At Whits end - slight apricot flavor in everything I brew

[duck911]

The title says it all.

Every beer I brew has a slight apricot flavor.

Ales, pilsners, and lagers. It doesn't matter.

I can tell you what is NOT the culprit:

Water: I have used tap water, bottled water, etc. No impact.
Yeast: I have used ale and pilsner yeasts at all different temps. No impact
Beer lines: The flavor exists from bottles (test batch for this reason) and kegs. So it's not my keg lines.
LME: I use LME from my local brewshop, but also brew plenty of batches from AHS and other on-line retailers, including partial mash.

Here are the constants:

1) I rotate fermentation in 2 or 3 different *plastic* buckets
2) I partial boil the LME on an electric stove (but again, also do partial mash batches)
3) I use Starsan for all sanitation

Right now, I suspect Starsan is the culprit. I know, don't fear the foam..... But I brewed for years using iodine based sanitizers and never remember hearing the complaints. Since I started using Starsan a couple years ago, I get these complaints. I guess a non-Starsan batch will be my next control test....

But does anyone have any ideas??

thanks,

--Duck911

 

[drainbamage]

I've done StarSan-only sanitizing for years and never had apricot flavors pop up. Not saying I speak for everyone, but it sounds like something else is the culprit.

What about fermentation temperature?

 

[duck911]

I've done StarSan-only sanitizing for years and never had apricot flavors pop up. Not saying I speak for everyone, but it sounds like something else is the culprit.

What about fermentation temperature?

Thanks for the reply!

I brew at multiple temps, including pilsners and lagers in a temp-controlled freezer, ales in basement and room temps, etc. So, I doubt that's it...

I let my lab lick the spoon I stir the wort with - maybe that's it?

 

[drainbamage]

Hmm...does your lab eat a lot of apricots?

Hopefully someone else will chime in. I'm out of ideas right now.

 

[tgmartin000]

Do you pitch an appropriate amount of yeast and oxygenate properly? Some recipes would help.

 

[plainbrad]

Fruity aromas and flavor are often signs of yeast strain. You might be under pitching. But I'm going to guess that it is temp. If fermented too warm there are all sorts of off aromas from fruit (apricot in your case) to solvent.

So, temperature would be my guess.

 

[grathan]

Are you still using the sportsman's water jug to cold crash everything?

 

[patthebrewer]

Are you using esthery yeast strains? Are you under pitching?........is it all in your head? Have someone else try your beer, don't tell them about the potential off flavor, and have them describe the flavor they experience.


Actually apricot would be a good flavor in a wit.

All else failing.....you could embrace it and brew only lambics wit's and wheats.