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So this is something that I have experienced before and have asked about. See:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/what-i-did-for-with-mead-today.725994/page-8#post-10343712
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/making-my-pyments.723957/#post-10332776
This can take a variety of traits, as far as the fault itself goes. A description I have read says:
"Mousy wine is wine that has an off-flavor that tastes like a dirty mouse cage, cracker biscuits, or puppy's breath. It's caused by a number of factors, including bacteria, yeast, and inorganic chemicals. "
another description closer to what I am looking for says:
"The wine fault that results in a "corn chip" flavor is mousiness, caused by compounds like acetyl-tetrahydropyridines (ATHP). This fault is typically associated with high-pH wines and microbial activity, particularly from lactic acid bacteria. While it cannot be smelled directly in wine due to its low pH, it manifests as an unpleasant flavor on the palate, often described as corn chips, crackers, or mouse cage"
and
"The "corn chip" flavor in wine is primarily caused by a fault known as mousiness, which is attributed to the presence of tetrahydropyridine compounds, particularly 2-acetyl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyridine (ATHP). This off-flavor is produced by certain microorganisms during the winemaking process:
Spoilage yeasts: Brettanomyces and Dekkera species.
Lactic acid bacteria: Particularly heterofermentative strains like Lactobacillus hilgardii and Lactobacillus brevis13.
The formation of these compounds is influenced by several factors:
High pH wines are more susceptible to this fault.
Oxygen exposure can play a key role, especially in wines infected with Brettanomyces/Dekkera1.
The availability of precursor compounds such as ethanol, L-lysine, L-ornithine, and metal ions in the wine.
Interestingly, while the aroma of ATHP cannot be detected in wine due to its low pH, the flavor becomes apparent on the palate. This flavor is often described as reminiscent of corn chips, crackers, mouse cage, or popcorn. In small quantities, it can contribute positively to the wine's flavor profile, but in larger amounts, it becomes an undesirable fault.
It's worth noting that this off-flavor tends to age out of the beverage over time, typically within 2-6 months, although the exact mechanism for this is not fully understood."
Luckily my experience has just been the cornchip and not the other flavors. While it can age out (I have had this happen), I also have some items that are sitting here for a while that don't seem to be moving with regards to this fault.
More than anything else, this suggests that the K-Meta treatments on higher pH items is very important, especially with pyments based on my experience with this fault cropping up on 2 or 3 pyments... which means I'll need to update my pyment thread some. Adding acids on a higher pH wine could also be a recommended step if you are on the higher side, say above 3.5. Limiting oxygen exposure seems to be a key item as well, which is just good practice anyway.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/what-i-did-for-with-mead-today.725994/page-8#post-10343712
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/making-my-pyments.723957/#post-10332776
This can take a variety of traits, as far as the fault itself goes. A description I have read says:
"Mousy wine is wine that has an off-flavor that tastes like a dirty mouse cage, cracker biscuits, or puppy's breath. It's caused by a number of factors, including bacteria, yeast, and inorganic chemicals. "
another description closer to what I am looking for says:
"The wine fault that results in a "corn chip" flavor is mousiness, caused by compounds like acetyl-tetrahydropyridines (ATHP). This fault is typically associated with high-pH wines and microbial activity, particularly from lactic acid bacteria. While it cannot be smelled directly in wine due to its low pH, it manifests as an unpleasant flavor on the palate, often described as corn chips, crackers, or mouse cage"
and
"The "corn chip" flavor in wine is primarily caused by a fault known as mousiness, which is attributed to the presence of tetrahydropyridine compounds, particularly 2-acetyl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydropyridine (ATHP). This off-flavor is produced by certain microorganisms during the winemaking process:
Spoilage yeasts: Brettanomyces and Dekkera species.
Lactic acid bacteria: Particularly heterofermentative strains like Lactobacillus hilgardii and Lactobacillus brevis13.
The formation of these compounds is influenced by several factors:
High pH wines are more susceptible to this fault.
Oxygen exposure can play a key role, especially in wines infected with Brettanomyces/Dekkera1.
The availability of precursor compounds such as ethanol, L-lysine, L-ornithine, and metal ions in the wine.
Interestingly, while the aroma of ATHP cannot be detected in wine due to its low pH, the flavor becomes apparent on the palate. This flavor is often described as reminiscent of corn chips, crackers, mouse cage, or popcorn. In small quantities, it can contribute positively to the wine's flavor profile, but in larger amounts, it becomes an undesirable fault.
It's worth noting that this off-flavor tends to age out of the beverage over time, typically within 2-6 months, although the exact mechanism for this is not fully understood."
Luckily my experience has just been the cornchip and not the other flavors. While it can age out (I have had this happen), I also have some items that are sitting here for a while that don't seem to be moving with regards to this fault.
More than anything else, this suggests that the K-Meta treatments on higher pH items is very important, especially with pyments based on my experience with this fault cropping up on 2 or 3 pyments... which means I'll need to update my pyment thread some. Adding acids on a higher pH wine could also be a recommended step if you are on the higher side, say above 3.5. Limiting oxygen exposure seems to be a key item as well, which is just good practice anyway.