off taste please help

[armbartim]

I started my fourth batch of beer on saturday. I use plastic six gallon buckets as a fermenter and bottling buclet. I made an apa this time as i did befor using a kit from my local brew shop. Wed night i took a gravity reading since ffermentation jad stopped and tasted the beer is has a sharp bitter flavor. Any ideas why this would be?

 

[twistr25]

Give us a rundown of your recipe, temps, yeast, extract or AG, did you leave your lid on during the boil? One thing to note, if you just brewed it on Saturday, it's not done yet. It may be through primary fermentation but the yeast could use another week to clean themselves up which may take care of those flavors.

 

[two_one_seven]

Give us a rundown of your recipe, temps, yeast, extract or AG, did you leave your lid on during the boil? One thing to note, if you just brewed it on Saturday, it's not done yet. It may be through primary fermentation but the yeast could use another week to clean themselves up which may take care of those flavors.

THIS ^^

Just after intial visable fermentation is complete there is alot of Acetaldehyde left. This casues green apple flavors, also known as green beer. If you have ever taken a bite of a green apple you know what I am talking about, its very bitter. Give it another 7-10 days and let the yeast complete the process which is about way more than just the intial fermentation.

 

[cheezydemon3]

Bitter?

Oh, that would be hops.

 

[unionrdr]

Yup,only initial fermentation is done at this point. It'll now slowly,uneventfully creep down to FG. give it another 3-7 days after that to clean up by products of fermentation & settle out clear or slightly misty. Then prime & bottle.

 

[armbartim]

I used an.extract kit followed the directions. Lid off durring boil as i have everytime. I used an ice bath to cool the wort and pitched the yeast at 78° in my last three batches one of which was the same apa kit i tasted the beer at the same time
After a hydrometer reading...i guess im just thinking since the last three tasted good and the only difference this time was fermentation temp was a bit higher say around 78° due to the heat wave as opposed to 68-70° i expected a fruity flavor if anything this seams off but im a beginner

 

[unionrdr]

If you're topping off in the fermenter,try getting the wort chilled to about 75F. Then strain into fermenter to get out grainy gunk & aerate it. top off with water that's been in the fridge a day or two to get good & cold. That should bring your fermenter temp down to around 65F. 78F is too high for a fermenter temp. Ale yeasts generally like10-15 degrees cooler than 78F.

 

[cheezydemon3]

Wow, that was really hot to ferment.

Need to get a swamp cooler or other method of keeping cool.

 

[twistr25]

You may have some fusel alcohols in there as well that are giving it that off taste from the high ferm temp. At this point may not be a whole lot you can do since it's through the initial fermentation phase. May need a longer conditioning time to try to tame some of those flavors.

 

[armbartim]

So what im getting is no one is too sure what causes the off tast i get except maybe that fermebtation is incomplete....after reviewing my notes i notices that i have pitched the yeast aroubd 73° and let it sit and cool to room temp wich was 69° the past three times...my directions suggest keeping it warmer than 60 and cooler than 75 to prevent fermentation from occuring too rapidly could this be the source of the sharp bitter flavor or is it more likely that it got contaminated some how?

 

[two_one_seven]

It isn't a contamination. It is the hot temp and the fermentation will take longer to clean up. It will bounce back give it time. As others have said invest in temperature contol methods........thats where great beer is made.

 

[armbartim]

Ok ill wait and see i was not planning to bottle it for a week or two yet so ill see how it goes from there

 

[twistr25]

Extra time in primary may help, certainly taste it before bottling, as I'm sure you already do. But, it may need an extended conditioning time in the bottles to knock down any of the other flavors you still detect.

 

[smizak]

Extra primary time and conditioning will most likely not help. You fermented way hot.

Stop brewing until you get some temperature control. You will thank us.

 

[fgjnxhmhhu]

I started my fourth batch of beer on saturday.