Off flavor from dried kveik

[Bassaholic]

I’ve been having troubles with a consistent off flavor with 2 different kveik strains that I have used then dried from 2 sources. I’m not quite sure how to describe the flavor. It’s a bit tart and kind of cidery but not acetyldehyde - green apple flavor. Another thing to mention is that they were all IPAs and the hop aroma/flavor is almost nonexistent, but doesn’t taste or look oxidized.

The last 3 beers I’ve made have had the same issue. The first 2 were using hornindal from omega and the third was Oslo from Bootleg Biology. I pitched both into separate beers from original packaging and had great beers. I made starters and dried that or dried the yeast cake from the fermented batch. I have a feeling I picked up an infection in the drying process since it’s in all 3 beers. The yeast was dried in a dehydrator at 95F and stored in the freezer after that.

Another strange thing I noticed was with the most recent batch with Oslo. I brewed last Friday and checked on it yesterday and it was smelling normal and hoppy. Then checked on it this morning and a huge krausen had formed and disappeared overnight and the beer developed the same taste/smell as the others. In my last fermentation with Oslo it formed very little krausen as it’s a bottom fermenting yeast.

I’m getting very frustrated and am looking for a direction to go in from here. Does anyone have any pointers for what I should do?

 

[day_trippr]

Have you considered using other than Kveik strains, run at their recommended temperatures?

Cheers!

 

[Bassaholic]

That’s my next step for sure. I’m going to clean my carboy then bleach it just to be safe and try a normal ale strain. I was just hoping to figure out what went wrong with the dried kveik so I can continue using it in the future.

 

[day_trippr]

It wasn't clear if all of the problematic batches used your dried yeast.
Did the "original" pitched beers come out ok or did they have the same issues as the dried/re-used batches?

Cheers!

 

[Bassaholic]

Yea the three bad batches were from dried yeast. The original batches that I dried the yeast from were both very good with no off flavors.

 

[Kenmoron]

I've had some weird batches, in particular when using Oslo and "pale lagers". From what I've seen, it seems like there is a greater pH drop due to more organic acids (kveik strains in general produce more organic acids, but I've personally noticed it more with Oslo). I have since had success making sure to buffer my worts and monitor pHs throughout the brew. If you brew with very soft water (which is what I do when making my pale lagers) I would suggest adding in a bit of bicarb and see if that does the trick... I'm generally using about 2-4 g of Na bicarb in my 3 gal batches. It can be used during the mash if your mash pH allows or just add it to your wort prior to pitching your yeast.

 

[Althozgraz]

might be strain might be drying process, when i dry my kveik (framgarden, gjernes, hornindal) I always preheat my oven to 350 for 5 minutes with my sheet pan inside (I have a gas stove). then i let it cool to room temp and put it on dehydrate mode at 100 degrees. I put down parchment paper and dump all the dregs from the fermentation onto the sheet. After the yeast has become solid enough to flip in one piece i do that. After it becomes breakable I break it into palm sized chunks and dry it some more then let cool and store in ziplock bags in the freezer.

 

[Bassaholic]

I’ve definitely heard that some kveiks finish with a lower pH. But my concern is that it’s not only tart but the hop flavors are completely gone. I recently made another batch and fermented with White Labs London Fog and got the same results. Smelled great and normal for 2 days, then completely changed. I also cleaned, then bleached, then sanitized with starsan my carboy before brewing. I’m really at a loss for what could be going on and I’m not sure what to do next. I suppose I’ll brew a completely different beer style and see if I’m getting the same flavor.

 

[greenjam]

Did you use the same Hops?

 

[Bassaholic]

Nope, different hops each time.