crocks86
Well-Known Member
Just wondering if there is an off flavour/type of infection that can show itself in a very short amount of time? As in hydrometer sample tasted amazing on Sunday when I kegged, and as of Wednesday I couldn't stand to drink the beer. I would think it was the keg/CO2 causing the problem but one of my beers (brewed two for an IPA competition) had it before going into the keg (just less pronounced) and I've served great tasting beer from the exact same kegs the last time they were used.
I know lots of details on recipe are usually good for this type of thing but it happens with basically any style I make, but is hit and miss so I keep thinking I have the issue solved and then it appears again in a few weeks. I made two delicious beers just before Christmas, then had 3 straight dumpers in the new year. Then two delicious beers in April and May, and now 3 straight dumpers (2 not actually dumped yet but not exactly drinkable). The dumpers included a pilsner, an altbier, two IPAs and two pale ales. Good beers included two stouts (maybe masking off flavour?), a gose, and an IPA. Further back into last year I had an ESB that went down the drain (was tolerable but really not great), and a golden sour that as of 3 months in the fermenter tasted great (haven't tasted in a while), before the brett and bacteria got to work it was a very clean tasting base beer too.
The off flavour (not really one specific flaw but just a mess of a beer in general) is kind of dirty and astringent, and completely masked/removed a pretty prominent citra/cascade hop profile in just days. Sorry for lack of detail on the flavour but I really can't think of anything else to compare it too.
I haven't seen a noticeable drop in gravity in any of the beers after they went south, and from the very short amount of time and the fact that fermentation was complete, I don't think this seems like an infection. But really can't figure out what else it could be.
I'm going to bring the two IPAs to the competition anyway and see what the judges say, but that's a few weeks out so I was hoping to get some input here first so I don't have to wait as long before brewing.
Any advice would be great, thanks in advance.
I know lots of details on recipe are usually good for this type of thing but it happens with basically any style I make, but is hit and miss so I keep thinking I have the issue solved and then it appears again in a few weeks. I made two delicious beers just before Christmas, then had 3 straight dumpers in the new year. Then two delicious beers in April and May, and now 3 straight dumpers (2 not actually dumped yet but not exactly drinkable). The dumpers included a pilsner, an altbier, two IPAs and two pale ales. Good beers included two stouts (maybe masking off flavour?), a gose, and an IPA. Further back into last year I had an ESB that went down the drain (was tolerable but really not great), and a golden sour that as of 3 months in the fermenter tasted great (haven't tasted in a while), before the brett and bacteria got to work it was a very clean tasting base beer too.
The off flavour (not really one specific flaw but just a mess of a beer in general) is kind of dirty and astringent, and completely masked/removed a pretty prominent citra/cascade hop profile in just days. Sorry for lack of detail on the flavour but I really can't think of anything else to compare it too.
I haven't seen a noticeable drop in gravity in any of the beers after they went south, and from the very short amount of time and the fact that fermentation was complete, I don't think this seems like an infection. But really can't figure out what else it could be.
I'm going to bring the two IPAs to the competition anyway and see what the judges say, but that's a few weeks out so I was hoping to get some input here first so I don't have to wait as long before brewing.
Any advice would be great, thanks in advance.