Why do I taste celery?

[marc06]

I love the North Coast brewery, especially Pranqster. I just tried their Brother Thelonious and among the flavors I tasted was the same celery tasted that I taste when I drink Pranqster. Has anyone else ever tasted this flavor in a beer? What is the "celery" flavor that I am tasting? And why do I taste it?

Disclaimer: I am in no way bashing North coast and their belgian beers. I love them, and I mean it.

 

[homebrewer_99]

Are you sure it's celery? Could it be corn or cabbage?

Vegetal flavors are attributed to DMS and/or bacterial contamination of the yeast.

Here's a place or two to research off flavors:

http://www.winning-homebrew.com/off-flavors.html

http://www.brews.com/home-brewing-101/common-homebrew-off-flavors-and-aromas/

 

[davesrose]

But contamination in a comercial beer?

OP, Do you drink a lot of Belgian beers? Are you sure this taste that you're tasting is not normal in strong Belgian ales? I find that due to the yeasts and adjuncts used in Belgian ales, they can have much earthier or fruity flavors.

 

[homebrewer_99]

But contamination in a comercial beer?

OP, Do you drink a lot of Belgian beers? Are you sure this taste that you're tasting is not normal in strong Belgian ales? I find that due to the yeasts and adjuncts used in Belgian ales, they can have much earthier or fruity flavors.

I know, I thought about that at some length...maybe his tongue is just sensitive to celery or vegetal flavors?

Sometimes I feel that I can draw out 1 grain of salt in a teaspoon of sugar.

 

[davesrose]

Sometimes I feel that I can draw out 1 grain of salt in a teaspoon of sugar.

Doesn't every homebrewer?

We'll just need some more info about what a celery taste is. To me, celery is quite bland. Maybe this taste is peppery?? I'm not a regular drinker of North Coast...maybe they use Grains of Paradise in these styles....that's one thought at least.

 

[marc06]

I do drink and make alot of belgians. I recently finished the Brew Like a Monk and I've been drinking every belgian that my local beer store has. Within the last two weeks I've had Chimay Red, Duvel, Westmalle, Ommegangs rare Vos, abbey ale, three philoshopers, Pikes quad and my own 2 belgian golden strongs and a belgian dark. I specifically tast the celery in Pranqsters and last night when I had the Brother Thelonius the same flavor was there.

I taste the flavor on the sides on my tongue and right in the middle.

To me, celery is quite bland

That is exactly how it tastes. I have the belgian flavors up front, then in the middle I have the celery taste, and it is bland. I think that if it was the utilization of adjuncts in belgians that I was prone to tasting this "celery" flavor I would have tasted it in other belgians, especially my homebrewed ones.
I just think its wierd that I only taste it in the belgian beers from northcoast, and I am pretty sure they do not utilize adjuncts other than sugar.

 

[homebrewer_99]

Where on the sides are you tasting celery? In the sour section?

 

[remilard]

A lot of people find coriander to have a celery character but AFAIK this would be actual coriander and not say a coriander character from yeast. So it is possible that these beers have coriander added and you taste it as celery. If this is the case, witbiers should taste like celery to you.

The second possibility is that it is the tettnanger hops that I believe North Coast uses in both beers. They have a bit of a unique character.

 

[Mermaid]

I love the North Coast brewery, especially Pranqster. I just tried their Brother Thelonious and among the flavors I tasted was the same celery tasted that I taste when I drink Pranqster. Has anyone else ever tasted this flavor in a beer? What is the "celery" flavor that I am tasting? And why do I taste it?

Disclaimer: I am in no way bashing North coast and their belgian beers. I love them, and I mean it.

You could be what is known as a "supertaster", someone who has an extra high sensitivity to bitter and salty flavors.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say it's a quality in the water you're picking up on. Could also be a quality in the yeast that shows up when the brew is still young. Is it a metalic taste you're picking up on? Maybe it's a higher concentration of salt in the water. If you're a supertaster, this would make sense.

If these beers are bottle conditioned, why not give them a few months in the cellar and taste them again? I find that with some Belgian-style beers, the longer they hang around the better I like them.

 

[Livendadream]

I have brewed a few wit beers and drink alot of Hoegaarden. Never have I tasted celery, but my wife insists she tastes celery in my wits and in the Hoegaarden. Thanks guys now I have to go tell my wife she is not "crazy". She is a "super taster"!!!!!!!! J.

 

[marc06]

On the picture by homebrewery I taste the celery right where the salty and sour overlap. Its definately not a metalic taste and salty makes sense.

The hypothesis of the beer being young seems the most plausible to me, as I don't taste it in every 4 pack. I'm going to see if that is the case and go buy 2 4 packs and drink one asap and let the other condition for awhile.

 

[remilard]

It's unlikely that you are buying unreasonably fresh North Coast in Fl. I've had Pranqster and Brother Thelonious in Ft. Bragg on draught and did not get celery.

 

[Nathan F. Kraemer]

I tasted celery on a can of alArrogant Bastard