Please help me figure out what went wrong

[chemnitz]

15 days ago I brewed a batch of Belgian pale ale. Today I took a hydrometer sample to see if it was ready to bottle. Tasting the sample, I could tell that something was definitely wrong with this batch. However, I can't quite put my finger on it, so I was hoping that you guys could help. What is the source of this problem, and how do I fix it or prevent it in the future?

The aroma is unpleasant, which surprised me because it gave off some nice Belgian-ish scents as it was fermenting. I can't quite find the right word, but the nearest I can think is that it smells like rubber. The problem comes through in the flavor to--a distinct but hard-to-describe, bitter, rubbery funk. Otherwise, I can tell that there is a decent beer underneath the flaw, though perhaps a bit thin. It is not so strong to be completely repulsive; I was able to finish the sample just fine. But I wouldn't want to drink it as-is.

This was an all-grain batch, that I made according to my regular process that has worked the last three times. I didn't have a wort-chiller available for this brew, so it did take a couple hours to cool to pitching temperatures. The original gravity was 1.048, and it has now reached 1.011--about what I expected. The yeast was washed from a previous batch, and I have been successful with it twice before. It was originally cultured from a bottle of Chimay, and the temperature in the cellar (where the fermenter is) has stayed consistently in the 64-70 degree range. At first, I thought it might have to do with the orange peel that I added in the last 10 minutes of the boil, but it doesn't taste pithy to me. Let me know if there's any other data that might be relevant in diagnosing this.

So, what should I do? Leave it in the primary for longer? Move it to secondary? Bottle it and wait? Throw the whole stinkin' lot of it away? I've never dumped a batch before, and it is painful that this might be my first.

Thanks for the help.

 

[goose1873]

you seem to be organized...if the orange peel you added was not zest only (included white part of rind) it will impart a strong bitter taste (kind of nasty). The only other thing I can think of is esters from a high temp. Although ambient temp was 65-70F you have to figure the beer fermented in the 70's b/c of the exothermic reaction of fermentation. This could cause fusel alcohols and esters that have a "off-flavor" but usually bananas...

I think you need to be careful not to get white pith in the zest...second ferment a little lower...

--cheers

 

[chemnitz]

Thanks for the reply. I should have specified that I only used the orange-colored zest, and I don't think that there was any white on it.

 

[goose1873]

also -- Don't toss it! when in doubt, give it a week or 2 to clean up then bottle...if its tough to drink, add lemon juice and it will ease the pain I have had a few batches that have needed a little help

--cheers

 

[goose1873]

I just got your post...not sure (barring an infection) what it could be...I rarely use fruit in beer so maybe someone w/ more experience will chime in...

--good luck

 

[chemnitz]

So, if I'm going to wait and see if this improves, how is the best way to do that? Leave in primary? Move to secondary? Bottle? Lager?

That leads to a more general question: what kinds of flaws fade with age and what kinds don't?

Also, I thought of one more possible cause of this problem. I had much lower boil-off than anticipated. This leads me to believe that the boil wasn't vigorous enough. Could an off-flavor like this be created by a weak boil?

 

[Homercidal]

15 days old? It might be caused by the yeast still working. Some yeasts, and I believe especially Belgian yeasts, can create sulpher-like aromas at certain stages in the fermentation process. I'd let it ride and see what happens. If you only have it in the primary for 2 weeks, let it sit for 2 more. You "may" want to move to secondary after that if it still has not cleared up. Or move to secondary now, your choice. But if the yeasts still need to finish clearing up the off-flavor, then keeping on primary might be best.

Did you notice this in any of the previous batches using that yeast, at this point in the fermentation process?

 

[goose1873]

beer conditions faster at a warmer temp (unless its a lager) so i would bulk age in primary or secondary for another 2 weeks at fermentation temps (low end if possible)...

off-flavors will mellow out with bulk conditioning (some will go away completely)...Trust me time will help

I doubt the slow boil was the culprit unless it was not rolling at all...if that was the case you may have burnt the wort and are tasting the burnt flavors. Was there a dark spot in the bottom of the pot?

 

[chemnitz]

I have not had any off-flavors with this yeast at this stage before. The fermentation temperatures have been about 2-4 degrees higher, so that may have changed some things.

The boil was rolling, just not intensely. I didn't see any dark spots.

I'm going to give the yeast some more time and hope that they fix things. Is there anything I can do to help them along, such as adding yeast nutrient, rousing the yeast by gentle shaking, or changing the ambient temperature? My knowledge of yeast is still somewhat limited. Thanks.

 

[goose1873]

I would just leave it alone...do nothing.

 

[isleofman]

do you us bleach as your sanitizer?

 

[chemnitz]

I use One-Step cleanser as my sanitizer. However, I did soak the fermenting bucket with a bleach solution after its previous use, though I rinsed it thoroughly, let it dry out for a week, and then cleaned it again with One-Step before use. Why do you ask about bleach?

 

[smizak]

My Belgians taste very bland and sorta off when I sample them out of the fermenter. Bottle it up, the carbonation really opens up a Belgian style beer, I bet it will be fine. I've got a Tripel in the fermenter now that is giving off all kinds of sulfury, sour, skunky smells. Just the yeast cleaning up.

 

[mummasan]

Leave it alone. Do nothing to it. Drink good beer from the grocery store while it sits.

 

[isleofman]

"Medicinal -
These flavors are often described as mediciney, Band-Aid™ like, or can be spicy like cloves. The cause are various phenols which are initially produced by the yeast. Chlorophenols result from the reaction of chlorine-based sanitizers (bleach) with phenol compounds and have very low taste thresholds. Rinsing with boiled water after sanitizing is the best way to prevent these flavors."

though it does sound like you were very careful cleaning off the bleach you used

 

[chemnitz]

I thought I'd pick up this thread again to tell how things turned out.

The batch didn't work out. I waited for a few more weeks and then bottled. Then, I tasted one--not good. I waited longer and tasted another--still not good. It's now been a couple of months in the bottle, and I think that this one is a goner.

The flavor is quite sour, and the nose is funky. It must be bacteria. It actually is almost drinkable, if you don't think of it as beer. Maybe if I blended it with something else, it could even be good. But--alas--I don't feel like throwing good beer after bad.

One quick question: what do you do with bad beer? Can you throw it in your garden? Compost pile? Frat party? Biohazard container? I'll take any suggestions you've got.