I Need Some Theories....

[sfrice80]

So I just posted this story in another thread but it got me wondering why, so I hoping people could share their opinion. Here's the case...

I had kegged an IPA and it had fermented at high temps (Some days at 80-85 degrees) when the max temp for the yeast was 72, and it had a solvent like taste, almost like acetone, which didn't come as a surprise. Well I let it sit in the keg for awhile, trying a glass every now and then for about 3 weeks. I finally said screw it, I'm dumping it cuz it still had that nasty bite at the end of the drink and I figured there's no way to get rid of fusel alcohols.

So, I went over to the kegerator and opened the door and I thought, might as well try it one last time, and I was stunned. It had mellowed out sooooooo much! I couldn't believe it. The second my girlfriend got in the door I had her try it to make sure I wasn't dreaming and she said wow that nasty flavor is gone. So, I don't know if a lot had settled out with the cold conditioning and I was sucking all of that up at first or what. Fusel alcohols don't settle to the bottom, correct? I really think the issue was fusel alcohol production. Any ideas?

 

[TipsyDragon]

first of all the temp on the package is not the max temp for the yeast its the max recommended temp for optimum fermentation. you can up the temp till you kill them. you are right about not being able to get rid of fusel alcohols. but a solvent like taste could be the result of non-food grade plastics in combination with heat being used at some point in the brewing process.

my theory for why the taste went away is that the yeasties cleaned up after themselves and fixed your beer.

 

[sfrice80]

I'm well aware the yeast don't die after 72 degrees, I meant max temp for a clean fermentation or "cleaner." I'm wondering if I was getting a lot of yeast settling out and the first 5 or so pours were filled with a lot of yeast and off tasting byproduct....hmmmm...Thanks for the post.

 

[Schnitzengiggle]

first of all the temp on the package is not the max temp for the yeast its the max recommended temp for optimum fermentation. you can up the temp till you kill them. you are right about not being able to get rid of fusel alcohols. but a solvent like taste could be the result of non-food grade plastics in combination with heat being used at some point in the brewing process.

my theory for why the taste went away is that the yeasties cleaned up after themselves and fixed your beer.

Even though it was chilled and carbed in the kegerator?

I would have thought that all the yeast would be dormant if it was chilled properly to about 38F, if that is the case how could the yeast clean up after themselves if they were dormant?

 

[Pappers_]

Were your earlier tastes from the beer when it was cold? I'm wondering if the cold is hiding the off-flavor.

Also, in my experience, to have a clean fermentation, you need to keep your temps in the mid 60s, no higher than 68. Of course, every yeast is different, but that's a general rule for me.

 

[sfrice80]

Yes the previous tastes were from when it was cold. Oh believe me, tasting it when it was warm was like drinking jet fuel! I'm also skeptical about the yeast cleaning it up because of the cold temps, unless the yeast was what was giving the off flavor??

 

[Pappers_]

Well, then perhaps it was a miracle. Kind of like this . . . .

 

[sfrice80]

Ahhhh yes that is what I thought.

 

[Pappers_]

Ok, another theory . . . .

What you were tasting were not fusel alcohols. Rather, it was harshness from phenols, tannins, who knows. Those do go away with aging, or at least mellow.

Also 3 weeks is not a long time to wait for beer to mellow, or the flavors to meld, or to become more palatable.

But it also might be a miracle . . . .

 

[Homercidal]

"And the Lord placed his hand upon the kegerator, and the Demon Fuel was then become as IPA..."

 

[Mischief_Brewing]

Could you have been tasting carbonic acid from force carbonating the beer? What was your carbonation method? What was the total time between kegging and first taste?

 

[JNye]

pappers just post more miracles please, you haven't fully convinced me yet.

 

[sfrice80]

Could you have been tasting carbonic acid from force carbonating the beer? What was your carbonation method? What was the total time between kegging and first taste?

It wasn't carbonic acid because I was tasting this horrible solvent taste throughout the brew process, before kegging. I forced carbed at 20 PSI for a week. I tasted it just about every day of that week and then let it sit about another 2 weeks after being fully carbed, tasting it every other day.

 

[sfrice80]

"And the Lord placed his hand upon the kegerator, and the Demon Fuel was then become as IPA..."

Lol.....love it! I'm convinced!