Tasted newly kegged beer.....

[BriarwoodBrewer]

I sampled a newly kegged mexican beer today. It sat in the ferm for over three weeks FG was perfect and clarity is great. I am in the process of carbing (got it cold, 25psi, rolled around). I know it shouldn't be carbed yet, but had to taste...it tasted sweet, a tad like apples???? Does it need to sit in the keg awhile to improve taste? What am I doing wrong????

 

[ksbrain]

According to the wiki, cold conditioning should cure your issue.

 

[BriarwoodBrewer]

How long should I let it "cold condition"?

 

[binaryc0de]

Was it a Ale or a Lager? An apple like taste can be either due to a high amount of refined sugars (like cane or corn sugar) in the wort or can be due to the ester production of the yeast used. You could also be tasting a very young beer and it needs time to mature. If I'm kegging a brew I usually use the set-it-and-forget-it approach. which is to set the psi (according to the temp) to achieve the desired carbonation level for the style and let it set at least a week before I touch it at all. I taste it and if I think it needs longer I wait another week ect...

 

[BriarwoodBrewer]

Was it a Ale or a Lager? An apple like taste can be either due to a high amount of refined sugars (like cane or corn sugar) in the wort or can be due to the ester production of the yeast used. You could also be tasting a very young beer and it needs time to mature. If I'm kegging a brew I usually use the set-it-and-forget-it approach. which is to set the psi (according to the temp) to achieve the desired carbonation level for the style and let it set at least a week before I touch it at all. I taste it and if I think it needs longer I wait another week ect...

It is a Coopers Mexican Beer kit. I was trying to ease back into brewing. I followed the directions, but I let it sit for over 3 weeks.

 

[mattd2]

The 3 weeks shouldn't be a worry, what temp did it ferment at?

 

[BriarwoodBrewer]

The 3 weeks shouldn't be a worry, what temp did it ferment at?

It was a little high. It was still cool out when I first started this batch and I had it in a spare bedroom instead of my basement, but it soon got warm out. I would say average temp was 75.

 

[binaryc0de]

At that temp the yeast probably produced esters that gave the beer the apple taste. Someone else may have to chime in but that taste may fade over time.

 

[LyonsViper27]

Coopers Mexican Beer kit ask for 1kg corn sugar. did you use malt extract? if you didnt the large amount of corn sugar will give you an apple flavor.

 

[Pommy]

From memory when I made this kit it smelt like cr@p (litterally) in the fermenter even around 65F (not sure if they use a true lager yeast in these kits) and once it was carbonated it was pretty bad for a while. This was back when I first started and we used to drink the brews quite early. By the time we got half way through this one after about a month in bottle it suddenly turned and ended up being one of the better kits Ive had. Just give it time and it should sort itself out. 75F is a high temp but with extended conditioning it will sort itself out fine. My advice is to use the approach of trying it each week until you think its ready. You will be glad you waited. RDWHAHB

 

[BriarwoodBrewer]

Is it ok to leave at serving temp (cold conditioning)? Or do I need to put back at room temp? It is about 35-37 degrees now.

 

[BriarwoodBrewer]

I used sugar, not malt....I will let it sit for a while. I will let you know how it turns out. I've started brewing partial kits now and stopped adding all the sugar in the wort. It would be nice to have something to drink....

 

[eddie]

Is it ok to leave at serving temp (cold conditioning)? Or do I need to put back at room temp? It is about 35-37 degrees now.

You can leave it in the cold if you want. Won't hurt anything.

 

[devilishprune]

I read somewhere that the appley flavor is from acetaldehyde. I am pretty sure that I read that it will dissipate over time while the beer matures.

Oh wait, here it is

http://www.howtobrew.com/section4/chapter21-2.html

Hope that helps. Basically the golden rule of brewing applies here: Wait until it's ready, then wait three weeks.

 

[JayD]

what does this mean "in the process of carbing". What is carbing?

Thanks!!!

 

[olathecat]

So the consensus is "let it sit?"

 

[BriarwoodBrewer]

what does this mean "in the process of carbing". What is carbing?

Thanks!!!

I keg my beer and you apply C02 to the keg and let it sit until ready to drink.

 

[BriarwoodBrewer]

I read somewhere that the appley flavor is from acetaldehyde. I am pretty sure that I read that it will dissipate over time while the beer matures.

Oh wait, here it is

http://www.howtobrew.com/section4/chapter21-2.html

Hope that helps. Basically the golden rule of brewing applies here: Wait until it's ready, then wait three weeks.

NICE! A lot of great info here....

 

[binaryc0de]

what does this mean "in the process of carbing". What is carbing?

Thanks!!!

I think BriarwoodBrewer already answered this but I thought I'd chime in. Carbing is slang around here for waiting for the beer to carbonate with C02. This can be done by force carbonation with a keg or priming sugar and yeast in bottles.

 

[Kbho68]

Was it a Ale or a Lager? An apple like taste can be either due to a high amount of refined sugars (like cane or corn sugar) in the wort or can be due to the ester production of the yeast used. You could also be tasting a very young beer and it needs time to mature. If I'm kegging a brew I usually use the set-it-and-forget-it approach. which is to set the psi (according to the temp) to achieve the desired carbonation level for the style and let it set at least a week before I touch it at all. I taste it and if I think it needs longer I wait another week ect...

When you let a beer sit, is it only connected to the CO2, or do you leave it connected to the beer line as well?

 

[binaryc0de]

I connect both the beer line and the C02 to the keg while it sits (so I can pour taste testers every few days), but that's just me. You could just connect the C02 line and not connect the beer line I don't think it matters either way though. You would just need to set the regulator to the PSI needed to get the carbonation level you're after.