Fermentation rate and beer flavors

[mumblingsages]

Just curious if anyone has studied if the rate at which a beer ferments has any kind of impact on its ultimate taste profile. For instance, if one were to pitch a yeast starter that was four times the needed size of a batch, what will it do to the flavor profile?

 

[Qhrumphf]

It's one of many factors. The more yeast you pitch, the less ester character you're going to get. That could be good or bad depending on what you want. It'll speed up fermentation. But so will raising the temperature, which on the other hand would increase esters. There's lots of factors and lots of tradeoffs. Yeast strain will also have a big impact.