NEIPA - Bottle oxidation

[thehaze]

So I brewed a wonderfull NEIPA using Wyeast 1318 and lots of tasty hops. Bottled the beer ( I do not have kegs ) on July 30th.

I tasted and drank a few beers ( 0.33 L bottles ) 4-5 days after and were OK carbonated and very bright and tasty.

Today, I opened two of them ( 0.5 L bottles ) and the beer was darker, lacking aromas and kinda of tangy/soury in the finish.

So this is not a style I will be bottling again... It seems CO2 controlled enviroment might be a better scenario.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

I noticed that with my last IPA also. Mine went into the bottles at about 6 SRM, and is presently (about 2 months later) sitting at about 9 SRM. It hasn't picked up any nastiness along the way, but it seems to have gone from about 70 IBU to about 50 IBU.

 

[thehaze]

The weird thing is all happened literally, from one day to another. How is that even possible?

 

[brew703]

Same here- I stopped brewing NEIPA's until I can get my keg setup.

 

[ca_baracus]

Same thing happened here, but not as rapidly. Brewed this Tired Hands HopHands clone mid-June. Tasted and looked great for the first 2-2.5 weeks. Eventually, the color changed pretty significantly and the taste was lackluster. Worth noting – I was not able to store my bottles cold after carbonation completed, and I've read that that could be a contributing factor.

 

[Sbe2]

The first pic is one week after bottling, the second was 4 weeks later...

 

[thehaze]

Dios mio!

That is some fast, effing oxidation... Although I am mildly upset that oxidation got the best of me, I am glad at the same time, that the beer was actually pretty darn good to start with. It was already carbonated at an acceptable level on day 4. Day 5 and 6 was pretty sweet.

So I choose to look at the bright side of things. I will brew it again, but will try to consume it faster. But from the things I managed to read, CO2 and kegs will do wonders.

 

[Sbe2]

Yeah, that was the last two bottles of 50+, but still these NEIPAs oxidize quickly.

The best method I found to stave off oxidation was to bottle a couple points above FG. You have to be very confident in your numbers, or else you could get bottle bombs.

 

[thehaze]

Yeah, that was the last two bottles of 50+, but still these NEIPAs oxidize quickly.

The best method I found to stave off oxidation was to bottle a couple points above FG. You have to be very confident in your numbers, or else you could get bottle bombs.

I got a very nice attenuation with Wyeast 1318. Started at 1.060 and ended down to 1.013, maybe a tad too much, although mash temperature was 154.4 F / 68 C.

But the beer was good. Next time I could try to bottle .001-.002 before reaching FG. Worth a try and of course an experiment to look forward to.

 

[Hwk-I-St8]

If I weren't kegging, I don't think I'd even try to brew NEIPAs. They just don't do well with the O2 exposure and the warm storage required to bottle carb. JMHO.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

The first pic is one week after bottling, the second was 4 weeks later...

My batches color change is essentially identical to this.

 

[brew703]

My batches color change is essentially identical to this.

Mine as well. Decent for the first week or so then crap after.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

Since other beers I've made do not exhibit this phenomenon of extreme darkening over time, I'm wondering if it is the act of massively dry hopping with pellets that plants the seed of oxygenation damage?

 

[Sbe2]

Since other beers I've made do not exhibit this phenomenon of extreme darkening over time, I'm wondering if it is the act of massively dry hopping with pellets that plants the seed of oxygenation damage?

Maybe, it might be worth trying those cryo hops/ lupulin powder as a dry hop. Your own exbeeriment if you will.

 

[Jtk78]

I didn't notice much of a change when I did mine, but I did take a few precautions. First I hit the top of my fermenter with a blast of CO2 when I opened it. Then I did the same in my bottling bucket before I transferred it, and gave it one more before I loosely put the lid on.

I also ride a bicycle, so I have the handheld CO2 cartridge thing for filling up a tire on the road. I thought about using that to purge the bottles before capping, but did not go that far.

Kegging is not in my foreseeable future, more NEIPAs are though. I work at a place that filled CO2 extinguishers, so I have a 20# cylinder for stuff like this. Also use it when I dry hop.

 

[BeerAddikt]

I've dry hopped many an IPA (several with 2 additions) and bottled with little to no effect of oxidation. Some of them were still excellent several months after bottling. But I recently brewed a NEIPA that I will be bottling and based on all the reading I've done I'm very concerned about O2 pickup.

I guess the proof will be in the pudding.

 

[thehaze]

I've dry hopped many an IPA (several with 2 additions) and bottled with little to no effect of oxidation. Some of them were still excellent several months after bottling. But I recently brewed a NEIPA that I will be bottling and based on all the reading I've done I'm very concerned about O2 pickup.

I guess the proof will be in the pudding.

I wish you " Good luck " and may your beer not oxidise.

I for one, I am reluctant to brew NEIPAs any time soon. I will stick to styles which yield good results and allow me to enjoy the beer more than just a few days/weeks.

But all in all, it is very fun and exciting to brew this style. I can see what all the frenzy is about. I do like sipping NEIPAs all day long.

 

[Sbe2]

Best of luck to everyone who bottles this style, it broke me and I went to kegs. Hopefully someone can get a process down for those that bottle!!

 

[seatazzz]

I haven't bottled in a while, but here's something that might work...again, you would have to bottle a couple of points above your FG and be VERY careful. Go ahead and bottle; one week (or less) after bottling, vent some co2 out of one or two bottles by just barely lifting the cap until you hear a hiss, then use your capper to tighten it down again. This CAN BE DANGEROUS if your numbers aren't right, wear eye protection and heavy gloves. This *should* purge any residual o2 that could be losing you some hoppy goodness. If I'm wrong, feel free to lambast me but technically it should work. Mark the bottles you vent and test them against an unvented bottle.

 

[TravelingLight]

If I weren't kegging, I don't think I'd even try to brew NEIPAs. They just don't do well with the O2 exposure and the warm storage required to bottle carb. JMHO.

I'm with you. NEIPAs are more vulnerable to oxidation than anything else I brew. It's insane. Makes me respect the big boys who do them well even more.

 

[Upthewazzu]

Bottling NEIPA's just doesn't work, IMO. Keg or can, that's it.