Spoiled Batch or Just Bad Tasting

[chewse]

Here is today's stupid question. Is there a way to verify a beer batch is bad or spoiled as opposed to the beer just doesn't taste as good as you had hoped? I just finished a double IPA and took a taste after about 5 days being racked in bottles. To me, it didn't taste like other IPAs I've had but I don't know if its just too early in the racking process or if I have a bad batch.

 

[Gameface]

Here is today's stupid question. Is there a way to verify a beer batch is bad or spoiled as opposed to the beer just doesn't taste as good as you had hoped? I just finished a double IPA and took a taste after about 5 days being racked in bottles. To me, it didn't taste like other IPAs I've had but I don't know if its just too early in the racking process or if I have a bad batch.

If you mean infected, that's usually unmistakable.

Now fermenting too hot, esters from underpitching, minor oxidation, etc. Many of those characteristics can just seem a bit off instead of horribly ruined beer.

Brewing a double IPA requires a bit of special attention. Specifically, you'd want to pitch adequate healthy yeast, aerate it well and, with so many fermentables, you'd want to control the yeasts desire to get over active by regulating fermentation temps. If you didn't do all of those things then you may have a starting point to make a better double IPA in the future.

 

[chewse]

If you mean infected, that's usually unmistakable.

Now fermenting too hot, esters from underpitching, minor oxidation, etc. Many of those characteristics can just seem a bit off instead of horribly ruined beer.

Brewing a double IPA requires a bit of special attention. Specifically, you'd want to pitch adequate healthy yeast, aerate it well and, with so many fermentables, you'd want to control the yeasts desire to get over active by regulating fermentation temps. If you didn't do all of those things then you may have a starting point to make a better double IPA in the future.

The recipe was really heavy on the hops. I followed the directions closely. I didn't get the same OG as stipulated by the recipe but the FG was nearly spot on. I was expecting a much more flavorful, hoppy beer. I'll let it set the 14 days as stated in the directions to see if it improves.

With past batches, I've been able to get a good taste "reading" after a few days. On this batch, it just doesn't taste right but I can't figure out if its the way the recipe taste is supposed to be or if there is a big improvement in the flavor after 14 days.

 

[SavaShip]

A spoiled batch from my experience is normally sour. I liken it to when milk sours.