Should I just throw this one out?

[shyanny]

I recently brewed a 5 gallon batch of Dogfish Head Indian Brown clone. I let it stay in secondary for about 3 weeks then bottle conditioned. Tried the first one after 2 weeks in the bottle and the flavor was that of strong solvent. I tried another one about a month later and had the same off taste. I am guessing the fermentation temps got way too high (mid 70's) for the Ringwood Ale yeast. Is it fusels that caused this off taste? The recipe has 8 oz of brown sugar and was wondering if that contributed as well? I have since gotten my fermentation temps under control with a fridge. Also will this solvent flavor subside over time or should i just throw this one out?

 

[Hammy71]

In my experience, it won't get any better with time. It's up to you.....but life is too short to drink bad beer.

 

[crbrown25]

I can't say i have experience with the Ringwood Ale or with that recipe, but definitely give it more time before you dump it. DFH IBA is a complex taste and may take several more weeks if not months until the flavors come together. Hard as it is, try to be patient. Try one every couple weeks to see if it mellows.

 

[duboman]

Unfortunately solvent like off flavors do not go away. They can be from a combination of high fermentation temps and oxidation. They can also be leached from PVC or cheap non food grade plastics and tubing.

Go back to your process and see what may have caused this, and of its still present when you same next it's time to toss it

 

[Woodyswoodchuck]

I agree, you should check your equipment. Solvent favors sound like leeching plastic to me. Give it some more time and see though

 

[shyanny]

All of my equipment is food grade. I'm quite sure there is no leaching issue here. I did read where the fusel isoamyl alcohol could yield a solvent like taste but i don't know if that is common. I'm still wondering if it has something to do with the brown sugar as i've never had this off taste before. But I have also never used the Ringwood Ale yeast. Man I hate to loose a batch! I'd like to chalk this up as a learning experience. Thanks for the input!

 

[Calder]

AI'm still wondering if it has something to do with the brown sugar as i've never had this off taste before.

8 ozs in a batch is very little. Should not be a problem.

 

[CBXBob]

I think the problem was caused by high fermentation temp. If ambient temps were mid 70's, the ferment temp was probably high 70's.
According to Revvy, you wait it out. Other than tying up bottles, what do you have to lose in waiting? I've got a Moose Drool clone that just keeps getting better as time passes.

 

[chumpsteak]

It's your ferm temps most likely coupled with underpitching. Your ferm temps need to be mid to high 60's and they need to be controlled. If the yeast get stressed they will release fusels and your beer will taste and smell like fingernail polish remover. I currently have about 30 bottles of paint thinner IPA that I've been sitting on for about 15 months that are getting more and more like straight gasoline the longer they sit. Dump the batch and move on. Do yourself a favor and get a swamp cooler system or build a fermentation chamber. Also use Mr.Malty to make sure you are pitching enough yeast for your SG. Good luck and move on.

 

[Johnnyhitch1]

really interesting. i just had to pour a 3 month old batch of a coconut brown that had the same solvent off taste i fermented with s-04 and had slighty high ferm temps as well as using 12 oz of brown sugar...i blammed it on the "cidery" taste from the ferment of the brown sugar at those high temps.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

You say ferm temps were too high, but what were the pitch temps?

 

[shyanny]

I pitched one Smack pack of the ringwood which if i remember correctly the temperature was close to 100 degrees the day it arrived. The pack never really swelled up after sitting about 4 hours. I wasnt making starters at the time so i pitched the yeast strait from the pack once my wort reached 75. I didnt see any activity in the airlock until about 48 hours later but once it got going man did it ever take off. I dont doubt that I way under pitched this recipe with my OG at 1.072. Not to mention the yeast was no doubt stressed from the beginning. I have begun making starters for every beer and recently set up a fridge for fermentation. These 2 things have dramatically improved my beers.

 

[unionrdr]

Def sounds like the yeast was stressed too much by the time you got it. A starter might've saved it.

 

[Darwin18]

Sounds like you could have really benefited from a starter (one pack for an imperial brown!?) and controlling your fermentation temps. I wouldn't suffer through the beer. Just dump it, learn from it, and use the lessons learned to brew another batch. It sucks, but it has happened to everyone at least once in this hobby.

 

[shyanny]

So i decided to use the beer as a base for a roast. Thanks for yalls input.