my yeast crapped out

[DocScott]

I brewed a Belgian Golden Strong in May. OG 1092, FG 1010 and was really pleased at the WLP545 yeast. I bottle conditioned it and carbed it to 3.0 vol to get that Belgian effervescence. I sent a couple bottles off to a competition (which will be judged in a couple weeks) and cracked a few open this week to sample. The first sip is wonderful, but finishes too sweet for a Belgian. The only thing I can think of is that my yeast crapped out due to the high ABV/primary ferment and weren't able to work through the priming sugar in the bottle carb/condition (yet?)

It was bottled about 8 weeks ago, which I know isn't that long in terms of a big beer like this. I'm not so concerned with me enjoying them, but I'm kicking myself about the BJCP comp. Can't help but think they're gonna nail me for too high a FG and sweet Belgian Strong. Slow day at work, so thought I'd vent...

 

[hogwash]

I bet your yeast is doing fine, were the bottles that you opened carbonated? If so then the yeast is working.

To my taste buds, hot alcohol flavors can sometimes taste sweet. So it could be they just need some more conditioning time to mellow out. 8 weeks is not very long. I have a tripel that had the hot alcohol that I confused for sweet for awhile. It was confounding because the OG was sub 1.010 so I know it was dry, then I realized what it was.

 

[BigFloyd]

Are you saying that you sent bottles off to a comp before you had a chance to sample a ready one yourself? Hmmmm.

What was your FG? That will tell a lot about whether or not your yeast ever "crapped out". Did you pitch a sufficient number of cells it begin with?

 

[JLem]

At an FG of 1.010, you had a spectacular fermentation - definitely not an underattenuated beer. If the beers were carbed when you opened them then the yeast did their job in the bottles as well. So, I'm with hogwash that it might be alcohol sweetness you are tasting...may also be maltiness. What was your recipe?

 

[DocScott]

Thanks for the responses everyone. I never thought about alcohol sweetness. The FG was 1010 so I got great attenuation. The bottles were carbed and the early ones I sampled (prior to sending off for the comp) were great -hence why I entered them. I didn't pick up the sweetness until later bottles. I'm not unhappy at all, just venting! Ill let you know how the comp ends up.

 

[DocScott]

So the comp is tomorrow. I just tasted another bottle, and although its too sweet, it's delicious. I know ill get knocked pretty good by the judges, which frustrates me, but it sure is a good beer. Ill save the other 30 bottles or so for a few months and see how they change. My future BIL bachelor party weekend in October sounds like an ideal time!

 

[DocScott]

Got my score sheets today and the judges agreed with me. Scored 31, which is about what I expected. Really only flaw mentioned was that the beer finished too sweet. I'm glad my taste buds align with the judges'.

 

[JLem]

Got my score sheets today and the judges agreed with me. Scored 31, which is about what I expected. Really only flaw mentioned was that the beer finished too sweet. I'm glad my taste buds align with the judges'.

I still find it strange that it finished too sweet at 1.010. If it was alcohol sweetness, a BJCP judge shouldn't be dinging you for that.

What was the recipe? Any crystal malts?

 

[DocScott]

I still find it strange that it finished too sweet at 1.010. If it was alcohol sweetness, a BJCP judge shouldn't be dinging you for that.

What was the recipe? Any crystal malts?

It was pilsner, Munich and a tiny bit if aromatic malt. And table sugar. I still kind of feel that the priming sugar may not have been completely worked through but who knows. Unless my hydro readings were botched somehow. Oh well. Ill make the recipe again, make sure I mash low and raise temps through fermentation. Thanks for the advice. Just a bit ticked at myself!