My ESB taste like soap

[MileHighHops]

So I brewed my ESB for a local homebrew crawl and for some reason it came out absolutely repulsive this time. The only difference from my normal recipe is that I used all leaf hops as the LHBS was out of kent golding pellets. I brewed a Stout that same day that turned out great and everything was clean and sanitized, so I think I can rule that out.

I'm thinking the hops were bad, or I didn't adjust from pellet to leaf appropriately? There was no aroma when opening the hop bags. Is this normal for leaf hops? All from Hop Union.

12lbs Marris Otter
.5lb crystal 15
.25lb crystal 120
8oz DME
3 oz kent golding (2 oz at 60min, 1 oz at 2 min)
wlp002 (made yeast starter)

10.50 OG
10.10 FG

Primary 3 weeks, secondary 1 week. Force carbed in keg.

Has anyone else had this problem using leaf hops?

 

[spkguitar]

I'm still learning, and I've never experienced this first hand, but...


Soapy flavor is usually caused by fatty acids, typically from too long in the primary.

Oxidized beta acids release volatile fatty acids, typically smelling of cheese.

Probably old/bad hops? That would be my guess.

 

[acidrain]

The hops should have been VERY fragrant... I pretty much only use leaf hops.

 

[MileHighHops]

Interesting. Thanks for the replies. Sounds like bad hops. Maybe this is what a beer taste like that has zero bitterness?

 

[frettfreak]

Soap is not your hops. How were you fermentation temps? I would flip your regimen. I always rack off the y3ast cake after a week. Then condition in secondary. 3 weeks is a long time to be sitting on that yeast cake. Here is a snip from "how to brew" by John palmer:

Soapy flavors can caused by not washing your glass very well, but they can also be produced by the fermentation conditions. If you leave the beer in the primary fermentor for a relatively long period of time after primary fermentation is over ("long" depends on the style and other fermentation factors), soapy flavors can result from the breakdown of fatty acids in the trub. Soap is, by definition, the salt of a fatty acid; so you are literally tasting soap.

 

[BrewinBromanite]

I've always left my beer in primary for 3-4 weeks (and don't secondary). This goes for most light and dark ales. I don't think 3 weeks in your primary, in and of itself, is the problem.


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[MindenMan]

I typically leave my beer in primary 2 or 3 months depending on my schedule. 3 weeks in your primary is not the cause. Something must have gotten in there, but at this moment, I can't guess what it might have been.

 

[sherwicf]

Hi mate,

I had a similar problem. See thread
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/undiagnosed-problem-489594/

 

[frettfreak]

Still curious what your fermentation temps are? Do you have a temp controller or just put them in the house somewhere?

 

[MileHighHops]

Fermentation temps were around 68 degrees. It was in my basement with a fairly consistent temp. I always ferment my brews there with no problems. And I always leave in primary for around 3 weeks with no problems.

I'll taste the beer again when I get home tonight and report back on the soapy like flavor.



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[MileHighHops]

And I don't believe it's from soap residue. I've always used a fragrant free all natural dish soap to clean with and rinse very well. Then star San for sanitizing. I've done this a hundred times without getting a soapy flavor in the beer.


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[BrewinBromanite]

Fermentation temps were around 68 degrees. It was in my basement with a fairly consistent temp.
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For clarity - is 68 degrees the ambient room temp, or beer temp measured with a thermometer taped/insulated on the primary, or a temperature sticker or other similar method?



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[MileHighHops]

If I remember correctly, temp sticker on carboy was in mid 60s. Basement ambient temp is around 68. I should probably pay closer attention to my fermentation temps..

I wrap the carboy with a towel to keep out any light.


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[Eamster]

I have had this soapy taste happen in one of my cream ales. I just chalked it up to bad fermentation/contamination. Never pin pointed anything in particular. My temperatures were constant in my basement as well. I let them sit in the bottles hoping it would fade but never did. Drank about half before I couldn't take it anymore and dumped them.

 

[MileHighHops]

I have had this soapy taste happen in one of my cream ales. I just chalked it up to bad fermentation/contamination. Never pin pointed anything in particular. My temperatures were constant in my basement as well. I let them sit in the bottles hoping it would fade but never did. Drank about half before I couldn't take it anymore and dumped them.

I hear ya. I've had it in the keg for a few weeks thinking it will get better. If anything the taste is getting worse. I hate to dump 4+ gallons but that is what it's come to, unfortunately.


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[Eamster]

Yeah it sucks to dump something but just move on and don't worry about it. There is always another batch waiting to be brewed.

 

[BrewinBromanite]

If I remember correctly, temp sticker on carboy was in mid 60s. Basement ambient temp is around 68. I should probably pay closer attention to my fermentation temps..

I wrap the carboy with a towel to keep out any light.


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Gotcha. During active fermentation, especially those first few days, the beer temp can easily get 5-10 degrees higher than ambient. That can throw off (depending on yeast strain) some pretty nasty flavors that won't go away. I've had some that got really hot on accident that a year and a half bottle aging couldn't fix. One thing I might suggest is to place the fermenter in a tub/bin with water (search swamp cooler). A lot of folks will put an old t-shirt over the fermenter and aim a fan at it as well, and it will help keep it a few degrees cooler than ambient. The first couple days you could also easily toss in a couple ice packs or frozen water bottles to bring it down even more. Once active fermentation has slowed, your basement ambient would be just fine until you are ready to transfer/bottle/keg, etc. Keeping beer temps cool and relatively stable (the swamp cooler also helps prevent big temp swings) was probably the single biggest change that took my brews from just ok to pretty damn tasty.


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