Head Space = Peach Flavor????

I brewed a Scottish Ale using Muttons yeast about 2 months ago. The last 12 oz bottle I filled during bottling only filled up about 1/2 way. I decided to go ahead and cap the bottle even though it was 1/2 beer and 1/2 air.

So yesterday I wanted to see what that beer tasted like. All of the regular full beers tasted good, slightly sweet but i think a Scottish Ale is supposed to be a little sweet.

But anywho I took a swig of the 1/2 beer and it tasted like a PEACH. Seriously like someone squeezed 1/2 a peach into the bottle. It wasn't just a hint of peach, it really tasted like a peach. It was really really good. Has anyone else ever done this and what happened?

-Patrick

Never did a half fill on a bottle that didn't get consumed shortly there after so I can't really comment.

The first thought I had when I saw peach was fruity esters from warm fermentation but since it's confined to a single bottle.....meh, I dunno. None of the other beers exhibit this, even faintly?

There could be a difference due to oxidation, as well. I would expect more prominent oxidation in a half-fill.


TL

None of the other beers taste like this at all. This one taste 100 percent different. the color of the beer is the same but the flavor is different.

When i first tasted it I remember thinking it tasted like someone dropped a peach jolly rancher in the beer. It was good.

This batch was bottled from old beer bottles that were soaked, dishwashered, and then put in the over at 200 for 30min so i know the bottles were clean. but just maybe....

I just made an English Ale so and I had another 1/2 bottle. I can't wait to see what that one tastes like....in a few weeks.