Strange taste AFTER bottle conditioning

[Kraftwerk]

I've brewed and bottled my first two extract batches (recipes below). I primed with 2/3 cup dextrose mixed into 5gal batch. Both have a very odd off flavor that was NOT present at any point prior to bottle conditioning. I understand time will tell, but I want to know if strange flavors always come out during bottle conditioning.

Batch #1 (10 days primary, 2 weeks secondary) was described as 'watermelon' after 1 week in bottles. That flavor has been gradually subsiding over the 7 weeks since bottling, but it's still pretty pronounced. Those bottles are now crystal clear and the beer has nice dense head with great retention. Everything about the beer seems awesome except this haunting off flavor in the background...

Batch #2 (10 days primary, 4 weeks secondary) has been in bottles for just two weeks. Before bottling it had all the hop aroma and flavor I'm going for... but now it's got a bizarre smell and aftertaste that really comes through in the burps. It's sort of fruity and kind of coats the mouth. I expect this to subside with time, as well, but I'm nervous I'll never get back to where I was before bottling.

I've read about diacetyl, acetaldehyde, and fusel alcohol. Can these develop during the bottle conditioning stage? Does bottle conditioning always cause weird flavors that need to be waited out?

I store my empty bottles clean, and my sanitation procedure is as follows:
- Run empty dishwasher, spray racks with star san solution
- Scrub bottles with dish soap and bottle brush, rinse thoroughly
- rinse with star san solution using vinator bottle rinser
- invert bottles on sanitized dishwasher racks to drain
- soak caps in star san solution


===================

Brew #1: Chinook IPA (Northern Brewer Kit)
Brewed 8/29/10
2.5 gal boil, 5 gal total, 60 min
O.G. 1.059
Fermentation temp 76ºF-78ºF

Specialty Grain
0.75 lbs Dingemans Caramel Pils
0.25 lbs Briess Caramel 120

Fermentables
6 lbs Pilsen LME
1 lb Pilsen DME

Hops
1 oz Chinook(60min)
1 oz Chinook (10 min)
1 oz Chinook (1 min)
1 oz Chinook (dry hop)

Yeast
Wyeast 1056 American Ale

Brew #2: Three Hearted IPA (Northern Brewer Kit, modified extract additions and dry hop)
Brewed 9/18/10
3 gal boil, 5 gal total, 60 min
O.G. 1.080 (measured, probably wrong). Calc’ed 1.073. Kit estimated 1.064.
Fermentation temp 74ºF-76ºF Primary, 64ºF-68ºF Secondary

Specialty Grain
1 lb Briess Caramel 40

Fermentables
9.15 lbs Gold LME

Hops
1 oz Centennial (60min)
2 oz Centennial (25 min)
1 oz Centennial (5 min)
1 oz Centennial (dry hop)
1 oz Ahtanum (dry hop)

Yeast
Wyeast 1056 American Ale

 

[cenla]

I understand time will tell, but I want to know if strange flavors always come out during bottle conditioning.

how long have batch 1 and batch 2 been in the bottle? Your beer might still be green.

 

[Kraftwerk]

how long have batch 1 and batch 2 been in the bottle? Your beer might still be green.

Batch 1: 7 weeks.
Batch 2: 2 weeks (clearly that one is green)

 

[Kraftwerk]

Could it be oxidation? I always cap my bottles immediately after filling. A friend suggested waiting 5-10 minutes to let the CO2 push out the air in the headspace. Thoughts on that?

 

[cenla]

Could it be oxidation? I always cap my bottles immediately after filling. A friend suggested waiting 5-10 minutes to let the CO2 push out the air in the headspace. Thoughts on that?

I don't think oxidation accounts for the off flavors you've mentioned.

On second look- your fermentation temp was high for both brews, but esp. the first. Beer flavor does change during bottle aging- so maybe the off flavors from higher temp fermentations came forward?

 

[oljimmy]

Hey KW, did you ever solve this issue?

 

[JRTurner1234]

Was this ever resolved? I suspect I have exactly the same issue and I'm puzzled.

 

[Kraftwerk]

Hi there. Yes! I believe it was a classic case of over-priming plus hot fermentation. I believe the weird taste came from diacetyl. In fact, batch 2 was a gusher and turned into a case of bottle bombs some months later when spring turned to summer. Those original batches were based on Northern Brewer kits and I used the priming sugar dosage per the instructions. Once I switched to calculating my sugar for a desired carbonation level I had much better results. I would always aim low and ended up with great results every time. Also, I use an ice water bath for the duration of primary fermentation. Makes all the difference. Eventually switched to kegging which is totally worthwhile.

 

[JRTurner1234]

Thanks for the update. I'm currently running an experiment with three carboys to try and identify my issue. I suspect it's to do with chlorine or chloromine in the water *or* Star San not working with my high pH/hard water.

I'll post the result back here.

 

[RM-MN]

Thanks for the update. I'm currently running an experiment with three carboys to try and identify my issue. I suspect it's to do with chlorine or chloromine in the water *or* Star San not working with my high pH/hard water.

I'll post the result back here.

If you suspect chlorine or chloramine in the water use half a campden tablet (crushed) in a 5 gallon batch prior to brewing as it will take the chlorine components out nearly immediately.

 

[EvilDrFoetus]

*or* Star San not working with my high pH/hard water.

If it's that (same issue here) then RO water's a good solution if you live near an aquatics store. I take a jerrycan down every few weeks and that lasts a couple of brewdays if I just use it for making up sanitiser.