newb mistake, questions

[MazdaMatt]

I did a batch of Cream of Three Crops. I didn't use the original recipe because I wasn't doing 11g as BierMuncher did, I used 5gal and followed the suggested recipe of one of the posts in the thread. Target OG was 1.040, I got 1.048 or 1.052... I forget which (might have been 1.052 that I topped to 1.048, not sure).

Anyway, fast forward three weeks and mix in some carelessness.... I didn't check the FG until after I was already siphoning into the priming/bottling bucket (that has the priming sugar in it). I interrupted the stream half way and took a sample.

FG is 1.018-1.017 which is about ten points high from intended FG.

This beer tastes sweet, I would even describe it as having a pinapple flavour.

Questions:
Does that sweetness indicate that there's a lot of sugar left that will surely explode my Grolsch bottles?
What causes a pinapple flavour in a fresh beer?

 

[KoedBrew]

can you post the recipe?
Also did you make a yeast starter? What yeast? And what temperature did you ferment at?
The Fermentation temp could give you the pineapple flavor...

Was it all grain or extract? Because if it was all grain and your mash temp was 158 degrees F then 1.018 could be correct. If you used extract I would think it would be lower, but this could also be a result of not enough yeast pitched.

 

[FensterBos]

I wouldn't be too nervous because I've bottled my pale ale at 1.018 and I didn't get bottle bombs or fountains.
The pineapple flavor could be oxidation, but I would be surprised that would happen before racking to the bottling bucket, unless you didn't have a good seal on your fermentor. Also, what temperature did you pitch the yeast? Some citrus flavors can happen from pitching at too high of a temperature.

 

[BDogD]

Need more info about the recipe and process, as the 1st responder suggested. Lots of possible variables here for sweetness, FG and the pineapple that you describe.

 

[TopherM]

The OP said it was BeirMuncher's recipe, so I guess it was this: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f62/cream-three-crops-cream-ale-66503/

That's a pretty light beer with very low IBUs, so any off flavors are going to be pretty prominant. The pinapple flavor could be esters from a high fermentation temp. Did you have like three days were the fermentation was rockin, followed by a few days were you didn't have any bubbles? That would be a sign of a higher than ideal ferm temp, and it probably needed to be the primary a week or two longer than the recipe called for, hence your 1.018 FG instead of the 1.005 FG BeirMuncher got. Was your fermentation temps closer to 70-75 in the room instead of BM's 68?

Anyway, those flavors will mellow out, but you are going to have to condition this batch for 3-5 weeks instead of the 10 days BM recommends. Patience!

 

[BDogD]

Thanks for the recipe link TopherM. I'd guess that from the FG, that it wasn't done yet, unless your mash temp was way high (calibrated thermometer?). Fruity flavor is most likely from esters (fermentation temp as suggested by TopherM?), doubt you would get that out of the hops from the original recipe.

If it were to drop another 10 GU in the bottle, I would be careful with the first ones and see how the carbonation is. Might not drop that much and could be fine.

 

[beerkrump]

+1 to high fermentation temps.

Esters plus acetylaldehyde plus flowery hops would get you to pineapple. Also, rice can add some flavors, too.

Now you just have to figure out how to get that into your next IPA.

 

[BDogD]

Now you just have to figure out how to get that into your next IPA.

A whole palate of hops to play with there... Citra maybe?

 

[MazdaMatt]

I'd love to say "thanks, you all nailed it" but this thing was pitched at about 70 and fermented at 66-68 (basement floor)

Mash temp overshot a bit (157?) at the very beginning, but was corrected to too-low (149) within a couple minutes (after fully stirring to be sure temp was properly distributed), then I brought the temp up to 154, I believe.

 

[MazdaMatt]

Tasted one of these last night (after only 4 days in bottle, so with low hopes). The Pinapple falvour is mellowing, it isn't nearly as sweet and the carbonation isn't quite up to snuff yet. So I'm thinking this will all just level out nicely. The almost-beer was quite tasty and I was disappointed at how quickly the bottom of my glass showed up.

 

[1ratdog]

you need 2 keep a notebook so you can know every detail when something goes wrong.

 

[MazdaMatt]

you need 2 keep a notebook so you can know every detail when something goes wrong.

That's on the to-do list for my next brew. I had actually taken very good notes of this one on the computer, then closed Word without saving. It had every quantity, temperature and time.

 

[1ratdog]

d'oh

 

[MazdaMatt]

I finally got to try the 3-crops after 3 weeks warm and 1.5 week in a very cold fridge. the pinapple flavour was there 3 days after going into the fridge, but it is now completely gone. The Cream of Three Crops is now quite delicious. sweetness, hops and pale malt flavour are all very subtle and well balanced (even though this brew should not have sweetness, I must have mashed high). Mouthfeel is just slightly viscous. thin head rides all the way to the bottom and lace all the way up to the top. Clarity is ALMOST there, but leaves some to be desired. Carbonation is perfect.