Stout smells like Soy Sauce??

[kozydogg]

Ok, so I've brewed many stouts and twice now I've had two different people tell me it smells like soy sauce. The first time it was my friend (he smelled it pre-bottling) and the second time was my sister (she smelled it post-bottled, in the glass).

Now, I've never thought it smells or tastes like soy sauce (def. doesn't taste like it), but i guess if you mention it, and concentrate on it, it might smell a little like soy sauce.

Anyone get this before? Here's the grain bill i usually use for my stouts:

2-row
roasted barely
british choc
ger. smoked
de-bittered black

wlp 004

any ideas? Or are they just inexperienced beer drinkers relating what they smell to the only thing they can describe it as?

oh, and i dry-hopped the stouts they smelt w/cascades. Maybe the combo of roast and citrus gives a soy sauce smell....?

 

[jarod7736]

My wife told me that my latest (and first) attempt at a stout smells like soy sauce. I just kegged it and she said it tastes slightly like it too.

 

[jarod7736]

I think it's just young and it will fade with age.

 

[mcarb]

I'd say that the smoked malt is probably causing a bit of that.

 

[passedpawn]

I had an old stout once (24 yrs old!) that tasted like soy sauce. I'd call it severe oxidation. Might not apply to your situation.

 

[winvarin]

I'd say that the smoked malt is probably causing a bit of that.

+1. I made a smoked porter earlier this year that had an aroma I couldn't quite put my finger on. I wasn't sure I would like the smoked malt so I used a small amount of it (about 6 ounces in a 10-ish pound grain bill).

I was a little disappointed with the beer for 3 reasons:

1. I didn't get an assertive smoked character due to the small amount of smoked malt used.

2. There was something out of place in the aroma and flavor of the beer. Now that I see this thread, soy sauce fits with what I was tasting/smelling.

3. I like hoppy porters and the smoked malt really muted the hops.

Depending on how much smoked malt you used, that could very well be what people are picking up. I like to have non-brewers give me feedback on my beers. They tend to break things down into much simpler concepts than I do. While I am rolling a beer around on my tongue trying to pick out each individual hop, my wife simply says, "Ohh. I like that! It tastes like grapefruit."

 

[DKershner]

Depending on how much smoked malt you used, that could very well be what people are picking up.

+1. I think Rauchbiers smell like soy sauce. I also think they taste like cigars. I do not have any other household products that they compare to, though.

 

[kozydogg]

Thanks guys! That prob explains it. I brew almost all my stouts with some smoked malt (i like the complexity it brings), but I rarely use it in anything else. Hence, why it is only being detected in my stouts.

I like the charcacter it gives, but I guess I'll tone it down to about 5 oz. next time. (I used .5 lb in my last one..)

 

[DKershner]

I like the charcacter it gives, but I guess I'll tone it down to about 5 oz. next time. (I used .5 lb in my last one..)

If you like it, use more not less. Who doesn't like the smell of soy sauce?

 

[kozydogg]

If you like it, use more not less. Who doesn't like the smell of soy sauce?

haha well .5 lb is the most i've used in a stout, and though I like it, .5 lb is the most i'd ever use. So I think I'll tone it down just enough to still get that subtle complexity, and hopefully get rid of that soy sauce smell as well.

 

[pkpdogg]

I'm guessing you just need to age it. I have tried quite a few commercial imperial stouts that were not smoked and had that soy sauce smell/taste ... many of those from whom I consider the best stout brewers out there (Mikkeller for one). I also brewed an imperial stout that tasted like soy sauce for several months. All it took was time, and that flavor disappeared (took over a year for the Mikkeller Black).

 

[DrawTap88]

BYO 1554 Clone

I just brewed this two days ago and while mashing and boiling I thought this smelled like soy sauce. Maybe it's not the smoked malt that's making it taste and/or smell saucey.

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

I've tasted/smelled soy sauce-ish flavors/aromas in beers before. I associated it with kettle-caramelization but that was just a guess.

Letting the beer warm really brings it out imo.

 

[kozydogg]

I've tasted/smelled soy sauce-ish flavors/aromas in beers before. I associated it with kettle-caramelization but that was just a guess.

Letting the beer warm really brings it out imo.

I agree about it warming. Also, when my stout warms the smoked malt becomes much more pronounced. Maybe there's a correlation...