I made a batch of Biermuncher's Centennial Ale. It's been bottled for well over two months now, and it's drinkable (although it took longer to bottle condition and mellow than I expected). However, I'm noticing considerable variation of flavor between bottles - one will be great, another is clearly beer but not fantastic, and a third will border on "throw this out." Any ideas on what I did wrong? (or if I did anything wrong?) I should say that I have a mix of bottles, some are stubbier than others. But I'm seeing variation within the mix of bottles - it's not that the regular sized ones are amazing and the stubby ones are off or vice versa.
I know I didn't ruin it, but...
- Thread starter MTimonin
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Hmmmm
First, I would never have thought that recipe needed age unless fermentation was hot or something else went wrong. As a whole, it looks like an easy drinking, semi quick grain to glass type recipe. So now I'm led to believe that maybe you have an infection going on that has attacked some bottles worse than others. Maybe the bottles weren't all perfectly cleaned and such. That is really the only thing that pops into my head. Were any exposed to light? Is the taste you get skunked or sour?
First, I would never have thought that recipe needed age unless fermentation was hot or something else went wrong. As a whole, it looks like an easy drinking, semi quick grain to glass type recipe. So now I'm led to believe that maybe you have an infection going on that has attacked some bottles worse than others. Maybe the bottles weren't all perfectly cleaned and such. That is really the only thing that pops into my head. Were any exposed to light? Is the taste you get skunked or sour?
Barley_Bob
Well-Known Member
What about the temperature you've used to bottle condition? If some of your bottles were stored cool right after bottling, they won't be the same as bottles stored somewhere warmer and then moved to a cool place. I did that once because I ran out of space in the cabinet I usually use to bottle condition. Half went right to the basement, and they were still green when I wanted them. Lesson learned.
Carbonation has been delightful, lots of nice head. I suppose it's possible that some of the bottles were infected - I'm pretty obsessive with my bottle cleaning (I've been sanitizing in a warm to hot bath, with starsan - I'm told that I don't actually need to do that), but stuff happens.
I made an extract version of the recipe, and I added a little more hops than the recipe called for, because it didn't feel like enough hops as I was adding them, if that makes sense.
I made an extract version of the recipe, and I added a little more hops than the recipe called for, because it didn't feel like enough hops as I was adding them, if that makes sense.
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Barley_Bob
Well-Known Member
Could be the caps too. I have heard that the infection rate due to unsanitized caps can be as high as 1/3.
I'd keep a close eye on the carbonation levels and see if the ones that taste off to you come from bottles with higher carbonation. That could be a sign that some of the bottles are infected. I've read that batches like that should be finished off ASAP since the taste will only get worse with time.
Where do you normally bottle? It's possible some airborne critters got in a couple of them.
I'd attribute the longer bottle conditioning times to the cool temperatures in your basement. I keep mine in an upstairs closet in the low 70s for a couple weeks after bottling and then bring them down into my basement at temperatures similar to yours. The cool temperatures might have had the dual effect of slowing down the carbonation and slowing down the growth of the infection. If you're happy with the carbonation level now and have room in your fridge for the rest of the batch, I'd toss them in there and drink them soon.
Where do you normally bottle? It's possible some airborne critters got in a couple of them.
I'd attribute the longer bottle conditioning times to the cool temperatures in your basement. I keep mine in an upstairs closet in the low 70s for a couple weeks after bottling and then bring them down into my basement at temperatures similar to yours. The cool temperatures might have had the dual effect of slowing down the carbonation and slowing down the growth of the infection. If you're happy with the carbonation level now and have room in your fridge for the rest of the batch, I'd toss them in there and drink them soon.
Are you cleaning your bottles before sanitizing them? When I bottled, I would do an overnight soak in a hot water oxiclean solution, follow by a rinse and then star-san sanitization dunk. I could have probably made my process more efficient but I started kegging.
If you are only using hot water/star-san that could be your problem. I'm not sure how much it matters but Star-San is recommended for use in cold/luke-warm water.
If you are only using hot water/star-san that could be your problem. I'm not sure how much it matters but Star-San is recommended for use in cold/luke-warm water.
The bottles were clean before sanitizing, and the caps were sanitized before use. It certainly can't hurt to start soaking the bottles over night (although I'm not sure I have a container big enough for 50 odd bottles to soak in). I bottle in the kitchen, and it's entirely possible that something dropped into some of the bottles, I suppose. Sadly I do not have room for the rest of the batch in the fridge, and, generally, they do seem to be improving with age. I guess I'll just have to drink them... What a world, what a world.
Indeed.
If you don't have a big enough container, just spread it out over a night or two. A couple days before I plan to bottle, I'll soak 12 at a time in a 5 gallon bucket while watching Netflix. After a show ends, I'll go and swap out bottles. Two swaps a night for two nights and I have the bottles I need. A quick soak in Star-san on bottling day while the priming sugar is heating and then cooling, and we're good to go.
Barley_Bob
Well-Known Member
I rinse all my bottles with tap water right after use, and then I rinse with star-san before bottling. If I get new bottles, I do clean them really well with bleach first. If I had bottles show up with infections, I would either throw those bottles away or re-bleach. My point is that, right now, I do a lot less and I have no problems.
If the taste seems to get better with age, it doesn't sound like it's an infection at all! At this point, I think you should drink up this batch and start over. Pay really close attention to all of your cleaning, sanitizing, brewing, and bottling techniques. If you have a problem again, come back and give the entire process, from mash to glass.
The thing that is throwing me is the inconsistency. The only thing that really varies in this scenario is the bottles.
If it is getting better, then maybe something else is at work; or if it was a slight infection, perhaps out of sheer luck they've already opened all the bad ones.
Either way, here's to hoping the rest of them turn out great!
If it is getting better, then maybe something else is at work; or if it was a slight infection, perhaps out of sheer luck they've already opened all the bad ones.
Either way, here's to hoping the rest of them turn out great!
Exactly. I'll continue to monitor the situation closely, but I suspect it's the bottles, so I'll re-evaluate my cleaning and sanitizing.
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