Strange flavor after cold crash

[unfairbeef]

I have a strange issue for which I am looking to get some advice. I have a batch of Irish Red (extract) that I just brewed and bottled. Three weeks in a primary, two weeks in bottles. If I throw a few in the fridge and drink them that night, they taste absolutely incredible. If I leave them in the fridge for a couple days, they seem to develop an off flavor. They taste 'hot', boozy hot. I just don't understand it. Anyone have any ideas? Thanks in advance!

Happy brewing!

 

[LansingX]

Not knowing the temp that your fridge is set at it is hard to say, however an Irish Red should be served around 50-55 degrees F. Drinking from a bottle versus a glass can cause a perceived difference as well. Pour it into a pint glass at 50°F and let it rest for a bit and I think you will be pleased every time. Typical fridge's cool around 36-40°F and that may explain the issue you are having. Beer may be getting too cool for the style after an extended stay in the fridge.

 

[taxigringo]

I've had a mysterious problem with my last three batches. Some of the bottles came out OK while others came out with an off taste. Today I reasoned that before the high temperatures of summer I would turn off the house ventilation system during brewing and bottling. During the high temperatures of the last three brews I didn't do this. It is likely that high mold from high humidity caused some of the bottles to get an airborne infection during bottling. It may be the same with your beer where it might be coincidental that the off taste is associated with the cold crash. We get a lot more airborne stuff during summer here in south Texas.

 

[unfairbeef]

I am very inclined to believe you, LansingX. My brother and I performed a small experiment last night. I wanted to make sure that it wasn't just me and my taste buds. So we took a few of the warm bottles and stuck them in the fridge with the others that had been there for a few days. First we drank one that had been in the fridge. We were both able to identify the off flavor but noticed that it was a bit less pronounced than it was before. We chalked this up to us having had several pints of the Imperial Australian IPA I have on tap right now, beforehand. Then we had one of the beers that had only been in the fridge for a bit (note that I could tell they were not as cool as the fridge) and the freshly cooled beers were amazing. Just as I had expected. As to the airborne infection theory, I absolutely see where you are coming from and I would believe that in a heartbeat if I hadn't have encountered this taste with such absolute predictability. This is not to say that I won't be turning off the climate control from now on whilst beer is in a vulnerable state... The temp of the fridge is 3.4c (~38f). I measure just about everything with this. I plan to use it to monitor the temp of my fermentations. I have had it (the probe only) under water for over a week with no issues. I have had it in my freezer, fridge, sitting out and in beers. For ~$2.50, you just just can't beat 'em. Anyway, I will try to remember to post any findings back here. I just have to figure out what it is that makes an amazing beer and a so-so beer in the same shot and so far, only takes temp to make the difference.

Happy Brewing!

 

[taxigringo]

I believe that the infections on my beers were airborne as I used good sanitation proceedures, and my beers had things in the bottles which looked like small boogers. This is in two different batches. I've conditioned the bottles for over a month and the taste is not bad now.

BUT, on further research I think that I had a dual problem. The tap water is over 70 degrees in the summer time here which resulted in my pitching the yeast at too high a wort temperature. This will cause the yeast to mutiply and become very agressive producing undesirable chemicals in the beer of which acetone and methyl alcohol might be two along with fusel alcohols.

We brew and learn, sometimes the hard way

 

[unfairbeef]

The tap water is over 70 degrees in the summer time here which resulted in my pitching the yeast at too high a wort temperature. This will cause the yeast to mutiply and become very agressive producing undesirable chemicals in the beer of which acetone and methyl alcohol might be two along with fusel alcohols.

We brew and learn, sometimes the hard way

Thank you for mentioning this as I have clean thin lava running through my plumbing, too. I did not know exactly what happens when you pitch hot. Damn Texas.

 

[rgarry]

I use the brew cool since I live in FL and our tap is 82 F. I use wort chiller. Then put in cooler with ice and pitch in a couple of hours. I need to do that for about 7 months.