Friend said my beer tastes like apple juice

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Kegstand

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 2, 2010
Messages
50
Reaction score
0
Location
San Luis Obispo
That motherf*cker!

I finished my WCPA and thought to myself..wow, it tastes good but lacking in carbonation. So I let it sit another week. I opened up another one and damn, it was perfect. Very carbonated and good taste. Or at least that's what I thought.

I left one for a buddy of mine and let him and his wife try it. He said his wife approves but it's pretty sweet, tastes like apple juice.

NOW...how can they approve of the beer, yet have it taste like "apple juice"?

Wow....ok, looks like next time I need to let it sit and ferment a little longer to get rid of the sweetness. Anyways, I don't give a damn. I'm drinking my masterpiece right now as I type
 
Good on ya!!! Let those bastards swing if they dare criticize your creation!!! Obviously, their palates have been tainted and numbed by the BMC demons that pervade our bur beer world!!!

Seriously, though, what was your recipe and process? Was this an extract brew or all-grain? How long was it in primary? Did you secondary?
 
Good on ya!!! Let those bastards swing if they dare criticize your creation!!! Obviously, their palates have been tainted and numbed by the BMC demons that pervade our bur beer world!!!

Seriously, though, what was your recipe and process? Was this an extract brew or all-grain? How long was it in primary? Did you secondary?

It was just a pale ale extract. I'm not going to jump into AG until I get this mastered, which I obviously haven't yet.

It was in the primary for 7 days and then I bottled it. Let them sit 2 weeks more and then put them in the fridge. So it was only 3 weeks total...so I guess it's my own fault.

I don't know, it may be a little sweet now that I think about it, but I think it's pretty damn good. Rather drink this then piss water Corona, lol.
 
Do you recall what your recipe was? How much priming sugar did you use and was it dextrose (corn sugar) or table sugar? Was this a five-gallon batch? Wat were your fermentation and bottling temps?
 
Do you recall what your recipe was? How much priming sugar did you use and was it dextrose (corn sugar) or table sugar? Was this a five-gallon batch? Wat were your fermentation and bottling temps?

It was the Mr. Beer kit. Just a 2.5 gallon batch. I used the Booster that it came with and then when it came time for bottling it called for 2.5 teaspoons of table sugar.
Not sure about the temps...but I kept it in the kitchen the entire time during fermentation. Then when I bottled it I kept the bottles in the box that it came with and put it on the floor for 2 weeks. Once it had finally carbonated I threw them in the fridge.
 
Put those away for another two-three weeks you will thank me later. Your buddy was tasting green beer (apple taste). Three weeks from brew to glass is a little quick regardless of what the directions on the kit say. I am enjoying a two month old Irish Stout and it was awful green at 4 weeks.
 
It was in the primary for 7 days and then I bottled it. Let them sit 2 weeks more and then put them in the fridge. So it was only 3 weeks total...so I guess it's my own fault.

Keep that friend. Nothing better than someone who can give you an honest evaluation of your beer. You gave him green beer, and he told you it was green. Better than someone who blows smoke up your ass.
 
It might not have completed fermentation. If not some of the sugars might not have been converted to alcohol. The only way to know for sure would be to have taken a specific gravity reading before pitching the yeast and before bottling. Or the priming sugar might not have been completely converted to CO2.

Either way, if you like it then forget about what others think.
 
I've heard the Mr. Beer kits are notorious for green apple/acetalaldehyde issues. As has been said, more time fermenting will help next time.

From Sean Hewett's beer off-flavors flashcards:

Acetaldehyde.

Describe - Green apples

How is it caused - Premature removal from yeast

How can it be avoided - Allow ferment to complete

-Joe
 
Your buddy was tasting green beer (apple taste).
How do we know?
According to the OP
He said his wife approves but it's pretty sweet, tastes like apple juice.

Red apple flavor (apple juice) comes from Ethyl Hexanoate produced by yeast during fermentation.
Green apple flavor, acetaldehyde is not sweet tasting.

Originally Posted by XXguy
Keep that friend. Nothing better than someone who can give you an honest evaluation of your beer.
+100

Cheers,
ClaudiusB
 
I agree you most likely pulled it off the yeast too fast. Its always best to take a hydro reading. It might not have started to ferment until the second day, so that would have only been 5 days on the yeast. I haven't ever had a beer ready that quick.

One thing yo can do before you package if you have acetaldehyde pitch another packet of yeast. I usually add a small amount of sugar or malt extract also. It should clean up the acetaldehyde. I just did this with a Belgian Strong Ale that was an apple bomb I pitched about a quart of water with a half cup of sugar and a packet of S-04. It cleaned up the acetaldehyde just fine.
 
Thanks for the suggestions, guys.

When my Oktoberfest Vienna Lager gets here (hopefully sometime this week) I will make sure and do what you guys say and keep it in the primary longer. At least a full 2 weeks.

Anyone ever made the Vienna Lager from Mr. Beer?
 
Thanks for the suggestions, guys.

When my Oktoberfest Vienna Lager gets here (hopefully sometime this week) I will make sure and do what you guys say and keep it in the primary longer. At least a full 2 weeks.

Anyone ever made the Vienna Lager from Mr. Beer?

One of my friends did. She loved it, and was very happy with it.

The Mr. Beer beers aren't my thing, but for her it's great.
 
Back
Top