Medicinal Phenols from Belle Saison?

[Scarletandgray]

Relative noob here. Recently brewed a Brewer's Best Belgian IPA kit. Everything according to the directions with the exception that I rehydrated the Belle Saison yeast (directions said not to). Fermentation started extremely fast, within 6 hours and went hard for about 5 days. When I took a gravity sample on 1/26 I noticed some strong medicinal/herbal/cough syrup aromas and the same flavors when I tasted, although more muted than the aroma.

Everything I've been able to dig up suggests the following culprits:
Chlorine from water or bleach (I used distilled water to brew and star san)
"Infection" - seems to be a good catchall
Overworked/stressed yeast due to poor temperature control

There have been no visible signs of infection and most things I've read essentially say, there is no doubt when you have an infection due to the smell and or look.

I'm assuming in my case the yeast(or more precisely, my treatment of the yeast) has to be the culprit. I appreciate any thoughts on the cause and/or the prognosis for this beer.

Notes
Brewed on 1/11
OG = 1.052
Gravity samples on 1/26 and 1/27
FG = 1.011
Ambient temp in closet for fermenter is 65-68

 

[davemattb]

Ambient temperature doesnt tell the whole story. What temp was the wort when you pitched the yeast? Temps during fermentation can raise quite a bit from there too. It could be that particular yeast. I used 3711 in a Belgian and I think I fermented it warmer than ideal and that beer was hot. It was within the yeast temperature limits, but I wondered the same thing. The next time I use that yeast I'm gonna start in the lower 60s and raise it slowly. I wondered the same thing myself and I'd like to hear someone else's opinion!

 

[monsteroyd]

Belle Saison yeast for an IPA? Interesting. Anyway that yeast likes it hot, so if you fermented at normal ale temps, that may have been too cool. I don't know if that would stress this yeast out, as I have heard of people fermenting in the upper 80's with that yeast. I normally do my Belle Saison ferments at 75F. ALso You really should use spring water not distilled, unless you added some minerals back in. The yeast need some water hardness for health too. I always re-hydrate my Belle Saison yeast, so I think it sounds like maybe you can stress the yeast with 1) no minerals, 2) too cool a temp. Did you aerate the wort before pitching? And did you pitch when the wort was down to 70F or so?

I've done a lot of batches using this yeast and never got medicinal flavors out of it, always a nice saisony flavor. My guess is that you stressed the yeast out somehow with bad water and cool temps. If you didn't aerate the heck out of the wort, that may have also contributed.

EDIT: Just noticed your final gravity. That is not low enough. I get from 1.052 to 1.002-5 consistently with this yeast. I think fermentation temp was too cold.

Monty