Did I get a bad bottle of Delirium Tremens?!?!

Hello HBT! I know this is probably the wrong place to ask this, but I don't see a place on the sight that is appropriate for this post, and my motivation to get an answer is purely educational. I opened a big bottle of Delirium Tremens and poured it into a glass and I was puzzled by what I saw. There were all these white globby things floating throughout the glass of beer. I have never seen anything like this ever. My friend said that he thought that it was old, skunky beer. I was not so sure. I tried to catch a glob and it was kind of gooey, so I thought that it might be gelatin or something. Because I did not want to throw away a $10 bottle of beer, I pounded it. It didn't taste bad which kind of puzzled me. Does anyone know what was wrong with this beer?

Did you let the bottle settle? Sounds like the yeast got kicked up in the bottle. You need to decant because it is bottle conditioned.

It didn't look like yeast to me. It was really strange, like big white snowflakes swirling and floating throughout the beer.

never seen that in my DT

If it didn't taste bad or was a gusher upon opening, then yes it was only yeast.

Did the bottle have a date it was produced on?

Sounds like old yeast that got back into suspension due to the pour/handling of the bottle.

I've noticed that in every bottle of Delirium Tremens I've ever had (about six). Didn't seem to effect the flavor, but it it did look like a snow globe, thick opaque floaties. A little discerning but, I chalked it up to yeast. No matter what I tried I could not get it to settle. The stuff stayed in suspension after resting, storage, and extremely slow pouring. Maybe since the OP and I are in the South, we are getting older bottles or something. It does not look like yeast that I have seen in any other beer.

I experianced that at a beer tasting on friday, the beer in question was a lambic though, and, we decided it was the bugs that make the beer sour, not yeast. Killer beer though.

curt656 said:

My friend said that he thought that it was old, skunky beer. I was not so sure.

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Skunked beer comes from the beer being lightstruck (photochemical rearrangement of unisomerized hop resins via UV rays into methyl compounds that smell like a skunk). Sounds like yeast.

FireBrewer said:

Skunked beer comes from the beer being lightstruck (photochemical rearrangement of unisomerized hop resins via UV rays into methyl compounds that smell like a skunk).

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Which couldn't happen in this case because of the painted bottle.

Orangevango said:

I experianced that at a beer tasting on friday, the beer in question was a lambic though, and, we decided it was the bugs that make the beer sour, not yeast. Killer beer though.

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I believe that is yeast too. To my knowledge, Lactobacillus does not form white clumps. There is a limited amount of brett in a lambic, so I doubt its the brett or its pellicle.

HighPlainsDrifter said:

Which couldn't happen in this case because of the painted bottle.

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Exactly.

(10chars)

Well, we haven't heard from Curt656 in over 17 hours, but assuming he's still OK, it was probably yeast.

I had the same thing happen with a bottle I had about a week ago. It was, without question, not yeast. Based on my drinking and brewing experience it looked like cold break, but I doubt that is what is was.

If it was yeast, it is unlike any that I have ever seen. It never settled, and stayed in suspension. Didn't seem to effect flavor and obviously didn't kill me.

But I had the same reaction, weird. I'm still not sure what it was. I bought only a single bottle, so I have nothing else to open and compare to at the moment.

neuron555 said:

Well, we haven't heard from Curt656 in over 17 hours, but assuming he's still OK, it was probably yeast.

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Sorry, lol. I am still alive. It is hard for me to say as I am not an expert on beer, though I have been drinking it for such a long time. I have learned more about beer in the couple of months on this board than I have in the 20 years I have been drinking it. I have seen yeast hundreds of times, but this looked nothing like anything I have ever seen before. I sent an e-mail to the Delirium Brewery in the hopes they can clear this up, so let's see if I get a reply.

I tried to collect some of these "snowflake" things with my finger and it seemed like they were kind of gooey. It was almost like really thin snot. I couldn't get any out because it just broke up into smaller pieces. I did not handle the bottle in any manner to disturb any yeast sediment. The bottle had been sitting undisturbed in my beer fridge for a few days. A friend of mine came over, so I thought we would split it. I pulled it out of the fridge, popped the cork and poured. The chunks came out right away. I looked on the bottle and there is nothing that says "expiration date." On the back label, there is what I assume to be a date code at the bottom with numbers labeled 1-12 and then numbers 08 through 12. There is a tick in the 01 box and a tick in the 08 box which would give a date of January 2008. I don't know if it is expiration date or born on date.

I know this is a necropost, but I just got a bottle of DT and it had the same floaties. Nevertheless it was one of the best beers I've ever had. (and it knocked me on my ass!)

Anyone find out what the blobs are?

Dr_Gordon_Freeman said:

I know this is a necropost, but I just got a bottle of DT and it had the same floaties. Nevertheless it was one of the best beers I've ever had. (and it knocked me on my ass!)

Anyone find out what the blobs are?

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Haha - guess it's a Christmas thing - we cracked a bottle of Delirium Noel tonight - same experience with floaters. Got to say, I don't mind Belgians but ... not a fan of this one, talk about tasting alcoholy ok hard to express but was not a fan!

Both of the bottles I have purchased had these snowflate like floaties. One had tons and was cloudy from how much was floating around the other had 10-15 in it. I am pretty positive its just the yeast from the bottle breaking up and coming out when you pour. The bottle I had that was full of them was opened soon after riding in a car which might have upset more of the sediment.

curt656 said:

...I did not handle the bottle in any manner to disturb any yeast sediment. The bottle had been sitting undisturbed in my beer fridge for a few days. A friend of mine came over, so I thought we would split it. I pulled it out of the fridge, popped the cork and poured. The chunks came out right away...

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Exact same experience for me.

The floaties looked more like mold than yeast to me. Like the little white patches that grow on a bread crust.

I know it may not look like your average yeast chunks in there, but I assure all of you that's all that it is. It is an odd strain of yeast that tends to do this, and it is commonly known and widely understood that it happens. I also believe that it happens with La'Chouffe beers as well.

Its just yeast with a very low flocculation > ie: it will stay in suspension once disturbed for a longtime afterwards.

"snowflake" says it all , it had been stuck on the bottom of the bottle(flat layer)
and once disturbed it peeled off in flakes.

Drink it, its good for ya` & many bars will even pour the dregs into a shot glass for you to enjoy> see link below.



Photo from http://belgianbeerboard.com

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3446/3257970114_38d57f195d_o.jpg

I vote "tremons globules", merry christmas, Vern. <----working, bah humbug.

I've seen the snowflakes in several bottles of Delirium Tremens. Never did figure out what it was but it tasted fine.

Houblon said:

Drink it, its good for ya` & many bars will even pour the dregs into a shot glass for you to enjoy> see link below.

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After the glasses with the snowflakes were poured, I upended the bottle and downed the dregs. It tasted great too. I am not afraid of yeast There's so much suspended in the beer anyway, what's the difference! :cross:

Never had these in the only bottle of Tremens and a few Noels. I have a Noel in the fridge for tonight (one of my favorite beers by far). Wondering if I found this thread as a life saver for when I see floaties tonight. Good to know it's ok if I do
A question to all those that are seeing this. How long is it in the fridge settling before pouring? I leave my bottle conditioned beers for a 24 hour minimum but try for 3 days.

I had 3 DT's last night with no floaties, but I think I get it a bit fresher than you guys.

All I've ever drank had floaties, including Nocturnum. This is sometimes after months of sitting still, as well...

Gentlemen,

I have never heard of Deliriums Tremens beer,
but I know where 'the term' came from,
an old W.C. Fields skit and here it is! ... Right now~~~! Look out~!





Thank you...


J. Winters von Knife
{Jack the Knife}
{the Poet}
and Sandymay

curt656 said:

It didn't look like yeast to me. It was really strange, like big white snowflakes swirling and floating throughout the beer.

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That's what a lot of settled yeast looks like. It breaks off in bigger clumps when it's been settled for a whole. I've seen it in a lot of bottle conditioned beer.

No chunks or Floaties in my Noel Christmas night, you guys getting chunks are pouring them carefully the same way you do a homebrew right?

JacktheKnife said:

Gentlemen,

I have never heard of Deliriums Tremens beer,
but I know where 'the term' came from,
an old W.C. Fields skit and here it is! ... Right now~~~! Look out~!

Click to expand...

Delirium Tremens is actually a real medical condtion. "Delirium tremens is a severe form of alcohol withdrawal that involves sudden and severe mental or neurological changes." source

I had this exact same experience with Dogfishhead "Red & White," non the less drank every last drop, good to know it was just yeast.

I've had about a dozen DTs and all but one or two had the floaties. Like others have already said, it tastes fine and has not deterred me from drinking more!

IrregularPulse said:

No chunks or Floaties in my Noel Christmas night, you guys getting chunks are pouring them carefully the same way you do a homebrew right?

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Yes. I pour them probably more carefully than I do a homebrew simply because I know they are there but it is no use. These little floaties are always there. I left one in the fridge for more than 3 months to see if it would settle completely. Less than 1/4 way through the pour, they came out. I've had this happen with both Tremens and Nocturnum. The only difference between them is that Tremens has light colored floaties and Nocturnum has dark colored floaties.

It doesn't really bother me since I know there are there and are probably yeast. I'd just like to know if the flavor profile is different between those with and without the floaties.

...maybe a little late to jump on this wagon but I've read that 'snowflakes' in a beer are a good indication of either mis-handling or an old brew. Precipitated proteins:

Page 73, 'Tasting Beer' by Randy Mosher.
Old or Mishandled Beer. A haze, often accompanied by small "snowflakes" of precipitated protein, is a common feature of seriously old beers, especially in pale imported lagers. Multiple cycles of cooling and warming accelerate the process.

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Rip said:

...maybe a little late to jump on this wagon but I've read that 'snowflakes' in a beer are a good indication of either mis-handling or an old brew. Precipitated proteins:

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Naw, Belgians generally don't share our obsession for clear beer. I've had Tremens straight from the tap in Brussels at the Delirium Taphouse and it had floaties, just as intended.

Still has floaties and first time I've seen or noticed this. DT Tremens is still one of my favorite beers.

Totally normal for DT from my personal experience and from the reviews I've read. I had the exact same concern when I tried my first bottle.

On a side note though, popping a bottle of DT has become a "studying for finals" tradition for me. Started a couple years back when I was just getting slaughtered by a programming class. The night before the final I decided to take the edge off the feeling of impending failure by having some DT. I wound up getting nice a fuzzy that night while studying. The next day I walked in and turned into the rainman for that final and aced the bastard. I've made DT a standard before every final since, mainly its just and excuse to drink more DT. Either way, E = MC^hammered!

A few years ago, I had a few Dark Horse Crooked Tree IPAs that had the "Snowflakes" in them. Tasted fine though.

Had the same experience with DT earlier this year. Tasted great, but turned off some friends from drinking craft beer...turn I brought out a White Chocolate.

I have not had the Noel, but DT is one of the only beers that ever made me want to gag...it was like drinking Dubble Bubble in a bottle. I must have an extreme sensitivity to this flavor.

I love Belgians, Orval, Duvel, Dubbles, Triples, Saisons, Farmhouses...but this one, IMO, there is no good bottle.