Off flavour in Brown Ale - Diagnosis help please

[corvax13]

Hello everyone

I am currently drinking a AHS Newcastle Clone extract recipe I brewed July 19th. It spent 2 weeks in primary, 2 weeks in secondary (I know, not needed, this was my last secondary), and has so far been 3 and a half weeks in the bottle.

I know it is just the bare minimum for the conditioning to be good, however, after sampling a couple I can't help but notice a flavour that I can only describe as "yeasty". It has decreased slightly overtime, so I am confident it will eventually disappear and the beer will get better, but I can't help thinking that perhaps I did something wrong in the process to create the flavour.

OG - 1.051
FG - 1.016

Yeast pitching temp was 75
Had a fermentation that started slow (no visible signs until about 80 hours).

My only doubtful point is perhaps my fermentation temperature. The thermometer strip on my carboy was between 70-72 (swamp cooler in Georgia summer heat), though I suspect this might not accurately reflect internal temperature.

Is what I'm tasting "esters" from a warm fermentation?


Thank you very much for all your help in advance.

Corvax

Edit - one other thing, after drinking about half of it I am getting a slight headache.

 

[hopvine]

Yep, that's what you're tasting. Three beers that I brewed this summer all turned out with a mild phenol flavor, and it's because my fermentation temps were hovering around 70 - 72.

 

[corvax13]

Ok - and the flavour will eventually mellow out right? After a couple months or so?

 

[david_42]

It might, some esters fade, some don't.

 

[Spyd3r]

I got the same problem with my first batch. Only my fermentation temps were around 80-82F. lol

I'm gonna drink it anyway to teach myself a lesson...

 

[ThreeTaps]

Yep, that's what you're tasting. Three beers that I brewed this summer all turned out with a mild phenol flavor, and it's because my fermentation temps were hovering around 70 - 72.

Why would those temps cause off flavors in an ale? I've read in countless posts and books that 65F - 74F is the desired range.

 

[corvax13]

That was my impression as well - though that was the temperature I was reading on my "fermometer", so I suspect that actual temperature was a few degrees warmer.

 

[Pommy]

yes i had this problem with one of my early brews, i just drank it all and got it out the way so i could try again the taste might fade but if its drinkable id just accept it was maybe cooked a little too high and use it for a drink when needed, it should mix up well to make a shandy for the mrs though

 

[Grinder12000]

You are drinking a VERY young beer. Beer comes into it's own at abou the 2 month mark. 3.5 weeks is the very edge of drinkability (did I just say drinkability?)

It was a little warm, might fade over time. Wrap a wet towel around the carboy with a fan next time.

 

[ChickenSoop]

When I bottle my beer, I don't test it until 6 weeks after bottling day.
Some are ok at 6 weeks, others take 8-10 weeks to clear.

 

[mr_clean]

What yeast did you use?I used windsor for the very same recipe,it tasted yeasty.