Over Carbonation.

I have brewed a couple Pale Ales and IPAs now that have tastes better before carbonation then they do after. I don't believe that it is a sanitation issue because the beer doesn't have a distinct off flavor. It is actually a little bland. You can smell and taste some of the hops but not much else. It is also very bubbly. I'm starting to wonder if I am over carbonating the beer. I have been adding a straight 5oz per batch. But now have figured how to calculate the exact amount. What I'm wondering is if over carbonation can alter the flavor of the beer.

are your bottles foaming when you open them?

How long has the beer been carbonated? Bottled or kegged?

I am bottling. I let them sit for 2 weeks after bottling. Yes, the bottles do foam up when you open them.

Thank you BigFloyd. Helpful advice.

I'm gonna try less sugar next time but am still curious if the over-carbonation could be changing the flavor.

I always had problems when adding the 5oz or even 4.5oz pack to bottle.

Often I ended up with less than 5 gallons and it was always too much sugar for 5 gal much worse for sub 5 batches.

I use the brewers friend bottle primer and it has never let me down.

I over carbed a chocolate milk stout by blindly adding the recipe pack and it washed the flavor out completely. The beer need up like dark colored seltzer water. Start with the proper prime for the style, adjusted for the highest temperature the beer reached during fermentation, and go from there. If you still have problems after that I would be surprised.

The_Traveling_Brewer said:

I'm gonna try less sugar next time but am still curious if the over-carbonation could be changing the flavor.

Click to expand...

It can. How much depends on the level of course.

Try taking a sip after pouring, then transfer it back and forth between two glasses a few times to cause some off-gassing, let it settle back down and taste again.

Other factors may be at play. Are your beers completely fermented at bottling time (extending fermentation in the bottle)? What temperature is the batch at bottling time (62*f liquid holds more CO2 than 70*)? Is there a secondary fermentation taking hold (infection)?

Carbonation is as much a style guideline as it is a preference. I personally prefer a bit more carbonation than what some styles suggest.

I use no less than 5oz, sometimes 5.2, in my 5 gallon batches. A Blonde Ale I recently entered in a competition had one judge commenting that it could be a little more carbonated and I used 5.2oz on that batch.

The type of sugar you use also impacts the carbonation level depending on its fermentability. I use Turbinado Cane sugar which is more fermentable than corn sugar. Again, a preference since I found I like one over the other.

I agree with what BigFloyd said, give it some more time and see what you think.

Hex said:

Other factors may be at play. Are your beers completely fermented at bottling time (extending fermentation in the bottle)? What temperature is the batch at bottling time (62*f liquid holds more CO2 than 70*)? Is there a secondary fermentation taking hold (infection)?

Click to expand...

I do a primary and secondary. It is completely fermented when I bottle. On bottling day the beer's temp is around 68, and then the bottles condition in about the same temp.

Nagorg Great info, thank you very much.