Off Flavor/Aroma in IPA's

[BykerBrewer]

Hello HBT,

The past 2 IPA's I brewed have had a overpowering sweet/candy-like aroma & flavor (like "Smarties" candy). I have been all over the web looking for possible reasons for this, but have found nothing...

One was 95% 2-row (1.8L), 5% Crystal (40L) & all Cascade hops... The other 90% 2-row (1.8L), 10% Munich (10L) and all EKG. Mashed @ 148. US-05 yeast rehydrated before pitch (pitch rate was calculated). They were airated by shaking the carboy vigorously. OG about 1.065, FG 1.010. I use a fermentation chamber currently set at 66F. Spent 3 weeks in primary, then bottled...

Any idea from where this "Smarties candy" aroma could be coming?

Cheers!

 

[oljimmy]

People have serious sweetness-aroma issues with IPAs because the hop acids oxidize easily (I believe). This happened to me when I bottled and I never nailed down the cause, just switched to kegs and it went away.

Check this thread for some recent attempts to nail that problem down. Not sure what Smarties smell like but if it's anything like sherry then you might have an oxidation issue.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=575370

 

[m00ps]

Agreed, 90% of homebrew IPAs ive had have been far too sweet in the finish for my tastes. Ive stopped using any crystal altogether in mine.

It helps to use some simple sugars to dry things out. Also, EKG isnt really suited for IPAs at all. Ive used over 1lb of EKG/Saaz/Tettnang/Sterling to try and make a "noble IPA". Spoiler alert, it wasnt good

 

[BykerBrewer]

People have serious sweetness-aroma issues with IPAs because the hop acids oxidize easily (I believe). This happened to me when I bottled and I never nailed down the cause, just switched to kegs and it went away.

Check this thread for some recent attempts to nail that problem down. Not sure what Smarties smell like but if it's anything like sherry then you might have an oxidation issue.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=575370

Other descriptors I could use would be cotton candy/artificial sweetness/ super sweet artificial fruitiness... I don't believe it is oxidation, unfortunately, that would be a problem I could work on resolving. I still have no idea what it could be. Thank you for the link though!

 

[BykerBrewer]

Agreed, 90% of homebrew IPAs ive had have been far too sweet in the finish for my tastes. Ive stopped using any crystal altogether in mine.

It helps to use some simple sugars to dry things out. Also, EKG isnt really suited for IPAs at all. Ive used over 1lb of EKG/Saaz/Tettnang/Sterling to try and make a "noble IPA". Spoiler alert, it wasnt good

Agreed. Most of my IPA's have come out a bit too sweet (but still at least tasted like the ingredients I used).... I have no clue from where this overpowering cotton candy/artificial sweetener/ Smarties candy flavor/aroma is coming. Initially I thought that it was just the crystal that I had used and was set on never again using crystal in an IPA.... However, when I smelled/tasted the IPA with Munich & it had the exact same issue, I knew I must be doing something incorrectly.

 

[MaryB]

Is the fermenting chamber at 66 or are you keeping the actual fermenter at 66? Because if it is the first then you may be fermenting 3-4 degrees higher!