First All Grain Batch - Bananas!

[thorHB]

I brewed my first all grain batch this past Saturday and it has currently been fermenting for just about 3 days now in my chest freezer at 65DF. When I open the chest freezer I get the distinct smell of banana bread. Needless to say I do not want my APA to taste and smell like bananas. I decided to brew EdWort's Haus Pale Ale for my first ever batch because of its simplicity and low cost. Used Nottingham Ale Yeast (rehydrated) as the recipe calls for.

From research, I realize my issue is the production of isoamyl acetate esters, most likely due to under-aerated wort and having pitched the yeast at around 85DF. I don't think it is a function of fermentation temperature as it has been maintained below 70.

My question for you good people is this: Is there anything I can do to counter these off flavors? Is there any chance the yeast will clean up these unwated byproducts if I leave the beer in the fermenter longer? What should I expect from the finished product? Will it be drinkable?

I know I should probably just RDWHAHB, but I need my first batch of home brew drinkable in order to relax, not worry and have a home brew! Cheers

 

[aangel]

How quickly did you drop from 85 to your fermentation temperature?

 

[Bowtiebrewery]

It will be drinkable, however if you pitched at 85, its likely that you started fermentation off pretty quickly and you might even be finished fermenting at this point. It won't really clean up that much but I would say let it go for a few more days and take a gravity reading. See where you are at. Taste it and go from there.

 

[thorHB]

How quickly did you drop from 85 to your fermentation temperature?

I got it into the chest freezer immediately after pitching. My guess is that it probably took a few hours to equalize with the ambient temp in the freezer. Pretty rigorous fermentation within 12 hours.

 

[thorHB]

It will be drinkable, however if you pitched at 85, its likely that you started fermentation off pretty quickly and you might even be finished fermenting at this point. It won't really clean up that much but I would say let it go for a few more days and take a gravity reading. See where you are at. Taste it and go from there.

I got it down to 85 with an immersion chiller which took longer than I expected. Probably because I am in Tampa and our tap water is pretty warm. Got worried about contamination and wanted to get it into the fermenter ASAP. Should have got it into the fermenter, put it into the freezer and waited a few hours before pitching. I know this for next time. At this point the airlock is still bubbling, however not as vigorously.

 

[gotbags-10]

I brewed Ed worts recipe once before. I also got wicked banana esters. Mine did fade a little bit not much. I actually saw a thread related to notty yeast and banana esters. There were several people with similar experiences. Must be a yeast that doesn't handle stresses very well. I dumped my keg. Only one I ever have. Sorry not much help here.

 

[CUrchin]

Taste the beer before you jump to conclusions. I had a Notty yeast cake once that smelled a bit banana but the beer was fine. That said, Notty likes cooler temps. Avoid anything out of the lower 60's at all costs.

 

[Bowtiebrewery]

^^^
I have a differing experience
So far my experience with Notty is that it likes the warmer temperatures and will throw off or enhance those fruity flavors/aromas at the higher temps. However its a double-edged sword with it. Ferment around 62*f and you sometimes risk not reaching your intended FG.

S-04 for me does really well at 66-67. US-05 Does really well for me at the 62-64* range

 

[gotbags-10]

I think the big thing was he pitched at 85 degrees

 

[kh54s10]

If you use proper sanitation practices and put something over the top while cooling you should not have any problems with contamination while the wort cools. Get the temperature real close to your fermentation temperature before pitching the yeast. There are a significant number of brewers that do no chill brewing (letting the wort cool by itself, usually overnight).

I have only used Nottingham a couple of times and did not experience anything unusual. But, I have read that it gets nasty if fermented at the top of it's range or hotter.

I would not make any judgments from smell or taste after only 3 days. Fermentation creates smells and tastes that will not be present in the finished beer. That is not to say that a bad smell or taste will not be there, just that it often does not appear in the beer.

 

[thorHB]

Update:
Took a SG reading Friday night and it was at 1.020. OG was 1.052. Banana smell from the airlock has subsided. Tasted the sample and did not get any banana smells or taste. Since Friday I have seen a ton of activity in the airlock. I am wondering if agitating the yeast when I took the sample got them back to work. Hopefully they are cleaning everything up and I will have a delicious first brew. Plan to keg Wednesday depending on the SG. Can't wait to try the finished product and get started on my next batch. I will be purchasing an oxygenation kit and will certainly be more diligent in monitoring my wort temp before pitching. I appreciate everyone's input.