Diacetyl produced during bottle carbing?

[sictransit701]

I have an Old Foghorn clone that has been in the bottle for 2 weeks. Just decided to pop one open, check the carbonation, and see how it tastes. I know Barleywines need to age for several months, but I just wanted to try one. This is my first big beer. I want to age it and have for a few years.

It had a small pssst when I took the cap off. Yay!

Poured it. No carbonation. Bummer!

It was crystal clear. Yay!

Tasted it. Yuck. It had what I would describe as a buttery taste and a weird mouthfeel. No carbonation.

It tasted excellent at bottling time.

I know diacetyl is what gives beer a buttery taste and an oily mouthfeel. I think that’s what I have, though have never tasted it before. I know it is a natural byproduct of fermentation, but healthy yeast clean it up. It could also be from poor yeast health or wrong pitch amounts. I also know that bacteria can cause it.

I am hoping that maybe since it’s in the process of carbing, the yeast are producing it and will hopefully clean it up given some more time.

I am also a little worried that there is no carbonation. Maybe it’s because my yeast are hammered and maybe that’s why this beer is crystal clear. They’re done for. Maybe I should have reyeasted at bottling.

I don’t think it is bacteria infection. I am pretty cautious and have never had an infection. I have read that infections cause haze and over carbing. This beer is the clearest beer I have ever made. No haze or chill haze at all. Not carbed at all. But, I could be wrong.

1.092 SG
2 packets of US05
Pure oxygen for 1 minute
Fermented at 66-68*F for 4 days
Racked to secondary
Fermented at 68* for 2 weeks
Dry hopped for 4 days
Racked to bottling bucket and bottled 4.5 gallons with 3 oz corn sugar.
Bottled for two weeks.

What are your thoughts?
Thanks.

 

[MaxStout]

The yeast need to clean up. It would have been better to let the beer bulk age in the secondary for a few months before bottling. However, there may still be enough yeast in the bottles to clean things up. Leave it be for a while to bottle-condition--a few months--and try another. Store the beer around upper 60s to low 70s. Don't give up hope yet, it's still early in the game.

 

[dmtaylor]

Diacetyl in the bottle is quite common when the beer is young. Give it 4-5 weeks and it should fade significantly.

Cheers.

 

[sictransit701]

The yeast need to clean up. It would have been better to let the beer bulk age in the secondary for a few months before bottling. However, there may still be enough yeast in the bottles to clean things up. Leave it be for a while to bottle-condition--a few months--and try another. Store the beer around upper 60s to low 70s. Don't give up hope yet, it's still early in the game.

I thought about bulk aging it for a few months, but my local homebrew store guy said I shouldn’t leave a beer on the yeast that long and that it wouldn’t hurt to bottle it and age it in the bottle. I have never done a beer this big. I took his word. He has done more brews than me.

 

[MaxStout]

I thought about bulk aging it for a few months, but my local homebrew store guy said I shouldn’t leave a beer on the yeast that long and that it wouldn’t hurt to bottle it and age it in the bottle. I have never done a beer this big. I took his word. He has done more brews than me.

Your LHBS guy gave you some bad advice re needing to rack the beer so soon. That belief has long since been debunked. Even John Palmer walked that one back in recent years (his earlier edition of How To Brew used to give the old advice). The general consensus now is that keeping beer on the cake an extended time is only a factor in larger fermenters (i.e., commercial conicals), where the pressure and temps can run high at the bottom. Yeast autolysis is rarely an issue in small homebrewed batches. You could keep the beer in primary for a couple months without any adverse effects. That the guy told you to rack it off the secondary after 2 weeks is really bad advice. The fact that he (or anybody) has made more beer than you does not make that person infallible.

In any case, there's still a good chance your beer will turn out OK. You made a big beer. It takes time for the yeast to work its way through and do its full job. Patience is important on this one. Give it time.

 

[dmtaylor]

Yeast eats diacetyl. Racking the beer off the yeast serves to lock diacetyl into the beer instead of letting the yeast eat it.

 

[sictransit701]

I will try definitely try this recipe again and age it on the yeast for a longer period and compare.

Like I said though, it tasted fantastic at bottling like I would imagine a young Barleywine to be. Strong hop and alcohol taste and aroma. Out of balance but good. Still not totally convinced I got bad advice from my local homebrew guy. It was at fg and clear for a few days before bottling. I will give it a few months in the bottle and let you know how it turns out.

Thanks for all of your comments!

 

[FermentedCulture]

Diacetyl increases during the first portion of bottle refermentation. Depending on the beer it can end up lower than the initial level before bottling.