slight hint of vinegar

[bobeer]

Hey All,

I decided to have a sampling of my first beer tonight to see how it tasted and to note how beer conditions from week to week. It's my first batch ever and I brewed it from a kit. It's a black cascade ale.

It's been sitting in bottles for exactly a week. It's carbonated but not totally yet. It has a slight hint of vinegar and a slight taste of vinegar too. I left it in my primary for 3 1/2 weeks then it went straight to bottles. It really doesn't smell any different than when I bottled it. I've read on these forums that if the smell/taste gets worse then it's an infection of some kind. I don't recall there being an oil slick on the top when I bottled nor do I recall there being any flake like things on top.

Is this beer just green and unconditioned or is this just a batch that went bad somewhere along the line?

 

[jaytizzle]

I'm not experienced enough to be able to say much other than revisit it in another week and see what happens.

You maintained good sanitation practices throughout?

 

[bobeer]

I'm not experienced enough to be able to say much other than revisit it in another week and see what happens.

You maintained good sanitation practices throughout?

Thanks for the quick response. Yes. I sanitized everything and kept my brewing area clean. I also did the same when bottling.

 

[Qhrumphf]

My brother in law said something similar about his first beer I helped him brew, and after conditioning in the bottle he couldn't detect it any more. I wasn't around to see what he was smelling/tasting, so I'm not sure what it was, if anything. I couldn't taste anything in the bottles he gave me later on. So yours might be a similar case and could very well just be green.

If the vinegar character gets stronger with time, I'd say that's probably an infection. I'd put the bottles somewhere safe just to be cautious (put them inside a plastic bin or something in case there's an infection chewing through dextrins that could potentially create bottle bombs), leave them to carbonate and condition for a full 3 weeks, stick one in the fridge for a few days, and then try it again. It may be nothing to worry about.

 

[passedpawn]

Vinegar is usually acetic acid which is caused by acetobacter which is a bacterium that slipped past your sanitation practices.

Or your beer is just green.

I'm guessing a bit of both because I've never gotten that flavor in a non-soured beer. Probably won't go away, might get worse. I think it needs O2 to thrive, but not sure. If so, it won't get much worse.

 

[Catnip_X07]

What was your fermenting temp? I found that if I fermented in a temperature that was too cold for the yeast, my beer turned into a vinegary sweet beer, even though I hit my FG. Takes a long time to clear up, but it does.

 

[bobeer]

What was your fermenting temp? I found that if I fermented in a temperature that was too cold for the yeast, my beer turned into a vinegary sweet beer, even though I hit my FG. Takes a long time to clear up, but it does.

Thanks to everyone for all the quick responses. My temperature during fermentation was 66.5 degrees throughout the 3 1/2 weeks.

 

[passedpawn]

What was your fermenting temp? I found that if I fermented in a temperature that was too cold for the yeast, my beer turned into a vinegary sweet beer, even though I hit my FG. Takes a long time to clear up, but it does.

This sounds like the cause for H2S (hydrogen sulfide), not acetic acid. H2S gives a sulfer smell that will go away with time. It's pretty common when some yeasts are fermented very cold.

 

[bobeer]

My friend, who helped brew the beer, just cracked one at his house and said he didn't smell/taste any vinegar. I gave him a couple bottles earlier today so they've all been in the same place since we bottled. His also sounded more carbonated than mine was from what he described. So I'll just wait another week and taste it again and report back.

Thanks for all the help!

 

[brad6622]

I did this exact thing on my first brew and I freaked out when I tried it only 1 week in the bottle. After another week it tasted normal. Hopefully yours will be the same

 

[veritas524]

One week in the bottle is not nearly enough time to evaluate or begin troubleshooting a beer. Feel free to try it after a week in bottles, just don't get all hyped up if it doesn't taste how you expect it should.

 

[Alemann]

I'm thinking green still

 

[AdamPag]

vinegar from acetic acid is an obvious smell and taste, if its just subtle, its probably just green, if it gets worse then passedpawn calls with with acetobacter and will become totally undrinkable... Unless you like drinking vinegar.

 

[Qhrumphf]

I don't know about totally undrinkable. I like the acetic character in some of the sour beers. But if it's not in combination with some of the other bacteria and it's just vinegar, I could see it as off putting.

 

[bobeer]

I did this exact thing on my first brew and I freaked out when I tried it only 1 week in the bottle. After another week it tasted normal. Hopefully yours will be the same

Update about after another week in bottles... The vinegar taste is totally gone out of the beer; or at least the one I cracked. It still tastes a little green but it's much more carbonated and I can actually enjoy drinking it more than last time. I think this batch is good and another week, which would make it 3 weeks in bottles, will do it even better.

I have a 1.090 OG IIPA downstairs now coming up on 3 weeks in the primary. One more week then dry hop for 7 days then bottle. This beer will take a while to carb up and condition I'm sure but I can't wait!

Thanks to all who replied!