Heavy alcohol smell

[Farmer_John]

First batch paranoia going on here. pulled a sample to test gravity (unsuccessful. I can't get a deep enough sample for the hydrometer to float).

The liquid that stayed on the thief smelled great, so I stuck my nose close to the carboy opening and got a heavy alcohol smell.

Normal?

I'm on day 6 of primary, Bass Ale clone. It looks great and smells nothing like when it went in. Temps have held pretty constant at 71d and it appears to be starting to clear.

I'm just concerned about the carboy smell and not being able to read gravity.

day one:

day 5:

 

[eljefe]

Looks good to me. I wouldn't worry about the smell. What are you using in your airlock? Water, sanitizer, vodka? One thing I would recommend, assuming your not doing it, is covering the carboy with a towel or tshirt. Light and yeast are not best of friends but given the pics it does not seem to be an issue. Let us know how it worked out.

 

[Farmer_John]

I'm using sanitizer. Not going to waste good vodka!!

I will say this. The first couple days of fermenting the bottom of the carboy was a bit warmer than the top. Is this indicative of anything not normal (process?)

BTW, 3 gallon carboy, just about 2 gallons of brew.

 

[ChessRockwell]

so I stuck my nose close to the carboy opening and got a heavy alcohol smell.

Normal?

When you just sniff out of the bucket/carboy you're going to be getting a pretty heavy dose of carbon dioxide, which kinda distorts the actual aroma of the brew. Usually smells pretty alcohol-y / sourish to me. I've never had a batch smell good at that point, but most of mine have turned out pretty good (so far). I wouldn't worry yet, looks like you've got a good fermentation going on there.

 

[helibrewer]

I'm using sanitizer. Not going to waste good vodka!!

I will say this. The first couple days of fermenting the bottom of the carboy was a bit warmer than the top. Is this indicative of anything not normal (process?)

BTW, 3 gallon carboy, just about 2 gallons of brew.

That's normal, yeast produce heat...sniffing that concentrated CO2/alcohol from the carboy can knock you across the room, it's no indication of the final product. That brew looks perfectly normal to me...press on!!!

 

[Farmer_John]

Now in a stroke of wierdness, day after I detect the smell, I pull enough to do a reading, smack dab in the middle of the green area of the instrument (I guess learning how to read the gauge would be a good idea) Then notice that the brew is bubbling more and in "clumps" of bubbles as opposed to randomly scattered bubbles it had been producing before.

I also stuffed the cork back into the carboy further. The damn airlock now shows a level of activity it hadn't 'til now.

Tasted it. Very...alchoholly, almost wineish. I know, let it go.

I had planned on transferring to secondary today. Think I'll let it go another week. Can't hurt, right?

 

[JLem]

What was your recipe? Batch size? Original gravity?

I wouldn't expect a Bass clone to be high alcohol, so I am concerned that the recipe and/or volumes are off. Also, your temperature is on the high side, which can lead to fusel alcohol production, which gives the beer a "hot" alcohol smell and taste. Fermentation temps will be as much as 10F higher than your room temp.

 

[Farmer_John]

Room temp is a pretty steady 71d. Carboy is set in a closet, coolest part of the room, it just happens to have a light fixture (with a separate switch) in it.

Is it possible that my pallet is mistaking yeast flavors for alcohol?

It's a two gallon batch of this recipe:

5g>2g

6lb DME > 2.4LB
1/2c brn sugar > 1tb 1 3/4tsp
10ozs 55L crystal > 4ozs
1ozs challenger > .4ozs (used half package of pellet)
1ozs northdown> .4ozs (as above)
safale 04

steeped at 160 for 10m, hour boil, chilled quickly to 70d, pitched yeast right out of pouch.

From what I've seen, it's looked "text book" throughout the stages. Just wasn't expecting what my nose got yesterday.

If it is "hot", will (or can) it mellow as it ages?

FWIW, not even considering tossing it.

 

[homebrewdad]

71 is pretty hot for most yeast strains.

That being said, if you smell liquid yeast, a lot of times, it smells alcoholic (at least, to me).

 

[Farmer_John]

Things I've learned from this knowledge base:

1. I may need to provide additional cooling to whatever I ferment in.
2. It may be normal that CO2, yeast and/or alcohol smells could knock my socks off.
3. I could benefit from covering whatever I ferment in to shield it from any light that may infiltrate.
4. There could be absolutely nothing wrong at all.

Next batch I will have additional thermometer coverage, a barn tub for additional cooling and up my equipment to 5 gallon batches. I think part of my issue is with my uncertainty with the chopped recipe.

This is still fun and I'm here to learn.

 

[JLem]

Things I've learned from this knowledge base:

1. I may need to provide additional cooling to whatever I ferment in.
2. It may be normal that CO2, yeast and/or alcohol smells could knock my socks off.
3. I could benefit from covering whatever I ferment in to shield it from any light that may infiltrate.
4. There could be absolutely nothing wrong at all.

Next batch I will have additional thermometer coverage, a barn tub for additional cooling and up my equipment to 5 gallon batches. I think part of my issue is with my uncertainty with the chopped recipe.

This is still fun and I'm here to learn.

And since you're only on day 6, it really is much, much too early to start diagnosing the possible potential of any issues that may or may not be there. Nothing in your recipe looks off, so just keep moving forward and wait to see how it all ends up. But, be sure to keep the beer out of the light as much as possible - you don't want to skunk your beer before it's even out of the fermenter!.

 

[AdamPag]

My 1st brew I opened the bucket after 10 days to peak and take SG and stuck my whole head in for a whiff and I nearly passed the F out hahaha, yea its fine man RDWHAHB

 

[Farmer_John]

So I don't get all frazzed about what's going on in my carboy, I've headed off to start an important side bar; collecting bottles.

And the most convenient method of collection is removing the liquid yourself....Working on some Oberon now. It was on sale...

 

[JLem]

So I don't get all frazzed about what's going on in my carboy, I've headed off to start an important side bar; collecting bottles.

And the most convenient method of collection is removing the liquid yourself....Working on some Oberon now. It was on sale...

That's a great beer! I can't get it around me, but I've had it several times on vacation. Bell's makes some really spectacular brews.

 

[Slainte-brew]

I'd go with what jlem said about fusel alcohol, especially if it tastes hot too. I'd say time is your best bet.

 

[Farmer_John]

So, in learning to use the "P" word to it's most rigorous extreme, on day 21 I have flat Bass Ale clone. Gravity is at .009, same as it was 2 weeks ago, but it's clear and tastes like a good pale ale, sans bubbles.

In doing some sniffing around things in contact with my carboy, a lot of what I was smelling has been the damn rubber stopper...still stinks.

Today, I bottle. Another scary situation...