My Imperial Porter tastes like a Cabernet Sauvignon

[the-adjunct-hippie]

Been fermenting for 15 days, and was originally supposed to be inspired by Ten FIDY with a few tweaks, but due to my RoboBrew not being able to do small batches with huge grain bills, I ended up diluting it a bit. Since my O.G. was nowhere near where I was aiming for, I simply shot for what I'd call an Imperial Porter.

The grain bill was 25% MO, 20% White Wheat, 15% Vienna, 10% Black Patent Malt, 10% Dark Wheat, 5% Oats, 5% Cara 60, 5% Roasted Barley, and 5% British Peat (for a touch of smokiness). This bill was meant to be very complex as per the Russian Imperial Stout style.

I did a two hour mash and bittered with Columbus as well as did a smaller addition for 15 minutes.

Yeast was S-04 (1 packet)

O.G. was 1.072 and it went down to 1.022 which I wasn't satisfied with, so I put just a touch of Glucoamalayse in there along with a pinch more of S-04 yeast (this was 5 days ago) to help it along.

Currently it's reading at 1.012, which is great, but the flavor and taste have an uncanny feel and flavor of Cabernet Sauvignon - but not implicitly, more like the porter was aged in Cab barrels for a few months. Yet, it coats the palate with that thick, spongey, microfiber-esque Cabernet feel. It's really intriguing and growing on me the more I sample it, but I'm curious where this came from, if it will clear up, and perhaps, just perhaps, if it's an infection. I attribute it to the fruitiness of the S-04 yeast, it was fermented at 70. Could it simply be the yeast? Is the beer too young yet?

Thanks!

 

[passedpawn]

It's a matter of relativity. It's not a beer problem, it's a naming problem. Put the right name/label on that beer and it will change your situation.

Beerdeaux?

 

[the-adjunct-hippie]

Haha clever.

I know I've tasted this somewhere before, and I finally got it.

It tastes exactly like these :

https://www.fleetfarm.com/store/det...FJ8vJPXPHDX-DvQLcnFCkgihbs2eH9choCIz4QAvD_BwE

Which aren't bad, but they ARE weird. So maybe that's why I'm split on liking it or not.

 

[passedpawn]

Did the fermentation look fine (no odd waxy bubbles etc). Sour beers, which are inoculated with souring bacteria, can produce fruity flavors. I used to make a lot of these.

 

[blizz81]

Have you used S-04 before, and at that temp? What do you have controlling ferm temp?

I've used S-04 a small handful of times and especially on bigger beers have found that I need to be aggressive at keeping it in the low 60s, otherwise it takes off. I have a chest freezer as a ferm chamber. Had it set in the high 60s (68?) on an S-04 beer once. Blew up in the first couple days and as I was cleaning things up and rigging up a blowoff tube, I measured the temp inside the fermenter at 82*F. It definitely led to some funkier, fruitier flavors than intended.

 

[dwhite60]

I just did a strong ale with S-04 and it came out tasting of figgy pudding, which I like. Three weeks in the bottle and that is mostly gone, sadly. S-04 does put out a LOT of heat when working. I have an insulated box brew chamber and it takes a lot of attention to stay in the mid 60's. It smelled like banana the entire time fermenting too but had no impact on the flavor.

Don't judge it until it's aged some.

All the Best,
D. White

 

[VirginiaHops1]

I attribute it to the fruitiness of the S-04 yeast, it was fermented at 70. Could it simply be the yeast? Is the beer too young yet?

Thanks!

I don't use S-04 a ton but it is known to produce a lot of lactic acid when fermented warmer so perhaps you're tasting that. A lot of people ferment it cooler(low 60s) to avoid that.

 

[Vale71]

Have you used peat malt before? 'cause in my experience 5% of it will give a lot more than just a touch of smokiness (BTW peat malt tastes nothing like smoked malt). Maybe this is the flavor that's causing you to not like how your beer tastes.

 

[RPh_Guy]

I don't use S-04 a ton but it is known to produce a lot of lactic acid when fermented warmer so perhaps you're tasting that. A lot of people ferment it cooler(low 60s) to avoid that.

What? I think you mean "esters", not lactic acid.

 

[sicktght311]

I use S04 all the time and i never have any problems with attenuation or extreme blow off. Like any brewing setup, temperature control of the actual fermenting beer is paramount. My fermentation chest's temperature is controlled by a temp probe in the thermowell of the fermenter, and i usually use 64-66 degrees as my target temp for S04 depending on what beer i'm making. I've never had a massive blow off with it.