VVbrewery
Well-Known Member
Brewed a German Pils my first lager. I know Imperial yeasts are supposed have enough cells to direct pitch but I figured this being a lager I'd make a 2 liter starter. It was on the stir plate about 24 hours and then cold crashed overnight, decanted and pitched with the wort at 57º. Fermentation was at 54º (Imperial says 50-60), vigorous and was at estimated FG in about 8 days. I then raised the temp to 65º for 5 days, cold crashed and kegged. It is slightly cloudy (I did forget the Whirfloc) and has this very noticeable strange kind of sweet off taste and smell. I'm not familiar with off tastes in beer so I'm not sure what this is and I've never had it in any of my ales. I put the keg back in the chest freezer at 65º for a week with the hopes it might give the yeast a chance to clean it up and that seems to have helped a bit just going by the smell. I've lagering it at 35º now for over 2 weeks but haven't had the chance to test it again.
I'm sure the off taste came from fermentation because there was no sign of it in the wort. Could I have over pitched by making the starter? Bad technique? Wrong fermentation temps?
I'm sure the off taste came from fermentation because there was no sign of it in the wort. Could I have over pitched by making the starter? Bad technique? Wrong fermentation temps?