Spicy beer troubleshooting

[acbader]

Hi all,

I am brewing a NEIPA right now, and just took a sample for a gravity reading at one week. I tasted it, and definitely got a spicy hit in the back of my throat that indicates fusels. I've never had a problem with them before, so this is quite disappointing...

I was really not expecting this because I pitched the yeast at 72 and then the wort actually got to a lower temperature than I wanted it to in my fridge, so I warmed it up to 64 in a warm water bath, where vigorous fermentation took place. Since then, my temp controller has kept it from 65-68. The wort never got above 72, so I can't imagine why there would be fusels.

Any thoughts or other sources of this off-flavor that anyone can think of? Hoping that this could be a different off flavor that conditioning might take care of.

 

[GPP33]

Have ever had warm one up before? If not your temp probe could be giving you bad readings and you were actually much warmer than you thought.

 

[Jtk78]

I've had a few beers that were spicy going into the fermenter. They've been great when fermented, carbed and chilled though. It might be a lot better once it's actually ready to drink.

 

[Jwin]

Also, the raw hop oil amounts in a NEIPA are stupid high and can result in a bit of throat burn.
Remember, alpha acids are acids. They can burn.

 

[RPh_Guy]

Remember, alpha acids are acids.

The alpha acids are not water-soluble until isomerized, right? I do still get a hop burn from heavily dry-hopped beers, so there's definitely something going on with the hops. Perhaps beta-acids or some other compounds.

Sooooo... What yeast was pitched?

 

[Jwin]

The alpha acids are not water-soluble until isomerized, right? I do still get a hop burn from heavily dry-hopped beers, so there's definitely something going on with the hops. Perhaps beta-acids or some other compounds.

Sooooo... What yeast was pitched?

"burn in the back of the throat" on a sample would make me suspect "hop burn", at a glance. Not fusels. There's still a lot of debate about the chemistry of dryhopping. Not diving down that rabbithole tonight...
I'd encourage the OP to relax and move on as normal.

 

[acbader]

The alpha acids are not water-soluble until isomerized, right? I do still get a hop burn from heavily dry-hopped beers, so there's definitely something going on with the hops. Perhaps beta-acids or some other compounds.

Sooooo... What yeast was pitched?

I pitched Wyeast London Ale III. I had not heard of hop burn before, that's interesting.

 

[acbader]

"burn in the back of the throat" on a sample would make me suspect "hop burn", at a glance. Not fusels. There's still a lot of debate about the chemistry of dryhopping. Not diving down that rabbithole tonight...
I'd encourage the OP to relax and move on as normal.

Definitely planning on proceeding as normal, but glad I got some new info from you all.

 

[H20ENG]

I get a black peppery throat burn from hops usually during tasting my FG sample or the leftover beer after racking. I contribute this to suspended hop particles. After clearing in the keg its completely gone.
Is this after its had time to settle out the hop particulate? Or is your NEIPA so clouded that they're still suspended?