slight alcohol aftertast (i have searched)

[baggins22]

Hey everybody,

I know this topic has been covered on the forum, but i just want to clear one thing up. I have a pale ale, bottled for about 3 weeks and it has a slight alcohol aftertaste.

After doing some research on the forum i know that can be because it has not had enough time to mellow out.

1) how do you approximate how much time your recipe needs to be in the primary fermenter? secondary? and bottle? (i mostly make Pale Ales, IPAs, Amber ales)

2) i have also read that fermenting at a high temp OR fermenting to long can lead to off flavors. How do i know what caused this?

Thanks so much!

 

[step]

 

[step]

I am a fan drinking beer young/fresh especially pales and IPAs. You didn't say how long you fermented and at what temp. so I would ask those questions. Three weeks in the bottle sounds sufficient to me, but its possible that a longer time in the bottle could round out some hot alcohol with a little oxidation.

For me, the biggest questions are fermentation temps and pitch rates?????

 

[baggins22]

Thanks Step,

This is my second batch, and i am just now reading/realizing how important things like ferm temp, etc are so i have not been super careful. It was ferm at room temp, so i would say about 70. But there have been couple super hot days where the house heated up (75-78 maybe). It was in the primary for 6 days, secondary for 12, and bottle for about 3 weeks.

I just have a hard time understanding how long it should be in each stage for each type of beer. Is it just that i should take gravity samples and when it stops moving im done? what about the bottling time frame?

And i still dont know if its just a young beer and will go away or if its a temp issue or if its a to long of fermentation. Can any of the three give off the same aftertaste? (would love to understand how this works)

Thanks

 

[midfielder5]

Unfortunately-- There are a lot of factors, no hard and fast rules on time for new brewers until they get their processes down.
Except, there is nothing you can do now for this batch but wait, bc it is bottled. Put it in a dark corner for a few more weeks then chill a few down for a day or so before trying it. Repeat as needed.

Next time--
1) use a swamp cooler to keep fermentation temps in the mid 60's for typical pale ale yeast (dry US 05).
2) Take gravity readings and taste it; don't move or bottle until it is done.
3) Let beer sit in primary for 10-14 days. Some here say 4 weeks. Personal preference. 6 days isnt long enough for a new brewer esp w the temp issue you had!
4) You can skip secondary for pale ales. You can dry hop an IPA/ pale in primary. Many people now just use secondaries for fruit or oak or barleywines, etc. Personal preference if you want to secondary... but dont move it until it is at or near FG.
5) Pitch enough yeast-- one pkg dry, if liquid make a starter.

good luck and keep reading!

 

[mikemet]

make a swamp cooler next time! They are really cheap and I am pretty certain most people here like the results. Nurture your baby. Bathe her in water, cool her down, refresh with bottles of ice and a little bleach to keep the water smelling fresh.

Im about to brew my first batch in 20 years myself and I have been planning for a week straight about the setup and steps needed to get this thing going off on the right foot.

 

[homebrewdad]

I have had the alcohol taste, an yes, it mellowed out with a couple of weeks. Your mileage may vary.

You are not getting off flavors by fermenting too long. That is going back to the old advice of getting beer off the yeast cake as soon as possible to avoid autolysis. That advice hasn't been valid for years now, due to the advances in yeast cultures.

You are likley getting off flavirs from your temps. Mid sixties are ideal for most yeasts - and note that during active fermentation, the temp is 5-10 degrees warmer than your ambient temp. So if your closet is 72 degrees, your beer is actually fermenting at 77-82 during the active stage.

Most of the HBT vets advocate 3-4 week primaries. I secondary for at least a week, myself.

 

[baggins22]

Thanks for all the advice!

I will be paying much closer attention to my temp.

Unfortunately, I have already started another pale ale. I want something with a lot of citrus and grapefruit flavors.

The guy at my beer store suggested that I dry hop and to ferment at a higher temp (70s) to get more flavor out.

Is this incorrect?

Thanks

 

[homebrewdad]

Thanks for all the advice!

I will be paying much closer attention to my temp.

Unfortunately, I have already started another pale ale. I want something with a lot of citrus and grapefruit flavors.

The guy at my beer store suggested that I dry hop and to ferment at a higher temp (70s) to get more flavor out.

Is this incorrect?

Thanks

Depends on the yeast. Most yeasts produce esters or phenols at higher temps - some produce fusel alcohols, which can take a long time to condition out (if they ever do).

Belgian yeasts are often fine into the seventies. Saison yeasts can go hotter. Both types create extra flavors in the beer.

Dry hop, I can agree with for you... higher temp? Not so much.

 

[baggins22]

hmm ok, sounds like the higher temp advice was just way off...might abandon this batch.

and note that during active fermentation, the temp is 5-10 degrees warmer than your ambient temp. So if your closet is 72 degrees, your beer is actually fermenting at 77-82 during the active stage.

- This is interesting..so if i should be fermenting at mid 60's my room temp should be low 60's?

 

[homebrewdad]

hmm ok, sounds like the higher temp advice was just way off...might abandon this batch.



- This is interesting..so if i should be fermenting at mid 60's my room temp should be low 60's?

Don't abandon it, just realize that it may have some characteristics you didn't expect.

And yes, your temp should be low 60s - at least for those couple of active fermentation days.

Each yeast has a recommended temperature range - check this and plan accordingly. This is why so many people use swamp coolers and fermentation chambers, to hit those numbers.

 

[baggins22]

Got it,

Thanks so much for all the advice! I will be much more careful in the future

 

[homebrewdad]

Got it,

Thanks so much for all the advice! I will be much more careful in the future

Anytime, man. If it makes you feel any better, I am also still struggling with good termerature control. My basement is pretty solid, but a bit warmer than I would like for it to be.