IPA tastes like cider?

[luckylindy345]

I've had my first batch (IPA brewed from a true brew kit) in primary for 2 weeks now and was planning on bottling tomorrow. The FG has been steady for a couple days now. I just took another hydrometer reading and tasted the sample...it tasted like sour apple cider. Is this the normal "green" taste that I'm getting or am I getting off-flavors from high fermentation temps, or is it still too early to tell? I don't think it's normal because my other samples didn't taste all that bad. Anyway, should I hold off on bottling for a while or just see if the bottles can condition it?

Thanks!

 

[Zymurgrafi]

What was involved in the kit? Any chance there was a large amount of corn sugar in the recipe?

Relax and give it time. If the gravity has stopped falling go ahead and bottle when you can. Then just sit on it and wait. Green tasting beer is not necessarily cidery there could be something up, but perhaps not. Time will tell.

 

[luckylindy345]

Here's what I brewed up:

2 cans of unhopped malt extract...I'd guess about 6 lbs
1 lb crystal grain
pilgrim hop pellets - 1oz
first gold hop pellets - 1 oz
heavy toast oak chips - 1/2 oz
ale yeast
dextrose for the priming sugar (obviously not added yet)

It got pretty darn hot when it was fermenting...not saying there's anything wrong for sure but I just thought it was weird that it would taste worse over time. Just cracked open the lid and everything looks normal

 

[Zymurgrafi]

How hot?

...and stop peaking in there! The yeast need there privacy!



Seriously though, resist the urge to keep looking if you are using a bucket. Every time you open it you expose it to contamination. If you want to watch get a carboy.

 

[luckylindy345]

It probably went into the upper 80's or even lower 90's...I know I haven't looked in until just now. I couldn't resist! And my carboy is filled with a winter warmer!
I think there were some pretty drastic temp changes throughout my house during the IPA's first week, so that may be the problem, but I guess I'll just stop worrying about it and bottle it tomorrow and forget about it for another 3 weeks.
One other thing. When I bottle, I don't have to rack to another bottling bucket if my primary has a spigot on it do I? Everything I've read says to rack to a bottling bucket, but I was just going to bottle right off the yeast cake. Is that okay?

 

[Pelikan]

It probably went into the upper 80's or even lower 90's.

I don't have a lot of experience with brewing, in fact very little, but from everything I've read that seems at least 10 or 20 degrees out of range.

but I was just going to bottle right off the yeast cake. Is that okay?

Again, this is only from what I've read, but I don't think a primary should have a spigot. Won't you be getting a load of yeast sludge -- and funky tastes -- coming out of it? By all accounts, you shouldn't be bottling off the yeast cake, that defeats the whole purpose of racking into a bottling bucket to my knowledge.

 

[luckylindy345]

[\Quote]Again, this is only from what I've read, but I don't think a primary should have a spigot. Won't you be getting a load of yeast sludge -- and funky tastes -- coming out of it? By all accounts, you shouldn't be bottling off the yeast cake, that defeats the whole purpose of racking into a bottling bucket to my knowledge.[/QUOTE]

From what I've read on other forums, a primary with a spigot is fine. Of course, some people will always disagree. I hope you're right about the funky tastes because that would explain why my hydrometer "taste test" was disgusting...But yeah, I'll rack it to my other bottling bucket and bottle from there.

Thanks!

 

[Yooper]

From what I've read on other forums, a primary with a spigot is fine. Of course, some people will always disagree. I hope you're right about the funky tastes because that would explain why my hydrometer "taste test" was disgusting...But yeah, I'll rack it to my other bottling bucket and bottle from there.

Thanks!

The spigot is fine, except sometimes you have so much trub in the bottom that there is even trub in the spigot. Unless the spigot is above the trub, racking is a good idea.

Those hot temperatures would explain the taste- you would get "esters", which are fruity off-flavors. Green apples can also be the taste of young beer, but I am more likely to blame the fermenting temperature over 75 degrees. It might improve, but it might not. Also, hot temperature fermentations can cause "fusel" alcohols- those burning hot alcohol flavors that can give wicked hangovers in excess.

I use a cooler, and stick my fermenter in there. I add some water (up to the beer level), and frozen water bottles. I keep a floating thermometer in the water (which would be about the same temperature as the beer in the fermenter) and keep the temp around 62-66 degrees.

One of the single best things you can do for better beer is have some form of temperature control.

Still, I don't mean to sound negative! The beer will be drinkable, and I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Some carbonation and conditioning will improve it.

 

[luckylindy345]

Okay, thanks Yooper. That makes me feel better! Glad to hear it should be at least somewhat drinkable. I'll let ya know how it turns out in a few weeks. I will definitely be purchasing a big cooler when it starts to warm up again. I can't believe I missed the temp control part of the brewing process after all I've read! Oh well, experience is the best teacher and I learned a lot from this batch. Temp for my most recent batch is right on at 64 F!

 

[Hagen]

It might not be a bad idea to let it sit on that primary yeast cake for another week to see if the yeast can clean some of that up for you.

 

[IvanTheTerrible]

This post may have shed light on my problem. The closet where I fermented was kept at a steady 73 degrees, so the fermentables probably reached much higher temps. 6-8 months later, my beer is still not drinkable - definately did irreversable damage - but at least I know what happened... I think...

 

[luckylindy345]

Oh no! That's bad news for my brew then! Did/does it taste cidery or is it a different taste?

 

[IvanTheTerrible]

Cidery is a good description... but really bad cider, lol.

 

[luckylindy345]

haha yeah like a watery cider with cheap vodka in it maybe...

 

[IvanTheTerrible]

Whatever it is... it's just not right.

I have scoped out a new fermenting place in my house though, so hopefully this wont happen again.

 

[Champurrado]

Lucky:

My first batch was fermented at a really high temp. I got some off flavors and just marked it up to a lesson learned. Second batch was fermented in temp controlled wine fridge at exactly 65 degrees. The flavor was better but I lost a little carbonation along the way. I think a balance is needed between fermenting at a constant temp and then conditioning a little higher. I'm pretty new at this so take it with a grain of salt.

Cheers

 

[luckylindy345]

Ok Champurrado. Was your first batch still drinkable or did you end up dumping it? My second batch is at a pretty steady 62-68 degrees now since it's finally cooling down outside!