Bottle Conditioning Questions

[BDRJ]

I know what you are thinking, "Hey look another bottle conditioning post, my lucky day!" and before you ask, yes I have read a bunch of the other posts on the subject.

I think I know the answer to this but wouldn't mind another opinion on the matter.

To give a little background,I have brewed and bottled my 3rd batch of beer last week, a Coopers Canadian Blonde using exactly what the can asked for, a Coopers brew enhancer and that is it.

I bottled on the 28th and have kept my bottles inside a cupboard in my basement. It was not until yesterday that I went out and bought a digital thermometer and placed it inside the cupboard and when I checked on it this afternoon it read 16.5 C (61 F)

Now I have kept my other batches in the same place and both previous batches (first being a Coopers Wheat and the second a Coopers Cerveza) have had a bit of a cider/white wine taste. One friend described it as a champagne taste.

Now my questions would be, is that too cold to condition the bottles?

If it is I do have another closet upstairs that Is closer to 20-21C would that work?

If it is ok at that temp but would only require me to wait longer I am ok with that, but I wanted to get other opinions.

Thank you all in advance for your advice

 

[kev211]

It is probably a little too cool, but I cant imagine why it would cause any sort of issues. Like you mentioned, it will probably just take longer to carb. I would recommend that you do move them upstairs. 70 degrees (F) is perfect for carbing a beer, so if you can manage that, do it

 

[BDRJ]

I managed to move them upstairs where the temp looks to be 19-20.
I think I will leave them for at least a month just to be sure.

I am wondering if the lower temp has had anything to do with the cider/wine tastes.

 

[kev211]

I managed to move them upstairs where the temp looks to be 19-20.
I think I will leave them for at least a month just to be sure.

I am wondering if the lower temp has had anything to do with the cider/wine tastes.

Probably not. Granted, bottle conditioning relies on active fermentation but its such a small process that any off flavors should be negligible. Any sort of perceived off flavor (cidery/wine) was likely a cause of something during fermentation AND/OR your process. Did you keep your ferm temps in check? What yeast were you using?

 

[BDRJ]

I used the Coopers yeast it came with and the temp during fermenting was at 21C for the first day, and then 18C all the way till day 14

 

[kev211]

Did you use corn sugar in the brewing process? If so, how much? Cuz I know excess amounts of corn sugar can cause Acetaldehyde which is known to have a cidery/wine taste

 

[BDRJ]

I did use the recommended dextrose amounts for both batches of the wheat and cerveza.
Both batches sat at 18C for a good while until I bottled.

 

[kev211]

I did use the recommended dextrose amounts for both batches of the wheat and cerveza.
Both batches sat at 18C for a good while until I bottled.

What was the amount recommended for the "Cidery Beer" and what was the batch size?

 

[BDRJ]

Both batches were 5 gal batches.

The wheat called for 500g of DME and 300g of dextrose.
The cerveza calls for 1kg of brew enhancer 2 which is (500g Dex, 250g LDM, 250g maltodextrin)

I have noticed that the taste has got better on the cerveza coming up to week 3 now.

The wheat was better with an orange and did not last long

 

[kev211]

Both batches were 5 gal batches.

The wheat called for 500g of DME and 300g of dextrose.
The cerveza calls for 1kg of brew enhancer 2 which is (500g Dex, 250g LDM, 250g maltodextrin)

I have noticed that the taste has got better on the cerveza coming up to week 3 now.

The wheat was better with an orange and did not last long

I think thats your issue there. From what Ive read in the past, over 1 pound of dextrose per 5 gals can cause Acetaldehyde, which Im not sure if that fades over time.

 

[Aristotelian]

If they were too cold, they would be flat. Is the carbonation level OK?

Wine/cider sounds like acetobacter infection. Is it the dominant taste, or does it taste like beer with a slight wine flavor?

 

[sky4meplease]

I think I will leave them for at least a month just to be sure

Good idea.

I bottle condition cold. Much colder than your 61 degrees for most beers and they always carb up and never produce off flavors as a result.
I wait a month before I start into them and by six weeks I am pretty happy with the results though I am not afraid to let some beers condition for many months if I think it will compliment the time, effort and money I put into them.
If you need them carbed faster store them warmer but if you want them conditioned then time is your huckleberry.

 

[BDRJ]

If they were too cold, they would be flat. Is the carbonation level OK?

Wine/cider sounds like acetobacter infection. Is it the dominant taste, or does it taste like beer with a slight wine flavor?

Carbonation level is good no complaints there.

It tastes like beer with a slight wine taste.