Northern Brewer kits tasting fruity

[CrixusOfCapua]

So I have brewed 2 Brewers Best 1 gallon kits and 4 1gallon kits from Northern Brewer so far.

Brewers Best - American Brown Ale - Tasted fine
Brewers Best - Porter - Tasted fine
Northern Brewer - Bourbon Barrel Ale - Tasted fine
Northern Brewer - Saison - Tasted fine
Northern Brewer - Caribou Slobber Brown - Tastes Fruity - http://www.northernbrewer.com/caribou-slobber-1-gallon-recipe-kit
Northern Brewer - Dead Ringer IPA - Tastes Fruity - http://www.northernbrewer.com/dead-ringer-ipa-1-gallon-recipe-kit

What could be causing the fruity tastes all of a sudden in both of my last 2 beers? Per the links above that is not how they are supposed to taste. The IPA doesn't even taste hoppy. Both beers fermented for 2-3 weeks. Everything that comes in contact with them is sanitized.

 

[Yooper]

Fruity flavors, called esters, come from a yeast being fermented warmer than may be desired. some yeast strains, especially dry S04, get weirdly tart and fruity at fermentation temperatures higher than about 66 degrees. S05 gets a weird "peachy" flavor at above about 72 degrees.

Is it possible that your temperature is warmer than it was with the other batches?

Ideally, the fermentation temperature would be no higher than the mid-60s.

 

[CrixusOfCapua]

Those were the yeasts I was given in the kits. I keep the room at 65-66 at night and 68 -70 during the day.

 

[Rush]

Those were the yeasts I was given in the kits. I keep the room at 65-66 at night and 68 -70 during the day.

68-70F ambient room temperature is allowing the actual beer to easily reach 74-78F during active fermentation. These temps are why you are getting fruity esters. Keep your fermentation temps in check and you'll notice a reduced fruity character from the yeasts. Look into DIYing a swamp cooler for temp control with some frozen water bottles for a cheap fix.

 

[CrixusOfCapua]

Why would all my other beers turn out ok, but these 2 turn out fruity? Will that fruitiness go away?

 

[flars]

Ingredients probably masked the faults in the beer.

 

[singybrue]

Why would all my other beers turn out ok, but these 2 turn out fruity? Will that fruitiness go away?

I don't know where you live, but it might have been cooler ambient temperatures for the earlier beers, and now, as we get into spring, the temps are rising and so is the temp of your beer.

 

[Rush]

Your earlier beers possibly had a lower room temperature or the different yeasts used didn't throw off as much of a fruity off-flavor as the yeasts that were packaged with the IPA and Caribou Slobber kits.

Also, I've made that Dead Ringer kit before and it should be pretty hoppy. It won't knock your socks off with the hops, but they should definitely be strong and noticeable. How did you add your hops? In a muslin bag? How long has your IPA been bottled?

 

[CrixusOfCapua]

I don't know where you live, but it might have been cooler ambient temperatures for the earlier beers, and now, as we get into spring, the temps are rising and so is the temp of your beer.

Yea I started in January and I remember coming out to check on the beers in the morning and it was 63-64. I'm sure that helped with the fermenting. Now its 66 degrees.

Your earlier beers possibly had a lower room temperature or the different yeasts used didn't throw off as much of a fruity off-flavor as the yeasts that were packaged with the IPA and Caribou Slobber kits.

Also, I've made that Dead Ringer kit before and it should be pretty hoppy. It won't knock your socks off with the hops, but they should definitely be strong and noticeable. How did you add your hops? In a muslin bag? How long has your IPA been bottled?

They were pitched directly in, then strained out by a fine mesh strainer and then an even finer strainer on my funnel when pouring into the fermenter.

Ingredients probably masked the faults in the beer.

Yea I'm sure that is the case.


I'm looking into getting one of these fermentation coolers since we don't have much space in the apt for a fermentation chamber: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008EKD7CQ/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Are these beers lost or will they mellow out to what they are supposed to be?

 

[flars]

I added a tablespoon of cold brewed coffee in each pour of a stout to mask a peach flavor. The stout was fermented too cool with US-05. You could do the same with the Slobber. Will change the character quite a bit but worth a try with one bottle. No ideas on what to do with the Dead Ringer.

 

[CrixusOfCapua]

I added a tablespoon of cold brewed coffee in each pour of a stout to mask a peach flavor. The stout was fermented too cool with US-05. You could do the same with the Slobber. Will change the character quite a bit but worth a try with one bottle. No ideas on what to do with the Dead Ringer.

Too cool? Everyone else is saying I've fermented too hot.

 

[flars]

Too cool? Everyone else is saying I've fermented too hot.

Might also happen too hot but I usually fermented at 63° to 64°F with US-05. Off flavor only noticeable in the stout. Hops probably masked the flavor in other beer styles.

 

[patthebrewer]

Hmmm....Might have been a little cool for the yeast used, but still probably with in the range of the most ale yeasts. Did you test for gravity/plato to make sure your yeasties were done. What were your OG/FG numbers. Temps on the bottom end of the range for ale yeasts may slow the ferm a bit, leaving a bit more unconverted sugars (which would explain the sweet flavor) if pulled too early.


Normally (Like the Esteemed Yooper said ) when this is encountered.....is is indeed because of too hot temps.....as to most homebrewers keeping it cool is a bigger problem. This would produce esters (and headaches)

 

[CrixusOfCapua]

Unfortunately, I'm at work so I don't have the OG/FG on hand. I'm doing 1 gallon batches. Is there a good way to test gravity without disrupting the fermenting process too much? I usually let it ferment for 2-3 weeks and then bottle. Are these 2 fruity beers lost or will they level back out?

 

[Rush]

Unfortunately, I'm at work so I don't have the OG/FG on hand. I'm doing 1 gallon batches. Is there a good way to test gravity without disrupting the fermenting process too much? I usually let it ferment for 2-3 weeks and then bottle. Are these 2 fruity beers lost or will they level back out?

The fruity ester will subside progressively over the next few weeks/months. How much it subsides depends on how strong the esters actually are. Just follow the age old advice of "Relax, Don't Worry and Have a Homebrew". Basically, just wait.

Also, some people are saying, "possibly too cold" and some are saying "possibly too hot". Both hot and cold temperatures can cause off flavors. Different yeasts react differently and throw off unique esters depending on how they are stressed. Both too high and too low of temperatures for a given yeast strain are stressing the yeasts, which is causing them to work harder than they want to, which is essentially what is the cause of esters. To minimize ester production you need to make the job as easy as possible for the yeasts. You need to pitch the proper amount of yeast cells, into a well aerated wort, and let them ferment at a temperature they like (typically the middle of the temp range found on yeast package).

 

[tiredofbuyingbeer]

I had this problem when I started brewing, with Northern Brewer kits, no less. I think it was because I used S-05 in the low 60's--where you find Peach Town, I've since heard. I've just mostly given up on S-05, because I like other fruity yeasts for IPAs or else Notty. (Since S-05 has a danger zone at the low end and the high end, and it's not particularly flocculant, I wonder why people think it's so forgiving and great for beginner kits?)

But to each their own. My cupboard-cleaning pale ale turned out nice (ester-wise, at least) with S-05 at 67.