US-05...what's with this peach flavor?!?

[user 157712]

So lately I've hit a slump using US-05 and I'm wondering if anybody could help me out.

The last two blonde ales I brewed had what I would describe as a fruity/peach-ish off flavor. I used Jamil's recipe for both and the hops were a bittering addition of Willamette only...so I'm kind of ruling out the hops imparting any of the fruity flavors.

The first one fermented at 60 degrees in my fermenting freezer (probe taped/insulated to side of carboy). The second fermented at 62 ambient (in my basement)...I'm assuming that one had an internal temp of mid to upper 60's. I typically cool down to my intended ferment temp and pitch the yeast slightly colder.

Typically the beers I brew are on the hoppy side. I brewed Janet's Brown with this yeast recently and it turned out awesome. Am I expecting too much from this yeast when it comes to a good clean blonde ale? Does this yeast have a very small "sweet spot"? The only other blonde I've brewed was Centennial Blonde with Nottingham, and it turned out really good, and clean.

Hoping somebody can help me out...Thanks!

 

[TriggerFingers]

US-05 at high 50's, lower 60's will throw a peach note....ferment it a few degrees warmer and it will go away (I would say aim for 65-66ish).
Good luck!

 

[day_trippr]

Yup, I agree, that's a characteristic of US-05 run on the cool side of its recommended range. Fairly well known around HBT. If you pitch at 65°F and keep it there through the throes of early fermentation it runs remarkably clean...

Cheers!

 

[bhanson]

ditto. Raise the temperature.

 

[user 157712]

I guess I've just had it in my head for whatever reason that the lower side of the range is the way to go for clean ales, and never noticed the peach thru all the hops. Regardless of what Fermentis says, what do you guys think is the absolute highest I should go on the high side.

Thanks again!

 

[Ticebain]

Did not know that there was a peach flavor due to cooler temp. But it explains a lot as I have noticed the same issue. I use a lot of 05 and was considering going to white labs 001. Maybe I will just make it a bit warmer

 

[day_trippr]

From what I've read about US-05 in these forums if you run it between 65-68°F (actual wort temperature, not the air temperature in the chamber) you'll get cleanest results with no peachy notes...

Cheers!

 

[petrolSpice]

Wish I had read this sooner! I have a honey american pale ale that used us-05 and I kept it at around 63-64 during active fermentation. It'll be a few weeks before I get to drink it and find out.

 

[snowtires]

I really like that peachy flavor in combination with citra hops

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Home Brew mobile app

 

[thadius856]

Interesting. I have several beers on tap that were fermented with US-05 at 57-60F and I can't detect anything peach-y about them.

I do wish I could, though. I love peaches.

 

[Calichusetts]

I ferment anywhere from 59-67 with 05. Just did three batches at 61 with no peach...but I have gotten it before at low temps.

 

[user 157712]

I like peaches too...just not in my beer . Or any fruit for that matter...

Fermentis lists 71 degrees as an upper limit for ideal. I guess I'll try up near 70 and see what that gives me. If I still tatste the peach I'll have to dig a little deeper. My wife has tried it and tells me I'm nuts but I just know I taste peach. Or...I go back to Nottingham for Blonde Ales. Does anybody have an opinion on which is cleaner, or if US-05 will give a fruity note at 70?

 

[boydster]

Try it in the 65-68 range, I use it a lot and it is clean in that range consistently for me. Also make sure you are controlling other factors that can contribute to ester development like pitch rate.

 

[user 157712]

I brew three gallon batches. So, as far as pitch rate goes, I sprinkle 1 pack directly to the carboy...no rehydrating. I figure that's more than enough. I'm not over pitching am I?

 

[cheezydemon3]

I guess I've just had it in my head for whatever reason that the lower side of the range is the way to go for clean ales, and never noticed the peach thru all the hops. Regardless of what Fermentis says, what do you guys think is the absolute highest I should go on the high side.

Thanks again!

Seems to be limited to just a couple of yeast strains.

I ferment WAAAAY cool. That is one strain I avoid.

 

[thadius856]

I brew three gallon batches. So, as far as pitch rate goes, I sprinkle 1 pack directly to the carboy...no rehydrating. I figure that's more than enough. I'm not over pitching am I?

I don't consider it an "overpitch" until you're passing 2x the cells required.

A 75% viable packet has about 150 billion cells.

3 gallons of 1.040 requires a pitch rate of about 85 billion cells.

Unless you're venturing south of 1.040, I think you're fine.

Also, direct pitching without rehydration probably kills a few cells here or there.

 

[boydster]

It kills about half of them. I concur, it's definitely not an overpitch.

 

[user 157712]

I may try rehydrating the dry yeast again too. I did it for a beer a while back and I swear there was a yeast aftertaste even a few weeks in the bottle, so I haven't done it since. I'm guessing I was up near twice the yeast I needed, but maybe I had it in my head that it may cause some type of off flavor before I ever had that first beer...

 

[RmikeVT]

I have noticed my us-05 fermentations getting a little weird since it has been so cold here in MD. I definitely found rehydrating to have a positive impact with the temperatures in the lower range. My basement has been down in the 50's, usually it stays high 50s low 60s in the winter, but not when it has been this cold. My solution was to start brewing some hybrid beers. I got a Norther German Alt going w/ wlp036 (I think you can use s-23 for dry) and I might get a Cali Common going with wlp810.

For blondes you might want to rely on nottingham. I have a house pale ale I brewed around Jan 1 w/ us-05 and the temps were in the high 50s and low 60s and I can definitely taste something off in the brew. It also took 2 days to start up and longer than normal to finish out, so I could tell the yeast was stressed.

 

[Cottonmouth]

I hope I don't get any peach.

I'm 2 days into a guinness clone with rehydrated US-05 @ 63F. I'm going to bump it up to 65.

 

[primozz]

I fermented a 1.060 OG batch with US-05 at 64 degrees and got peach notes as well. It was subtle, but I noticed it. Bumping the temperature up to 67 degrees on the following 1.051 OG batch gave me a clean result.

From that point on, I just set my chamber to 67 degrees for the main fermentation period when using this yeast and its been clean every time.

I don't think there is a temp/OG relationship with US-05 but I thought I'd throw that out there as well.

 

[user 157712]

Definitely going to give it a try at the upper end of the range. Like I said before, I usually sprinkle the yeast cold straight from the refridgerator. I'm just wondering, what effect does this have on final flavor as well? If you're rehydrating, this is done with warm water. So do you pitch those warm, and what effect does that have on flavor? Just something I never worried about too much before either...

 

[orionol73]

This is interesting to me because I just did an all simcoe session ale with US-05 and fermented at 68 for days before ramping up to 70 for the dry hop and I have a UUUUGE peach nose on it. I think it plays well with the beer but this is complete opposite of everyone else's experience