weeks ago and it didn't skunk. Maybe the winter rays of the winter sun don't have much UV left.

Kai

Brown glass prevents it, even clear helps alot, so if you did it inside of a double paned window, in the brown bottle, it ain't gonna happen.

Plus, Miller uses a hop extract that won't skunk, so they get away with clear bottles. I don't know if an extract recipe made with 'hopped extract' is immune to skunking.

Plus, it's not so much the UV that skunks beer- any glass blocks UV. But only brown blocks the blue light. Here's a link to one guys study: http://realbeer.com/spencer/bottle.gif
 
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