Question about wyeast 3278 lambic blend

[sound_brew]

Long story short, I made a cranberry wheat ale with this yeast, but I definitely didn't let it ferment long enough. It spent a week in the primary and then just under 3 weeks in the secondary (like any other normal ale).

It has been in bottles for 2 weeks and tastes very medicinal. I probably fermented it too hot, and I didnt have a wort chiller at the time, so it also took forever to cool.

Is this beer a total write off? Should I even bother letting it age in the bottles. I got my recipe from my lbhs, and it didn't come with a specific fermentation schedule. Clearly due dilligence is required when getting fancy.

 

[vagabondat02]

Hmmm. I take it that you didn't start brewing sour beer on purpose. That beer is loaded with bacteria and wild yeast which will continue to eat "unfermentable" sugars for another six months to a year. If you leave it as is, you will have bottle bombs unless they're in Champagne bottles, and even then, it could happen eventually. What was the F.G.? The off flavors you are getting will probably age out, but the best thing you can do to save your batch is to gently pour it into a carboy, wait a year, and re-bottle. You should also know that all of the plastic equipment that came in contact with this batch could possibly be contaminated with bacteria. Sanitize the bejeezus out of all of it and cross your fingers, or go to the sour/wild brewing section of the forum and dive in!

 

[sound_brew]

FG was around 1.010

Thanks for the heads up - doubt I am going to save this batch. Too much work for something with such a strong phenolic off flavor.

 

[ABVIBUSRM]

Drink it fast.

 

[sound_brew]

tastes like bandaids (unused ones, thankfully)

 

[ABVIBUSRM]

tastes like bandaids (unused ones, thankfully)

sounds like phenols..did you use chlorinated water?

 

[sound_brew]

Our water is very soft and does not require treatment with campden. I have talked to a couple acquaintances that work or have worked for the city water supply who say the amount of chlorine added to the water is minuscule. It is from a closed reservoir and is primarily disinfected with UV light. I have not met a homebrewer yet that treats their water in any way.

 

[ABVIBUSRM]

Our water is very soft and does not require treatment with campden. I have talked to a couple acquaintances that work or have worked for the city water supply who say the amount of chlorine added to the water is minuscule. It is from a closed reservoir and is primarily disinfected with UV light. I have not met a homebrewer yet that treats their water in any way.

All i can say is next time you brew use bottled water or get your self a water filter and see if that water makes a difference..if the beer turns sour or vinegary you caught some bugs..but bandaid is phenols