My beer tastes like a skunk's buttocks

Really gross after 1 week in the primary and 3 in secondary. It tasted great when I racked it....now it is overly bitter with some astringency and grossness. To bottle or not to bottle?

My first ag brew tasted like skunk as well. Ended up putting it in 1 gal jugs and left it in the garage for over a year. We ran out of beer one brew day and decided to try it. It was great. You never know...

How the hell do you know what a skunk's buttocks taste like?...nevermind, I don't think I want to know.....thanks for making me spit my porter through my nose.

I vote bottle.

Time heals all brews.... so I've heard. I've never had a "bad" batch but all of mine have gotten better with age so I'd bottle and see what happens.

Great name for a beer
Skunk butt ale!!!!

Skunk's Buttocks interesting ..........

I'd let it sit a little bit longer in secondary and see if that clears up.

Did you overcrush the grains,did the mash ever get above 170? What kind of beer is it?
In three weeks you could be the beholder of a skunk buttock ale in the palm of your hand. Was it exposed to light?

Bottle. Store. You'll forget it's there after a few months. Go back to it then.

jonmohno said:

Did you overcrush the grains,did the mash ever get above 170? What kind of beer is it?
In three weeks you could be the beholder of a skunk buttock ale in the palm of your hand. Was it exposed to light?

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The grains seemed to have a pretty standard crush from the LBHS.....I didn't do a mash out but the grains did get hotter for the sparge....most likely above 170.


It's a pale ale:

Amount Item Type % or IBU
9.25 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 84.09 %
1.25 lb Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) Grain 11.36 %
0.25 lb Amber Malt (22.0 SRM) Grain 2.27 %
0.25 lb White Wheat Malt (2.4 SRM) Grain 2.27 %
0.50 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] (60 min) Hops 21.9 IBU
0.25 oz Centennial [10.00 %] (45 min) Hops 7.7 IBU
0.25 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] (30 min) Hops 5.5 IBU
0.25 oz Centennial [10.00 %] (30 min) Hops 6.5 IBU
0.25 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] (15 min) Hops 5.4 IBU
0.25 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] (10 min) Hops 2.6 IBU
0.25 oz Centennial [10.00 %] (5 min) Hops 1.7 IBU
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (1 min) Hops 0.8 IBU
1 Pkgs California Ale (White Labs #WLP001) Yeast-Ale


Mash was 60 min @ 155....a very vigorous fermentation too.

The sparge was, umm, hotter than that.

155 is a high mash and if you mashed out higher than 170 you will get some unwanted tannins

idigg said:

155 is a high mash and if you mashed out higher than 170 you will get some unwanted tannins

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155 is normal for a full body profile. 160+ is high.

Not tannic flavors....sour and very "off."

laterholmes said:

It's a pale ale:

Amount Item Type % or IBU
9.25 lb Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 84.09 %
1.25 lb Vienna Malt (3.5 SRM) Grain 11.36 %
0.25 lb Amber Malt (22.0 SRM) Grain 2.27 %
0.25 lb White Wheat Malt (2.4 SRM) Grain 2.27 %
1.00 lb Skunk Bottom (1.6 SRM)
0.50 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] (60 min) Hops 21.9 IBU
0.25 oz Centennial [10.00 %] (45 min) Hops 7.7 IBU
0.25 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] (30 min) Hops 5.5 IBU
0.25 oz Centennial [10.00 %] (30 min) Hops 6.5 IBU
0.25 oz Simcoe [13.00 %] (15 min) Hops 5.4 IBU
0.25 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] (10 min) Hops 2.6 IBU
0.25 oz Centennial [10.00 %] (5 min) Hops 1.7 IBU
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] (1 min) Hops 0.8 IBU
1 Pkgs California Ale (White Labs #WLP001) Yeast-Ale

Click to expand...

I think I found your problem.......

Well it happened again. Could this be a lacto infection?

SaltyTX said:

I think I found your problem.......

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Lmao!