My beer tastes like yeast

[MrAverage]

A new problem for me:

I made a British Special Bitter with a very simple grain bill - maris otter and a little crystal. I used WLP002 pitched from a healthy starter. If anything, I OVER pitched a little. Fermentation was normal at 65-67 degrees. Time from pitch to bottle was 5 week - all of it in the primary. FG was right about what was predicted.

The beer is very clear, has decent CO2 and the head is nice. It has always had, however, have a strong yeast taste - from the first bottle opened 2 weeks after bottling to now, 2 months after bottling. Not nice fruity - estery way but yeast as in the taste of yeasty bread. I don't like it at all.

Any thoughts as to what might have caused this?

 

[KraphtBier]

Over pitching is sometimes a contributing factor to what I believe is known as "yeast bite". I have never experienced this phenomenon personally but I do recall reading about it somewhere. Search "over-pitch off flavors" and see if you can dig anything up.

 

[scottatdrake]

I understand that Maris Otter has a unique flavor described as "biscuitty" or like toasted bread. Could that be what you are tasting?

 

[MrAverage]

No. I've used MO a lot and am quite familiar with the taste. This is definitely a yeast flavor...not autolyzed either. Just a mouthfull of fresh yeast.

 

[GuldTuborg]

If the beer is very clear, as you're saying, it can't really be a matter of there being too much yeast in suspension. If it's definitely not the grain, and it's not an infection (cloudiness, sourness, or a low FG would point in this direction, but you're not reporting any of this), I don't know what else it could be. Something isn't adding up.

 

[EllisTX]

Maybe the recipes you've use previously masked some of the bready flavor from the MO. You said this grain bill was very simple. Could be just be more pronounced than ever before.

 

[MrAverage]

Something isn't adding up.

EXACTLY! I've been brewing for a long time and I can't figure it out. The beer is drinkable...it's actually pretty good except for the yeast flavor up front.

I should say that this is the first time I've used WLP002...perhaps this is a characteristic of that particular strain? I've never read anything concerning this strain that would lead me to believe so, but........

 

[badhabit]

You seem to have covered a lot of bases that could be the answer without any solution. If you have a good sense that your pallet is educated for the MO flavor, and you have used the specific crystal before and know its flavor, and you would not call the flavor weak diacetyl...buttery or butterscotchy, and you got a mill that is consistant with what you have used before and are not getting any over milled grainyness, and you are not getting that wet cardboard oxidation flavor, and you have a nice clear beer.... you are pretty much left with only one possibility that being bad yeast. If you review the way that you used and treated the yeast durring the process and that all seems good, I would be tempted to write it off to a bad batch of the yeast. I have used 002 a lot for british ales and never had any yeasty flavor, mostly I get a nice subtle fruityness. I have noted that at higher fermentation temps 70-75F I will notice a little breadyness but that is very faint even then and covered by a more estery flavor. If it was me I would review everything again, and make a second batch to see what happens.....but I get a little crazy when I can't figure out what went wrong. Good luck and post back if you get a final answer to the problem.

 

[dcp27]

from: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/b...on-temps-profiles-cybi-other-thoughts-221817/
- wy1968. I really like this one. Lots of esters and clean maltiness and very British character when fermented properly. I get GOOD attenuation (70-80%) and am not afraid to rouse the yeast if necessary. I pitch at 65F and raise to 68F for one week before a D-rest at 70ish and then crash cool at week two before kegging. I DO NOT bottle with this yeast and only force carb. Something about adding sugar to the beer seems to throw off the malt profile and gives funky esters. This one does well with dry hopping. Does 'ok' in closed fermenation, though much more complex with open ferment. Best within 3 months

1968 is the same as 002

 

[rollinred]

I have ran in to this problem more than I would like to admit. I have yet to figure it out. Made two batches of a nut brown ale, one was fantastic, the other tasted like you dumped a packet of yeast in the glass... I don't get it.

 

[ultravista]

How long did you let the beer sit before taking it off the yeast cake?

My typical beer is in the carboy for a month, mostly at 60 degrees. I too have been fighting an off flavor that I once thought may be yeast. This I felt was from siphoning some of the yeast off the bottom into the keg.

For my last batch, I did my best to not transfer over any of the yeast; leaving more wort behind ...

How long do you leave your beer "age" before bottling/kegging?

 

[MrAverage]

The beer was in the primary for 20 days. Temps were between 65 and 68.

I have bottled regular gravity ales (ie 1.043 - 1.056) 14 days to as long as three months after brewing and have not noticed any differences. Typically, my ales sit in the primary for three to five weeks before bottling. Higher OG ales get longer, lower OG shorter ...sometimes. This beer's OG was 1.049. I usually sample a bottle after two weeks and typically consider them really ready to drink at three...somtimes sooner.

 

[badhabit]

I wonder what would happen if you used a secondary?

 

[NordeastBrewer77]

I wonder what would happen if you used a secondary?

that's doubtfully the issue. 3-5 weeks in primary will clear most beers.

OP, the strain you used is fairly finicky, it can make great beer most of the time, but it's a touchy strain. 65-68 ambient may have meant low to mid 70s in the fermenter which is a bit high for the 002/1968 strain, that could lead to the yeast bite you're experiencing.