Why does this taste Belgian?

[bransona]

I brewed another in a long series of SMaSH's, this time some local pils malt and Northern Brewer hops. I've been using WL007 for this whole series with mixed results (mostly my error, resulting in an acetaldehyde bomb). This one was pitched with a healthy, oversize, fresh starter cultivated from a previous starter (only second generation). OG something like 1.06. Ferm temps were excellent, held 66-68 the whole time. Sat in primary for a couple of weeks while I was on vacation. It just hit the keg a few days ago, and BOY does it taste like a Belgian Singel. I have absolutely no idea why. Recipe was simple, the same as all my SMaSH's.

Is this a flavor characteristic of NB that I wasn't aware of? I've not used them before, but they smell fairly American and piney, maybe a bit of mint/herbal. This Belgian flavor is on par with Hardywood Belgian Singel (Richmond, Va)---subtle, but distinctly Belgian to my palate. Black pepper, mild Belgian funk, slight herbal.

Help [emoji45]

 

[SEndorf]

007 in the high sixties will produce esters.
Perhaps that's the "Belgian funk" you're describing?

 

[bransona]

007 in the high sixties will produce esters.
Perhaps that's the "Belgian funk" you're describing?

I've been using it at this exact temperature (and slightly higher on accident) without these esters. I expect some fruity English esters; I actually want them in these brews. This is definitely funkier than English.

 

[RPh_Guy]

Wild yeast contamination.

Are you repitching or using other shortcuts like not boiling that might increase risk of contamination?

 

[bransona]

Wild yeast contamination.

Are you repitching or using other shortcuts like not boiling that might increase risk of contamination?

This was harvested yeast from a starter and made into another starter. Super clean, not repitched. I always boil, and I sanitize meticulously. I transfer into the fermenter by dumping, which of course isn't a sanitary transfer, but everything else is handled very carefully. That transfer occurs with every beer I brew.

 

[RPh_Guy]

Just bad luck. Unless you like the flavor I'd get rid of any yeast you harvested from that starter and start with a fresh pack of 007 next time. Thoroughly clean and sanitize anything that touched the contaminated beer.

Belgian yeasts are POF+ like almost all wild yeast, hence the phenolic flavor.

Even pro breweries get contaminated batches, no reason to feel bad about it. Wild microbes are everywhere.

 

[bransona]

Just bad luck. Unless you like the flavor I'd get rid of any yeast you harvested from that starter and start with a fresh pack of 007 next time. Thoroughly clean and sanitize anything that touched the contaminated beer.

Belgian yeasts are POF+ like almost all wild yeast, hence the phenolic flavor.

Even pro breweries get contaminated batches, no reason to feel bad about it. Wild microbes are everywhere.

It's honestly still a good beer. A bit spicy, a bit of mint, nice pils maltiness. I'll drink it, but might not show it off to any critics.

For sanitizing the fermenter: how much is enough? It's plastic, but not scratched up. Do I need to replace it or just clean it?

As for that batch of 007, although I have no more of it, I did recently inoculate a huge DIPA with another overgrown starter from that same batch... So far, so good---it tastes just like before---so hopefully that infection was in the tank and not in the yeast I harvested.

 

[RPh_Guy]

Glad the beer turned out well!

If your DIPA flavor is normal, I agree the wild yeast is probably in the fermenter.
As you probably know, plastic is harder to get clean because of potential micro-abrasions.
Either way I'd soak the fermenter(s) with a PBW or other cleaner with the hottest water the plastic can tolerate (per manufacturer), and then soak with a heavy duty sanitizer like bleach or iodophor -- not Star San, and different than whatever you normally use.
If that doesn't work or if you don't want to bother, you could always keep it for wild or sour beer (and get a new one for clean beer).

Cheers