First time brewer with a question...

[KBR97]

Hello everyone, I received a mr beer for Christmas from my father. We were talking about home brew one day so he decided to grab it to get me started.

Anyway, 4 weeks ago I brewed up the Chzech pilsner. I figured I would let it ferment for 2-3 weeks and then bottle it. I ended up waiting 4 weeks. While I was bottling today I noticed that the beer smelt sweet, almost like a wine. It also tasted kind of sweet too. Should I expect this to go away after it bottle conditions for a few more weeks?

Btw I didn't feel comfortable doing the whole add sugar to the bottles thing. Instead I boiled a cup or so of water, removed from heat, added about a 1/4 cup of sugar, added that to a bottling bucket and proceeded to transfer then bottle. I got the sugar measurement from the calculator on northern brewer site.

The color and clarity of the beer is great, just wondering about the sweet taste.

 

[CTR08]

The sweetness could be from the sugar you added for priming--
what was the batch size?
Did you take any gravity readings?

 

[TopherM]

The sweet taste would suggest that the beer is not fully fermented, but it should have been fully fermented after about a week, so at week 4, it would certainly be done.

Can you describe your fermentation process, including what kind of yeast you used, temperatures, gravities, etc.? Is the Mr. Beer yeast actually a pilsner yeast, i.e., a lager yeast?

 

[dg35884]

I'm assuming bc its a Mr beer kit it didn't come with a hydrometer or other way of reading sg

 

[KBR97]

I did not take any gravity reading. Did not have a hydrometer at the time. I was thinking the sweetness could be from the sugar added, but it smelled sweet before I added it. Almost like a apple juice kind of smell. I have no idea what kind if yeast it was. Just whatever comes in the small gold packet.

The process was this...
Sanitized everything.
Boiled half gallon of water and then mixed in extract.
Poured half gallon extract mixture over 2 gallons of refrigerated spring water in plastic fermenter .
Pitched yeast.
4 weeks later.....

I now have a hydrometer that came with the "more beer" kit. Should I open up a bottle? And check the gravity?

 

[KBR97]

Oh and temperature during fermentation was around 68-70. That was the room temp.

 

[TopherM]

The sugar should have nothing to do with it. Table sugar would ferment out 100%, so there shouldn't be any of that sugar left.

I think you are probably smelling yeast esters. A fermentation around 68-70 would definitely put off some esters, and depending on what kind of yeast that kit uses, yeast esters very often smell and taste sweet.

The beer probably should have been fermented closer to 62-64F. In the future, remember that yeast produce heat while they digest sugars and create CO2 and alcohol. They can produce up to 3-8 degrees F of heat inside the wort. That means your 68-70 ambient temp was really closer to 71-78 actual fermentation temp. Most ale yeast produce esters at that temp, which are flowery/fruity carbonyl compounds that are considered off-flavors in some beer styles, but desireable in other beer style (saisons, Hefeweizens, in particular).

So, I think your process was fine, but you have some fruity ester production form lack of temperature control. Remember in the future that if you can get those fermentation temps down about 10 degrees, you'll produce MUCH better beer (search for SWAMP COOLER for a cheap option)

The good news is that those esters break down in time, so if you don't like those off-flavors in your final beer, just let the beer condition at room temp in bottles for about 6-8 more weeks and the esters will mellow.

I'd bet that's what you are smelling/tasting.

Good luck!

 

[GoCrew]

Did you taste the beer from the bottling bucket after you added the sugar? It will taste sweet for sure then. At 4 weeks you were as feremented as possible. Your temp was high, but live and learn. I am willing to bet the taste will condition out.

My first Mr. Beer tasted ok after fermentation, sucked after 1 week in the bottle, sucked after week 2, was bad at week 3. At 5 weeks it was ok. I have 3 bottles left that I have put in the back of the stash so I forget about them.

 

[KBR97]

Next batch I brew is going to be a 5 gallon amber ale. I will let this ferment in my fathers basement. Theres a room down there that stays a few degrees cooler, Probably in the mid 60's.

I will give these bottles a few weeks then start checking them weekly. Hopefully the beer straightens it self out and I get a few decent bottles.

 

[tone_s]

I would bet it's just the warm fermentation. Your fathers basement will probably do the trick. The batch you brewed will be fine if you let it sit and condition in the bottles for awhile.

 

[KBR97]

It is just about 4 weeks after bottling and the beer tastes and smells much better. I' am enjoying a cold glass of it right now.
Just wanted to update, and thank you guys that gave me some advice and instruction.

 

[dadshomebrewing]

by sweet taste, was it anything like juicy fruit gum?

or a different kind of sweet?


i got that kind of taste when my fermentation was a little too warm

 

[dadshomebrewing]

and... i was going to say, but hit enter, just wait about a month.

 

[mux11]

Feeling kinda silly about now. Been making cream ales that get this off flavor for a couple years now. Taken bottles to friends and the LHBS asking about whats up.
I got a few 'clean the heck out of the equipment', 'primary / secondary fermentation times' and the discussion of yeast strains. Temp came up but thought it was ok as the basement keeps in the mid to upper 60s.
My latest is a spotted cow clone, fermented in the basement which was 68. It wasn't until I took a growler to the group we are doing the BJCP studying for the test that one of the guys asked about temp control, processes etc. He told me not to forget that the fermentation adds about 5 ish degrees so if ambient was 68 then ferm temp was probably more like 73,4ish which would have gotten me these off flavors.
Guess who found a chest freezer for a ferm chamber.... This Guy! now to find time to brew.
Thanks all!!

 

[mux11]

Ohhh- question. Is there a way to reduce the Juicy fruit flavor?
A gal at the LHBS told me to warm the keg up to room temp to see if the yeast would clean it up. does this work or...???