Kegged beer has alcohol smell

[chardressd]

Hey guys maybe someone can answer this

I've notice my last few all grain batches smell like alcohol and taste bitter (at first) after I keg them?

When I go to sniff it I get a really strong alcohol smell?

Any clue as to what I'm doing?

My basement has to be well below 70 I believe I'm fermenting right around the mid 60's

Thanks

 

[TexasDroughtBrewery]

Well since your fermenting temps are low here is the other possible reason you are getting this off flavor.

Fusel alcohols can be produced by excessive amounts of yeast, or when the yeast sits too long on the trub. This is one reason to move the beer off of the hot and cold break when the beer is going to be spending a lot of time in the fermentor. http://howtobrew.com/book/section-4/is-my-beer-ruined/common-off-flavors

How long are you keeping them in primary?

Also people argue if this is true or not but there is a such thing called carbonation bite, that can create a bitter taste after force carb or over carb the beer. Do you use the Co2 chart when kegging?

 

[chardressd]

I typically let it sit in the primary for about a month on average and usually do a secondary. I didn't in this particular batch.

I carb my beer at 19/20psi for Around 5 days then drop to about 5 for serving

 

[Bellybuster]

is it possible that what you are getting is a nose full of CO2? Burns the nostrils and the bitter (at first) could also be CO2.
Once the kegged beer has had time to settle in to its carbonation level, id be willing to bet both detractors will be gone


edit: oops, I see 2 posts above, TDB already mentioned CO2 bite.

 

[TexasDroughtBrewery]

I typically let it sit in the primary for about a month on average and usually do a secondary. I didn't in this particular batch.

I carb my beer at 19/20psi for Around 5 days then drop to about 5 for serving

Full disclosure I only send Lagers to secondary, otherwise I don't think its supper necessary, although I am not willing to open that can of worms everyone has their own methods which I respect. So with that being said I think a month on the yeast isn't that bad before you racked it, how much yeast did you pitch? Over pitching can cause the same off flavors.

 

[beerkench]

If you have previously made some all grain batches that didn't have this problem and now it's noticable then you should consider the possibilty of a brett contamination. Brettanomyces is known to have a bitter taste and can give of some fusel alcohols.

 

[chardressd]

How do o get rid of brettanomyces?

 

[specharka]

I've had this issue before. Over stressed yeast can produce nasty fusel alcohol favors, especially if it's exposed to high temperature/high pressure environments. Make sure your beer has attenuated before you keg it, and don't let the temperature rise once it's at serving conditions.

 

[chardressd]

How can I make sure my beer is at attenuation?

 

[slym2none]

How do o get rid of brettanomyces?

Nuke it from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.