STOUT RECIPE GONE WRONG... or not?

[ChucknBeer]

Ok guys, this is my second batch, this is the basic info of it:

Stout recipe
IG : 1.058 (got 1.061, probably due to the 3 lts difference)
FG: 1.015 (got 1.016 after 1 week, 2 stable gravity checks)
IBU: 18
SRM: 40
Vol: 20 liters (got 17lts, still fighting my water volume)
Alc: 5,7% app.
Yeast: Safale S-05 (pitched directly into the fermenter, as per manufacturer instructions)

PH of the wort before pitching was 5.5.

Water hardness (boiled tap water) using aquarium tests for GH/KH was GH 180 and KH 70.

As I mentioned in a different thread, the spigot of the fermenter started leaking after 1 hour, so I had to do a transfer to a second bucket, washed and sanitized with peracetic acid as well as I could.

Fermentation temp was in the 21-22°c range, stable (cooler with temp controller+thermowell). It was very vigorous, foaming out of the airlock (filled with vodka).

After 9 days and confirming stable gravity readings, I started a crashcold in the same bucket for 5 days at 6-8°C, then transferred to bottling bucket, added 6.5 gr dextrose per liter and bottled everything.

Tasted some of the beer while bottling, a little acidic and yeasty aftertaste, but nothing terrible, green stout maybe?

So this is the point where I start to be confused.

After 5 days stored at room temp, I put 1 bottle in the fridge and taste it (yes, I know that it is too soon, but I was concerned for a possible infection due to the emergency fermenter transfer). The flavor... was ACID AS HELL. Vinegar. Smelled nothing as beer. There was gas and little head, but the taste... so wrong.

At day 7 from bottling, I try a second bottle. I was not able to drink it whole, even more acidic and vinegar like than before. Depression, the whole batch must be lost.

Yesterday (day 9) I opened a new bottle, but at room temp. Waiting to feel that acid smell I sensed before, I poured it in a glass... got a huge head (thats what she said). The smell... not vinegar like? It tasted as a room temp stout. Still a little bit acid and yeasty, but nothing as before. Just to be sure, I opened a second one, randomly taken from the boxes, no issues again. Not perfect, but it looks like it is quickly improving.

So... is this normal? The first beer I brewed (a Pale Ale) tasted as beer from day one in the bottle, it never had this type of "mutation".

Some additional info

Mashing time: 90 minutes at 67°C
Boiling: 60 minutes (Cascade at 60, Willamette at 15)
Bottles were washed with percarbonate cleaner, tap water and sterilized with peracetic acid.

I don't think there is a random infection in some bottles.

Any thoughts?

 

[Dopeybrew]

Darker beers quite often take a bit more time to come into their own. Id RDWHAHB.

 

[brew_ny]

21 - 22 c is about 70 - 72 f a bit on the warm side for 05 to start

I like to start 05 at 64-65 f for the first 48 - 72 hours then let I let it warm up to 68 - 70

 

[flars]

Big beers will benefit from maturation time in the primary. Leave your next beer in the primary for a few weeks.

 

[SnakeRidge]

I've noticed that darker beers take a little more time to 'come around.' I think that the chocolate roasty flavors take a little more time to meld.

 

[ChucknBeer]

21 - 22 c is about 70 - 72 f a bit on the warm side for 05 to start

I like to start 05 at 64-65 f for the first 48 - 72 hours then let I let it warm up to 68 - 70

I wanted to keep in the high optimal temp recommended by the yeast manufacturer, in order to avoid any issue with stuck fermentation, but next time I will aim for a lower temp.

Ok, so it might be "normal" for the beer to have this initial vinegar flavor, but it really surprised me...

I will give the beer more time to improve and see how it goes.

Cheers.

 

[Joker]

I have had brews taste like @$$ for 3-4 months but at month 5-7 :rockin: never give up on a brew.

 

[Calder]

If it really was vinegar flavor, it would not come around.

I suspect it is just some of the fine roasted malt particles that you are tasting. they can give an acrid taste to the beer.They take a while to drop out, and the beer will improve considerably as they drop out.

Usually best to leave it in the fermenter longer to drop most of it out there rather than in the bottles, where it can be disturbed and come back into suspension.

 

[ChucknBeer]

It is good to learn to be patient.

The stout might not win any competition, but after 3 weeks in the bottle and 1 week in the fridge, it taste more than acceptable, with no "acidity", a very faint yeasty flavor (much, much less than before) and no green apple aftertaste.

Lesson learned.

 

[RM-MN]

It is good to learn to be patient.

The stout might not win any competition, but after 3 weeks in the bottle and 1 week in the fridge, it taste more than acceptable, with no "acidity", a very faint yeasty flavor (much, much less than before) and no green apple aftertaste.

Lesson learned.

Your vinegary or green apple taste was acetaldehyde, a normal intermediate product of fermentation. Some times the yeast break it down into more alcohol right in the fermenter but sometimes it takes a little longer and it will still be present when you bottle the beer. If it is still there when you bottle, the yeast should still be able to break it down while in the bottle and it will be gone with time.

In contrast, you could have an acetobacter infection which will truly make vinegar. It never goes away and given time the vinegar will get stronger until you have malt vinegar. It will be undrinkable (at least to most of us) but you can use it in your cooking if you choose.