IPA tasted great prior to bottling - now not so good.

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DocBlanner

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My brew buddy and myself bottled our 2nd AG batch a few weeks ago - an IPA that we dry hopped. Of course, we taste tested prior to bottling and it tasted really good. We were really looking forward to this one. So, Saturday night we cracked some open. Ummm, not what I was expecting. It was fully carbed, but the taste was not even close to what it was prior to bottling. It's not a vinegar taste or anything like that. The best way I can describe it is it's very similar beers we've brewed with Belgian Ale yeast. I've also tasted something remotely similar in Mothership Wit by New Belgium.

Also, the hop bitterness as well as the aroma is nearly gone. Maybe it's being overwhelmed by this other taste. I think I've read that the dry hopping aroma will fade rather quickly, but we're only 3 weeks from bottling. The original IBU's from Beersmith calculated to 62. It doesn't taste anywhere close to that.

So, I come to you for help. I've been lurking on these forums for nearly a year and I owe most of my brewing knowlege to things I've learned from members on this forum. I'm just puzzled by this one. We haven't had anything like this happen before.

Do you have any ideas as to what's causing the off flavor and loss of hop bitterness/aroma? Any help or insight would be greatly appreciated.
 
What were the beer temperatures:
When you tasted it?
When you cracked open a bottle?

I noticed a really cold (40F) IPA doesn't taste so great and the hop flavor and aroma are lacking. Let it warm up and it's great.
May not be your problem at all though.
 
You're likely tasting an overwhelming yeast presence.

At only a few weeks in the bottle, the yeast have probably still not died down and dropped yet.

The "belgiany" flavor is another give away.

Despite it being several weeks, you're currently drinking very green beer...especially for an IPA.

Park it away somewhere and sample one bottle per week over the next few weeks.
 
Well, sampling temperatures were around 40 F. We used Safale S-05 for our yeast. I didn't realize it could impart those same "belgiany" flavors. I can give it some more time to mature and hopefully it will be great again. I had feared that I picked up a wild yeast strain at bottling. Thanks for all of your help!
 
Also, when you refrigerate it, let it sit in there for 2-3 days before trying it. That'll crash out the yeast pretty well.
 
Don't forget that when you prime those bottles with corn sugar mix, you rouse those yeasties back into action.

You bottles are like mini fermenters for another 3 weeks.
 
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