First brew possible infection

[Pdazbrew]

Well, I think my first batch is officially a dud... Smells a little but vinegary almost like a cider. Definitely not like a beer I want to drink. It was a true brew all amber kit that I fermented for 16 days. It has been in the bottle for a week and a half. I just can't see the funky vinegar smell going away. It pours great and has good color. Nice head and lacing. Tastes ok but not like any beer that I'm used too. Any thoughts?

 

[jrobidoux]

You are going to have to wait longer than a week and a half to be sure of anything, but did this have said funky vinegar smell when going from primary to the bottle?

 

[homebrewdad]

A week and a half in the bottle isn't enough time to tell how the beer is actually going to taste. Three weeks at 70 degrees is the baseline for normal gravity beers - higher gravity or lower temps will extend this time... and even then, beer tends to mellow and age a bit.

Many beers are not good if drank too young. Give it a little more time.

 

[Pie_Man]

Would you describe the flavor as cidery, or is it more sour/acidic?

http://morebeer.com/content/homebrew-off-flavors

It's also very possible the flavor could condition out in the bottle.

 

[RUNningonbrew]

Had a beer go bad, tasted like vinegar, it wasn't my taste buds that told me it was my stomach that immediately didn't feel well.

 

[Pie_Man]

Also, what was your recipe and fermentation procedure?

 

[Pdazbrew]

Ok... Think I know what went wrong. I opened a bottle today and I observed obvious over carbonation activity... As I rethink through my bottling process I remember being afraid of getting too much sediment in the bottling bucket. I think I may have left too much beer in the primary fermenter. I used 5oz of dextrose which I assume was pre measured for a five gallon batch. So my hypothesis is this. Not enough beer for the sugar added hence over carbonation and also resulting in a cider/vinegar odor. Or just an infection. BTW the beer smelled great when going into the bottles.