Salt-N-Vinegar Brew

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Evan!

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I'm sitting here right now drinking a glass of my Wheat Doppelbock (a failed attempt to clone Aventinus). Brewed it last November. It sat uncarbo'd for 10 months or so. I guess it was the DME I used to prime. So anyway, I uncapped all the bottles a few weeks back and added carb tabs, then recapped. It's carb'd now.

And I'll be a feces-chucking-ape if it doesn't smell exactly like salt-n-vinegar potato chips. And believe me, I am one of the nation's foremost experts/connoisseurs of salt-n-vinegar chips. This is so odd. The recipe's at work, but it's not too complicated. Pale malt, wheat malt, DME, chocolate malt, bavarian wheat yeast. No idea what happened to it during those months of sitting uncarb'd, but I can't say I object. Not what I was trying for, but...when in Rome, right? Up next...crab chip brew...:p
 
Bummer, Oh flinger of poo. :D

You'll be drinking a Bavarian Hefeweizen (similar to Paulener) on Friday.
 
Evan! said:
I'll need the recipe...of course.

Sure, no problem. After you drink the 32 ounces on an empty stomach (wait 20 minutes) and then tell me how much you love it. :D
 
Mmmmmm.... crab chip brew.

So it really smells like vinegar? Usually if your beer smells like vinegar, that would be a very big cause for concern. Does it TASTE like vinegar, too? (I assume not since you seem to be enjoying them.)
 
FlyGuy said:
Mmmmmm.... crab chip brew.

So it really smells like vinegar? Usually if your beer smells like vinegar, that would be a very big cause for concern. Does it TASTE like vinegar, too? (I assume not since you seem to be enjoying them.)

It doesn't really taste pungent like vinegar, but it has that distinct smell and slight taste---though the taste is more malty than the nose suggests. It doesn't smell or taste nasty---normally if a brew tasted or smelled like vinegar, I'd dump it---but it just has this weirdness, exactly like salty potato chips and a hint of vinegar. The last time I smelled this was my first time trying Bell's Expedition Stout. Not sure if it was oak, or what, but it smelled like those "Dirty" potato chips. Then I got the same thing on Avery's Samael, which is confirmed as having been oaked. My brew never saw oak, but it's got that distinct potato chip thing anyway...with a hint of vinegar. Like I said...can't say I mind it, especially since this batch was a lost cause for 10 months anyway.
 
If it is enjoyable, enter it as a specialty beer in competition as if you intended it to taste that way! :D
 
I had the exact same thing happen to me, my first brew (all of about a week ago) had a slight cidery/vinagery smell, but none of the taste. It's not unenjoyable, but it kinda threw me off at first. Im letting it condition in the keg for another week or so to see if it diminishes. I do have a laundry list of things I screwed up while making it (massive amounts of bleach used, didn't aerate well, just threw the specialty grains in for the boil, fermented pretty hot for the first few days, etc. etc. etc.), and wasnt too surprised I got an off smell, but was still really surprised It is at least platable.
 
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