What autolysis tastes like

[jpsloan]

Not precisely sure what autolysis is supposed to taste like, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to find out in three weeks.

I just bottled my oatmeal stout.

I brewed it the week after Thanksgiving.

It's been on the yeast since then.

When I popped open the bucket, it didn't smell too bad, and the sample tasted fine. A little sweet, maybe. And the odor had that faint wood stain smell to it... but then again, so did my batch of BM's OctoberFast Ale last August, and it's been one of my best batches to date.

Hell, once carb'd up a little and served cold, I'll bet any off flavors will disappear. At least, that's my hope.

 

[Yooper]

If you had autolysis, you'd know. It's a distinct fecal smell, and the odor would be noticeable.

 

[Revvy]

Honestly, my understanding of autolysis, is that there was no way you could have even bottled your beer without hurling to high heaven....autolysis has been described as chimpanzee poop, after a night of drinking and eating rotten White Castles, and plopped in a diaper, left out in the sun in the middle of august, tossed out a window in a moving vehicle and dropped on an asphalt road, and driven over by countless vehicles with holes in their exhaust systems ......

You didn't happen to notice anything like that when you were bottling did you??????

If you didn't than more thanh likely the autolysis boogeyman...didn't bite you in the ass

 

[jpsloan]

My nose may be dull... my SWMBO says the smell was somewhat "septic". As in sepsis. Which is entirely disturbing.

 

[jpsloan]

Honestly, my understanding of autolysis, is that there was no way you could have even bottled your beer without hurling to high heaven....autolysis has been described as chimpanzee poop, after a night of drinking and eating rotten White Castles, and plopped in a diaper, left out in the sun in the middle of august, tossed out a window in a moving vehicle and dropped on an asphalt road, and driven over by countless vehicles with holes in their exhaust systems ......

You didn't happen to notice anything like that when you were bottling did you??????

If you didn't than more thanh likely the autolysis boogeyman...didn't bite you in the ass

I want to be like Revvy when I grow up. At least, my diction does!

 

[remilard]

If you had autolysis, you'd know. It's a distinct fecal smell, and the odor would be noticeable.

Do you actually think that products featuring yeast autolysis flavors all smell fecal? Marmite? Champagne? Most people would disagree.

 

[Yooper]

Do you actually think that products featuring yeast autolysis flavors all smell fecal? Marmite? Champagne? Most people would disagree.

Well, I think Marmite does have that fecal smell, actually. Champagne doesn't (I don't like it, but not because of the smell), but beer that experienced autolysis often does. Rather, a container of old yeast that I had saved had a very distinct fecal smell that almost knocked me over when I opened it. Very fecal smelling, beyond just "rotten smelling".

 

[Revvy]

I want to be like Revvy when I grow up. At least, my diction does!

I try...I try!!! Thanks!

Bottom line...I doubt it that your beer is as bad as you are worried about...granted it is beyond even my comfort zone for time on yeast...but our beer surprises us more than we give it credit. So I'm sure it is going to turn out OK!!!!

 

[jpsloan]

Well yeah... I tasted the sample right from the bucket, and it seemed fine. The few off flavors I got were honestly more easily attributable to esters from a high initial fermentation.

Still... it was a nervous moment opening the bucket. I was prepared for anything.

 

[The Blow Leprechaun]

If it was in a bucket since Thanksgiving, I might be more concerned about oxidation than autolysis!

 

[HotbreakHotel]

Originally Posted by Revvy
Honestly, my understanding of autolysis, is that there was no way you could have even bottled your beer without hurling to high heaven....autolysis has been described as chimpanzee poop, after a night of drinking and eating rotten White Castles, and plopped in a diaper, left out in the sun in the middle of august, tossed out a window in a moving vehicle and dropped on an asphalt road, and driven over by countless vehicles with holes in their exhaust systems ......

Wow! Now that's gross!! Now put it right in the basement and it might smell almost as bad as the lager I have on the primary!

 

[david_42]

Autolysis taste?! Ask your dog.

 

[pjj2ba]

I bet the beer will have a more yeasty or maybe a little bready taste to it. I think this is the taste of the normal autolysis that occurs once the fermentation is complete. This taste can be fairly mild and I think it is often written off as, "Oh, there must be some suspended yeast in the beer still", or "It's homebrew, it's supposed to taste like that". In some styles, this flavor is perfectly fine. The real nasty tastes are from more than just some yeast dying. I think for those, you need some oxygen exposure and/or an infection.

 

[RC0032]

How long before you have autolysis issues? I made a strong scotch ale and its been on the yeast for just under 5 weeks. Do I need to take it off soon or can it wait another week or two?

 

[mmb]

You've plenty of time with the scotch ale.

You may see autolysis if you let the temps get up really high, pitch on some nasty yeast cake or do your best to be extremely hard on your beer. Otherwise, autolysis is a boogieman of the homebrewer.

 

[RC0032]

whats really high 80's?

I wnated to re-use the yeast; now I think im going to just wash it. Wish me luck!

 

[mmb]

For like a month or more, in direct sun, uphill both ways.

Autolysis is hard to get in standard brewing conditions.

 

[pjj2ba]

How long before you have autolysis issues? I made a strong scotch ale and its been on the yeast for just under 5 weeks. Do I need to take it off soon or can it wait another week or two?

That depends on your tastes. The longer the yeast sits on the cake, the more flaovrs it will pick up from them. I find beers left for more than a couple of weeks start to pick up some subtle yeasty/bready flavors (which btw is what comes from the normal autolysis that occurs once the bulk of fermentation stops) Some people don't mind them, others do. For me it depends on the style, in most I don't like it. The real nasty flavors that are due to autolysis are only from cases where the beer has been grossly mistreated (way too warm, too much O2 after initial ferm., infection, etc.).

 

[jpsloan]

Just a quick followup...

I brought this stout to a brewclub meeting. Everyone liked it. Only one person detected an off flavor, and he just said it was a little yeasty.

I just drank two. I wish I had more refrigerated.

Goes to show... RDWHAHB.