Wort Taste and Smell

DHomebrews · May 20, 2018

So, last night I brewed a milk stout. During the mash and boil is smelled and tasted great. After we cooled it using a CFC, we took a sample and began to transfer it to the fermenter. We noticed a very distinct sour smell to the wort, so naturally we tasted it. A quite strong pronounced sour taste.

What could cause this, exactly?

The only thing I can come up with, aside from possible novice misunderstanding of wort smell and taste, is that maybe there was some old beer inside the CFC. I cleaned (PBW) and pumped sanitizer (StarSan) through it, but this is all I could think of.

Any ideas and suggestions? I need this ready in about a month for an event. Should I just dump it and start over, or is this normal for a milk stout? Normally, I would just let it play out, but since I need it for an event, that's not the greatest option unless this is normal.

Thanks in advance!

Smellyglove · May 20, 2018

Since you ask about this.. You can be mistaken by sour/bitter. Like I said in another post a few days ago. If you use hops in a beer, it will taste way more bitter postboil than endproduct.

homebrewer_99 · May 20, 2018

Sour? The closest thing I can think of is old roasted grain.

I also agree with Smellyglove's hop bitterness assessment.

I sample (drink) wort/beer at every stage. You learn to use it as a gage for the next batch. Be sure to record your "thoughts" in your notes.

S-Met · May 20, 2018

Maybe post your recipe. I don't know that I would recognize, but somebody on here may see something to suggest your off flavor.

DHomebrews · May 20, 2018

Smellyglove said:
Since you ask about this.. You can be mistaken by sour/bitter. Like I said in another post a few days ago. If you use hops in a beer, it will taste way more bitter postboil than endproduct.

homebrewer_99 said:
Sour? The closest thing I can think of is old roasted grain.

I also agree with Smellyglove's hop bitterness assessment.

I sample (drink) wort/beer at every stage. You learn to use it as a gage for the next batch. Be sure to record your "thoughts" in your notes.

It very well could be a bitterness perceived as sourness. Having only ever brewed IPAs, hefeweizens, and pale ales, I haven't brewed with roasted and chocolate malts before.

S-Met said:
Maybe post your recipe. I don't know that I would recognize, but somebody on here may see something to suggest your off flavor.

Here is the grain bill:

7.5 lbs Pale Malt
1 lb Roasted Barley
1 lb oz Chocolate Malt
12.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt
12.0 oz Munich Malt
14.0 oz Flaked Oats
10.0 oz Flaked Barley
0.5 oz Magnum @ 60 min
1.00 oz KGE @ 10
1 lbs Milk Sugar

Mash @ 152 for 75 minutes
Boil 60 minutes