Beer tasts like jet fuel

[Ardcore]

I just tasted my first all grain batch and it tasted like I was sucking on a gas can. Does anyone know what might have caused this?! If I had to take a guess I would say that I mashed pretty low on accident, causing my beer to be thinner with more alcohol. I am going to try a stout this weekend with a much higher mash temp, for the full body with less alcohol. Thanks for the help guys!

 

[Revvy]

How bout fermentation temps? What were they. Or did you make a high grav beer?

Can you post your recipe and pertinent info?

 

[Mysticmead]

How bout fermentation temps? What were they. Or did you make a high grav beer?

Can you post your recipe and pertinent info?

+1 and stop sucking on gas cans of jet fuel... it'll ruin your palette

 

[Ardcore]

Yeah I am at work, when I get home tonight I will post the receipe, it was the greenbelt pale ale from Austin homebrew. As far as fermentation temps, I keep it in my pantry at about 70 degrees. It was in the primary for about 2 1/2 weeks before bottling. I have done several extract and parshal mashes that did not have this result, so I am thinking that it is something that I did wrong with the mashing or lautering. Since all other factors were the same, 60 minute boil, same fermenting times and temps, etc. I could hardly taste the hops over the strong alcohol feel.

 

[Ardcore]

+1 and stop sucking on gas cans of jet fuel... it'll ruin your palette

Haha trust me it is not a pleasant taste!

 

[kpr121]

Yeah I am at work, when I get home tonight I will post the receipe, it was the greenbelt pale ale from Austin homebrew. As far as fermentation temps, I keep it in my pantry at about 70 degrees. It was in the primary for about 2 1/2 weeks before bottling. I have done several extract and parshal mashes that did not have this result, so I am thinking that it is something that I did wrong with the mashing or lautering. Since all other factors were the same, 60 minute boil, same fermenting times and temps, etc. I could hardly taste the hops over the strong alcohol feel.

Too early to bottling, and maybe a bit too warm depending on what yeast you used. How long has it been in the bottle? I am guessing that with time this beer should turn out at least drinkable.

 

[Special Hops]

Chlorine in your tap-water perhaps?

 

[BenS]

I had this happen once. I figured out that I way underpitched on accident. After 3 months in the bottle, the taste faded and left quite a good strong scottish ale.

 

[Ardcore]

Yeah I am not planning on throwing it out. I am hoping that it will get a little bit more drinkable as time goes. It has only been in the bottle for about 3 weeks. I just got a little bummed since it was my first all grain and it did not come out to well. I will definitely give it some more time. I don't think it is the chlorine since I have used the same water in the past for my partial mash and extract brews, and they all came out pretty good. It has been a little bit warmer here than usual, and it was the first time I had used liquid yeast. It was one of those smack packs where you break the inner bag with the nutrients in it. Who knows, but I will post the ingredients and what I did tonight when I get home. Thanks for all the good suggestions.

 

[Revvy]

Yeah I am not planning on throwing it out. I am hoping that it will get a little bit more drinkable as time goes. It has only been in the bottle for about 3 weeks. I just got a little bummed since it was my first all grain and it did not come out to well. I will definitely give it some more time. I don't think it is the chlorine since I have used the same water in the past for my partial mash and extract brews, and they all came out pretty good. It has been a little bit warmer here than usual, and it was the first time I had used liquid yeast. It was one of those smack packs where you break the inner bag with the nutrients in it. Who knows, but I will post the ingredients and what I did tonight when I get home. Thanks for all the good suggestions.

Oh yeah, just put it aside. I've had rocket fuel beers need months if not a couple years to mellow out. Heck I intentionally brewed an og 1.150 150 IBU barleywine to age for 5 years.

 

[remilard]

My guess is that the greenbelt yeast does not perform as well at 70 ambient as the other yeasts you have used. I would either find a way to ferment cooler, or go back to the yeasts that have worked well for you in your current process.

 

[Ardcore]

ok here is the recipe I used:

-10.25 lbs of 2 row pale malt
-1.00 lb of crystal malt 80L
*Mash for 60 minutes @ about 145 degrees
(I had a really hard time with getting the heat up on my mash water. That will not happen again.)
*I then fly sparged at 170 degrees for about 45 minutes
*Then boiled 6 1/2 gallons of wort for 60 minutes
-hop schedule
*1.25 oz of chinhook for 60 min
*.25 oz of chinhook for 15 min
*.50 oz of amarillo gold for 15 min
*.50 oz of simcoe for 15 min
*.50 oz of chinhook for the last 5 min
-Cooled the beer to approx 70 degrees
-Pitched the yeast into the carboy (no starter)
-Let beer sit in primary for approx. 3 weeks
-bottle conditioned for approx 3 weeks

=Jet Fuel

 

[BARBQ]

good luck buddy. I would love for my beer to tast like jet fuel at this point.

Ive made 3x batches of all grain so far and they all taste like crap.

 

[Ardcore]

good luck buddy. I would love for my beer to tast like jet fuel at this point.

Ive made 3x batches of all grain so far and they all taste like crap.

Man that is horrible to hear, I am sorry to hear that. I am doing a stout on Saturday I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it will come out better. Do you have any ideas on why it would e coming out bad?

 

[Gitana]

I'm new at this myself, but from what I've read I understand they need to know the specific yeast you used to be able to help you. Whether your temps might be the culprit or not depends on that.

 

[Ardcore]

I'm new at this myself, but from what I've read I understand they need to know the specific yeast you used to be able to help you. Whether your temps might be the culprit or not depends on that.

Here is the definition from Austin Homebrew where I got it.

Wyeast Labs has partnered with Austin Homebrew Supply to release a previously unavailable yeast strain called Greenbelt.

Greenbelt is an American ale strain that complements hop-driven beers with fruity and floral aromas. Good attenuation and high flocculation characteristics make Greenbelt clean and versatile.

The name Greenbelt was chosen in honor of the Barton Creek Greenbelt, a popular stretch of public land in Austin, TX consisting of numerous hiking trails and natural swimming holes.

Attenuation: 74-78%
Flocculation: High
Optimum Fermentation Temperature: 65-72 F (18-22 C)
Alcohol Tolerance: 10% ABV

 

[Rippt530]

Wyeast Labs has partnered with Austin Homebrew Supply to release a previously unavailable yeast strain called Greenbelt.

Greenbelt is an American ale strain that complements hop-driven beers with fruity and floral aromas. Good attenuation and high flocculation characteristics make Greenbelt clean and versatile.

Ok that sounds like an awesome strain of yeast. I wish we could get something that cool up here near Philadelphia. Something with some pine tree or maple characters designed for use with our hard water (high limestone/calcium).

 

[Special Hops]

I don't think it is the chlorine since I have used the same water in the past for my partial mash and extract brews, and they all came out pretty good.

Chlorine does weird things to the mash that do not impact extract batches. I had a similar issue on my first AG after using straight tap water in all my extract batches. A guy at our brewclub suggested treating the water with campden tablets. Have not had this issue since then.

 

[ayoungrad]

Sounds like it could definitely be your fermentation temps. Fusel alcohols form at higher temps. As a rule, aiming for the lower end of the tolerated yeast temps is a good idea. Also, fermentation is exothermic. So add at least a few degrees to the ambient to get a true idea of the yeast fermentation temp. This already slightly pushes you slightly over the edge. Not to mention that you need to consider the highest temp throughout the day because the yeast will be exposed to that temp as well. I bet a pantry increases in temp throughout the day.

Not sure if it is your problem (assuming that jet fuel is an accurate description of the taste) but, regarding chlorine/chloramine... Definitely use campden if your brewing water is treated with chloramine. Chlorine will go away sitting overnight, chloramine will not. One campden tablet will treat 20 gallons of water for chloramine. I add campden while heating water and keep the lid off. But, my bet is that the problem is your fermentation temp.

 

[ayoungrad]

Also a mash temp of 145 is low (as you mentioned). I would think you'd end up with fairly poor conversion and a "starchy" beer just from this (unless you mashed for much longer).

 

[knotquiteawake]

My favorite beer i've brewed is the AHS Greenbelt Pale Ale. I did the PM version. I pretty much hit the target OG and FG, and I fermented around 62-68 (slowly getting warmer). I let it sit in primary for 3.5-4weeks. Then racked it to a keg, force carbed it quickly, and started drinking it. The first couple pulls were kind of hard because of hop particles but it really balanced out nicely. Very hop forward, very IPA tasting. Hopefully yours mellows out some more soon.

 

[Mysticmead]

sounds like a high fermentation temp. 70 ambient plus the heat produced by fermentation would put you over the max listed for the yeast. I've gotten the rocket fuel taste before in mead's when they fermented on the high side. that's one reason I leave mine in the primary for a month or longer after fermentation ceases. it lets the yeast do a lot of cleanup work. you also under pitched the yeast. next time make a starter

 

[Ardcore]

Thanks everyone for the great replies. I am definitely going to use the campden tablets as well as try and hit the mash at a higher temp. I will also maybe try and ferment somewhere outside of the pantry that is open to more cool air flow. Hopefully between these three things I will make a better beer this weekend. I will also let the pale ale sit for about a month and try it again hopefully it will mellow out, and turn into a nice beer. Its nice to have such a wonderful resource like this to pull everyone thoughts and ideas. Hopefully I can return the favor on a later thread!