Fermentation profile IPA

[GertSels]

I just brewed a new IPA which is currently on it's fourth day in primary. I have some questions about my next steps. I don't have any kegs so bottles will have to do. I'm using US-05.

- 7 days primary fermentation (64.5° F)
- Adjust temperature to 68° F for 3 days
- dry hop 4 days (in primary fermenter)
- Cold crash for 2 days (allow the yeast en hops to settle, too long?)
- Transfer to priming bucket for sugar
- Carbonate for 2 weeks in bottles

Any advice or tips?

 

[Pkrd]

Looks good. I usually go a little higher at the end of ferment (21°C).

2 day cold crash should be fine.

 

[Miraculix]

Two weeks might not be enough time in the bottle. I just had a beer that didn't finish within two weeks, hopefully it's done after three weeks.... But just have one after two weeks and see where it's at.

 

[RM-MN]

New schedule that works well.
1. Control the temperature of the fermentation until it slows. No set days, every fermentation is different but usually by day 4. Maybe control it lower, down in the 62F range if you have the ability.
2. Once the fermentation has slowed, let the temperature rise to the 68 to 78 degree range. This helps the yeast fully attenuate and clean up byproducts. Leave the beer at this range for another 2 to 3 weeks. This lets more of the yeast flocculate and settle out. It also starts the maturation period.
3. Dry hop 3 to 10 days. Whatever fits your schedule. Don't get so set on a certain amount of days. I have left a batch for 2 weeks because I was too busy to bottle until then. Beer came out fine. Some people will say that they get grassy flavors. That may depend on the hop variety and/or their water chemistry.
4. Bottle the beer. Leave the bottles at room temp. Yeast doesn't like it too cool at this time. I have had carbonation at 24 hours. That doesn't mean it is time to open the beer. With a 24 hour carbonation you get no head on your beer. Try one at a week. I'll bet you don't get a good long lasting head then either. Try one at 2 weeks. Better heading but still not long lasting. By the end of week three you should be getting a better tasting beer with a long lasting head.

 

[Miraculix]

Also, too early opened bottles taste kind of cidery. I am still not sure if that's because of the unfermented priming sugar or because of other reasons.

 

[RM-MN]

Also, too early opened bottles taste kind of cidery. I am still not sure if that's because of the unfermented priming sugar or because of other reasons.

One of the byproducts of fermentation is acetaldehyde which is often described as "green apples" or "fresh cut pumpkin" and that is reduced by the yeast given time and warmer temps.

 

[Miraculix]

One of the byproducts of fermentation is acetaldehyde which is often described as "green apples" or "fresh cut pumpkin" and that is reduced by the yeast given time and warmer temps.

That's not the type of flavour that I'm referring to when saying "cidery". It's more like a strange alcoholic thing which is usually not present in beer, but a little bit in alcoholic drinks that are not malt based. I think it is because of the leftover fructose which interacts with the alcohol in a weird flavour enhancing way.

 

[SwedishBrew]

That's not the type of flavour that I'm referring to when saying "cidery". It's more like a strange alcoholic thing which is usually not present in beer, but a little bit in alcoholic drinks that are not malt based. I think it is because of the leftover fructose which interacts with the alcohol in a weird flavour enhancing way.

Could it be a touch of oxidation? I have experienced something similar before. I usually drink the beer after one day or so, cause they are so fresh and nice. But after two weeks, the hoppy flavours kind of disappeared and I also got this cidery kind of taste. It didn't turn brown as my disastrous oxidation batch, but it was the same strange tast but much weaker.

 

[Dgallo]

One of the byproducts of fermentation is acetaldehyde which is often described as "green apples" or "fresh cut pumpkin" and that is reduced by the yeast given time and warmer temps.

Only if it’s produced by improper conversion can it be cleaned up. Acetaldihyde can also be produce by oxidation of ethanol, when that occurs it will only get worse. Since this is an ipa, I’d put my money on oxidation causing the acetaldihyde

 

[Miraculix]

Could it be a touch of oxidation? I have experienced something similar before. I usually drink the beer after one day or so, cause they are so fresh and nice. But after two weeks, the hoppy flavours kind of disappeared and I also got this cidery kind of taste. It didn't turn brown as my disastrous oxidation batch, but it was the same strange tast but much weaker.

Na, I just tried a few a week later and now that there is no leftover carbonation sugar, the cidery taste vanished. It must be somehow linked to the sugar being present.