Dealing with off tastes like bubblegum flavor?

[srkaeppler]

Hey All-

New question for you all. On Sunday I started a new batch of beer, it is a Bavarian Hefe Extract kit I got from Northern Brewer. I used the Wyeast 3068 Weihenstephan yeast from Activator and made a starter. Anyway, MANY of the reviews of the product suggested a fermentation temperature of below 70 degrees, and that just hasn't been the case for me. These review said if you get above that temperature you are likely to have bubblegum tastes. Given when I'd like to have this beer done and just the 'late summer weather,' primary fermentation will definitely be at temperature above 70 degrees(fortunately NOT above 80 degrees though).

I know I haven't screwed this brew up, and I will drink it regardless. I am figuring I may have some 'off tastes' to deal with, which raises a good question. I may not be able to eliminate the offtastes, but is there a reasonable way to minimize them? Perhaps aging the beer longer in bottles? Or could possible keeping the wort in the secondary for a longer period of time help? I guess at this point I just am curious what my options are.

Maybe my worrying nature is coming out in this note, but it is a good thing to ask!

Thanks all!

 

[BrookdaleBrew]

You will likely have off flavors but they may age out over time. My suggestion would be to bottle it up, let it sit for 3 weeks, try one and decide if you want to age it longer or go ahead and tear into it. Hefes are usually best young.

 

[wyzazz]

Swamp Cooler!!!

 

[BrookdaleBrew]

Yeah, definitely try a swamp cooler on your next batch. I'm thinking it's probably already too late for this one though as the bulk of fermentation is most likely already complete, but it may be worth a shot!

 

[lehr]

You can't change it now that taste and or aroma is caused by to high fermentation temp like you said I ferment this yeast at 62-64 range the first three days of fermentation are the most important.

Pat

 

[Revvy]

Read my bubblegum beer story here https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/ne...virtue-time-heals-all-things-even-beer-73254/

 

[DrawTap88]

I made the same kit and used the same yeast. Mine fermented at 68 degrees for the duration of the ferment (3 weeks all in primary). I kegged it and drank some during the second day of being kegged with a bunch of sour apple flavor. It is now 4.5 weeks old and the off flavor has melowed significantly. That sour apple flavor is now just faintly on the back of the tounge and doesn't detract from the bubble gum or banana flavors of the beer.

 

[Nate5700]

I thought hefeweizens were supposed to have something of a "bubblegum" flavor, I've definitely had commercial brews that had that taste. Pretty sure it's characteristic of the yeast.

If you want a cleaner flavor in your wheat beer I'd use an American wheat style yeast instead of the hefeweizen yeast. In any event, your beer is still beer.

 

[srkaeppler]

Hey All-

I just wanted to say thank you all for sending these response, I appreciate them. I have done the swamp cooler in the past, and did try to do it with this brew as well. I will definitely do it again in the future if the temperature is at all high. I thought maybe doing some aging could help. I will say that I initially fermented it in a 6 gal glass carboy, but the kreusen which formed took the stopper right off my blow off tube arrangement! I then switched over to a 7 gallon bucket and it worked out. Temperature was still a bit high.

We'll see though. It could be quite good regardless! I might give this brew a chance in the winter time when I have more control over the temperature in my apartment. Being on a grad student salary doesn't allow for running the air conditioner just to keep my apartment cool

Thanks again all!

Steve