Impatience - quick question

[gt_andy]

I have an American Cream Ale from brewers best I brewed up on the 11th. Just transferred it to a secondary. But before I racked I took a reading. came to 1.01. part of me thinks I should wait... But, what's stopping me from racking it into the keg right now to carb?

 

[roastquake]

only your desire to use secondary fermentation. I always use a secondary for cream ales just because they are my most shared beers and I wan't them to look brilliantly clear, but it's not necessary after an 11 day primary IMO

 

[zachattack]

How long has it been in the primary? No need to secondary most beers, and since you're kegging it'll clear up just fine once it's in the keg.

 

[gt_andy]

I brewed it on the 11th. So it has been 11 days.

So if i wanted to transfer this to a keg now i should be ok to force carb.. I wont benifit leaving it sit a lil longer

 

[chezhed]

if you just transferred it to the secondary, I'd wait a day or two to let it settle down before kegging....I mean isn't that why you transferred it to the secondary to begin with...to settle and clear?
If you move it right now, all you have done is agitate it twice....I think.

 

[gt_andy]

Ok So about a week ago I put this in a keg let it chill and set it at the correct PSI for the temp.

I had some buddies over last night and I figured we give this cream ale a try. Its STILL very flat and is coming out of the tab with a lot of foam. To top it off it is very sour. Literally nasty.

Any ideas? I don't want to dump this whole batch.

 

[Homercidal]

If it's sour, it's infected. Sorry. (unless you LIKE sour beers, then YAY!)

Did you see any film on top of the beer when you racked it? Like a whiteish or yellowish skim? Maybe bubbled slightly? Spiderwebbed? Some infections look like that. Some don't look like much.

 

[gt_andy]

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary to me when I racked it. oh well, time to.pour it out and try again

 

[gt_andy]

If it os infected would that also explain all the extra foam?

 

[Yooper]

If it os infected would that also explain all the extra foam?

No, probably not. It's probably overcarbed. It's hard to guess, but it sounds like the pressure was turned up and the keg was shaking? If so, it's overcarbed.

Another thing to consider- if it's "sour" it's probably a lost cause. But if it's "tart", it could very well be a carbonic acid flavor that comes from trying to carb the beer quickly (say, with higher pressure than serving pressure, and/or shaking, and doing it in a quick amount of time).

I'd stop messing with it, and set it at 10 psi and leave it alone. Try it in a week to see if it's improved. It probably will be.

 

[gt_andy]

No, probably not. It's probably overcarbed. It's hard to guess, but it sounds like the pressure was turned up and the keg was shaking? If so, it's overcarbed.

Another thing to consider- if it's "sour" it's probably a lost cause. But if it's "tart", it could very well be a carbonic acid flavor that comes from trying to carb the beer quickly (say, with higher pressure than serving pressure, and/or shaking, and doing it in a quick amount of time).

I'd stop messing with it, and set it at 10 psi and leave it alone. Try it in a week to see if it's improved. It probably will be.

I will try this before I dump it. Thanks.

 

[jc5066]

I'd stop messing with it, and set it at 10 psi and leave it alone. Try it in a week to see if it's improved. It probably will be.

I would also "burp" your keg a couple times a day to to release the excess pressure to help reduce the carbonation.

The first time I kegged I over carbonated and that's what I did. It only took a couple days.

 

[gt_andy]

I quess im having a hard time figureing out what the taiste difference between tart and sour is. The beer even just taistes flat too. Just dropped it to 10psi and leveled the presure. Will let it sit a week before tring again.

 

[jc5066]

I quess im having a hard time figureing out what the taiste difference between tart and sour is. The beer even just taistes flat too. Just dropped it to 10psi and leveled the presure. Will let it sit a week before tring again.

Tart like a lemon our sour like spoiled milk.

 

[gt_andy]

I guess its more like a lemon. So if its more like a lemon then it will mellow as t he carb goes down?

 

[Yooper]

I guess its more like a lemon. So if its more like a lemon then it will mellow as t he carb goes down?

Yes, if the cause is overcarbonation (the carbonic acid has a tart/sour taste).

 

[ChadChaney]

I never dump a batch for at least 30-40 days, unless something drastic has happened, somethings mellow with age and it might surprise you what will become drinkable.