NSMikeD
Well-Known Member
I am almost embarrassed to admit this, but figured I'd share as lesson learned. I think most of us start by using clone recipes of beers we like that we pull of the internet. Often we don't know why all the ingredients are being used since we have so many more variables about which to worry.
Recently, I brewed a SNPA clone from a recipe on the net. 2.5 gallon BIAB. Came close on the numbers, beer smith said it was right on target for the profile. Two weeks in the fermentor with a 3 day dry hop addition and then primed and kegged for two more weeks before cold crashing and tapping.
All was good until that first pint. SOUR!!!! MY BEER WAS INFECTED!!! I SUCK AT BREWING.
Or, so I thought. I spent hair pulling days researching off flavors and concluding lactic acid from bacteria ruined the beer. Only thing was, I really liked the beer and it reminded me of other micro brews I liked.
But since I was not expecting this pronounced flavor, I was blocked from the obvious and more concerned with the shame of liking bad beer and doubting my sanitization procedures.
The sourness I tasted was a delightful grapefruit citrus. And sure enough, I looked at my hop schedule and then went to a Cascade fact sheet and there was the magic word "grapefruit".
I went from poser to brewmaster over one word. lol
I had tweaked the recipe a little and was seeking to add a lot of aroma - plus I assumed the flavor would be a generic "spice" that I didn't realize I was adding a nice pronounced grapefruit note to the beer.
So, I am changing the recipe name in my BeerSmith to a better description and looking forward to making this beer again (a few friends said they really liked it, and went for refills passing up the Toasted Lager bottles that were in my fridge).
Trust your tastebuds and your procedures,
Use the ingredient facts sheets on the internet, they are awesome, and most importantly:
RDWHAHB
Anyone else care to share any similar experiences with the new folks?
Recently, I brewed a SNPA clone from a recipe on the net. 2.5 gallon BIAB. Came close on the numbers, beer smith said it was right on target for the profile. Two weeks in the fermentor with a 3 day dry hop addition and then primed and kegged for two more weeks before cold crashing and tapping.
All was good until that first pint. SOUR!!!! MY BEER WAS INFECTED!!! I SUCK AT BREWING.
Or, so I thought. I spent hair pulling days researching off flavors and concluding lactic acid from bacteria ruined the beer. Only thing was, I really liked the beer and it reminded me of other micro brews I liked.
But since I was not expecting this pronounced flavor, I was blocked from the obvious and more concerned with the shame of liking bad beer and doubting my sanitization procedures.
The sourness I tasted was a delightful grapefruit citrus. And sure enough, I looked at my hop schedule and then went to a Cascade fact sheet and there was the magic word "grapefruit".
I went from poser to brewmaster over one word. lol
I had tweaked the recipe a little and was seeking to add a lot of aroma - plus I assumed the flavor would be a generic "spice" that I didn't realize I was adding a nice pronounced grapefruit note to the beer.
So, I am changing the recipe name in my BeerSmith to a better description and looking forward to making this beer again (a few friends said they really liked it, and went for refills passing up the Toasted Lager bottles that were in my fridge).
Trust your tastebuds and your procedures,
Use the ingredient facts sheets on the internet, they are awesome, and most importantly:
RDWHAHB
Anyone else care to share any similar experiences with the new folks?