Nail polish aftertaste

[caseymac91]

My last batch of cider has the smell and taste similar to nail polish remover, not too bad but still noticeable. I searched the forum and found it was a result of hot fermentation temps. Something called esters/fusels. I'm using water baths and frozen water bottles to control temps now. Are these fusels/esters safe to drink? Will it age out in the bottle?

 

[UpstateMike]

My last batch of cider has the smell and taste similar to nail polish remover, not too bad but still noticeable. I searched the forum and found it was a result of hot fermentation temps. Something called esters/fusels. I'm using water baths and frozen water bottles to control temps now. Are these fusels/esters safe to drink? Will it age out in the bottle?

What was your fermentation temp? Also, What was your starting gravity and your final gravity?

I just have a hunch that this will not be so much of a temperature issue as it will be a high ABV issue.

 

[caseymac91]

Room temperature was 77F, so fermentation was probably in the mid to low 80s. Starting gravity was 1.05, finished just under 1.01. I used s-04 yeast. Would esters/fusels mellow out with aging? This cider is about a month old. I also made a hydromel that was fermenting at high temps, It has the same aftertaste.

Edit* Can't explain it, but the nail polish flavor has vanished from the cider batch. Hopefully the mead will follow shortly. Patience is not my strong point.

 

[durbo]

How long did it take for the nail polish after taste to disappear? I think I've had a similar problem. SG 1.064, bottled at 1.013. Added some caramel syrup and concentrate to sweeten but it did little to mask the over powering taste of alcohol. Hoping that time will improve it but my hopes are pretty low.

 

[hbrookie]

Esters don't hurt you. They are prevalent in many types of beers depending on the type of yeast used. Certain esters even help bring the fruit flavor back out in your ciders.

Fusels can be dangerous in concentrated form (ie poor distilling practices or making a highly concentrated applejack out of your cider). At cider/beer brewing concentrations they are safe.

 

[Darwin18]

Esters/Fusels are not dangerous to your health at the homebrewing scale. Fusels do tend to give me a headache though.

Esters are fruity (think banana/apple/grape) off-flavors that usually result from fermenting too high. What you're describing, nail polish, sounds more like fusels which are usually described as solvent-like. My experience is that fusels don't really ever go away but may fade a bit over time. Both esters and fusels are generally the result of fermenting at too high temperature which is sounds like you did. You can give it a few more weeks and see how it turns out, but my personal experience is that it doesn't improve significantly over time. It's not a fun lesson to learn!

 

[caseymac91]

It took a few weeks for the taste to go away, the smell is still there though.