Solvent aroma/flavour from overpitching?

[shawnduthie]

I have had a new system and have done about 12 brews - all of which have turned out fantastic. Until today.

I made a 'biltong beer' - basically a smoked beer with some coriander added to the boil to give it a taste like a dried meat (similar to jerky) which is popular here in South Africa.

I brewed 40L, which was split into two 20L batches and I added two packets of S-05 too each 20L batch.When I tasted the beer today, it had only fermented down to 1.020 and it had a solventy/alcohol aroma and was quite dry (close to astringent, but not quite sucking on a tea bag).

I don't know what happened to this beer, considering all the others turned out fine. What is the main cause of a solvent/alcohol aroma and flavour? Did overpitching the yeast have something to do with this?

 

[C-Rider]

I think it's related to fermenting temp being two high. You are in winter now, but what temp did you ferment at?

 

[shawnduthie]

We have been keeping it in a spare bathroom - supposedly hovers around 18C. All of the other beers have been fine, but there could be a possibility that we had a hotter day than usual and it put it up into the 20s...

 

[C-Rider]

We have been keeping it in a spare bathroom - supposedly hovers around 18C. All of the other beers have been fine, but there could be a possibility that we had a hotter day than usual and it put it up into the 20s...

Then you have to add the heat caused by fermentation. That's 4*F higher and could make a diff when adding fermentation heat, could bring you up another 8*F. Sorry but I have a hard time w/metric. I have to keep googling a chart. LOL

 

[shawnduthie]

I have to do the same thing with farenheit and gallons!

 

[Smellyglove]

I know I suck in math. But according to fermentis you should pitch 50-80g pr 100L.

So if we take the low end: 50g/100L= 0.5g per litre. 0.5g x 20L = 10g.

One pack of safale is 11.5g.

So, you didn't overpitch. You might want to look for another cause.

*Edit: TWO packets into each fermentor, right! That's overpitching yes