Yeasty flavor/aroma to beer

[Theo24]

Hello and Merry Christmass to everyone!
2 weeks ago i made my first AG beer. It was an Americal pale ale style beer. All parts thoroughly sterilised. Primary fermantation took 1 week (1056 Wyeast). Then i transferred the beer to my bottles adding priming sugar (dextrose).
My beer is now 1 week into secondary fermentation (bottle conditioned) and it forms a nice foam but comes off quickly.
The problem is that i got some yeast aroma to my beer even without stirring the bottle to get the yeast sediment.
The bottles has a slight sediment of yeast. When i finish drinking the beer, the yeasty aroma that remains on the glass is a bit harsh and unpleasant.
Just to note here that along with the priming sugar i added a small amount of yeast sediment from the primary fermentation bucket. Do you think that was a mistake?
May i assume that the yeast aroma/flavor will disappear if i let the beer carbonate 1 week more?
Thanks!

 

[sweetcell]

2 weeks total is a minimum you should let your beer bottle condition, and 3+ weeks is better. depending on the beer style, yourbeer will contionue to improve for months (or years).

so yes, one week isn't enough. be patient, your beer is still green.

 

[Theo24]

Thanks for the reply.
Maybe also i shouldn't have added the yeast prior to bottling? Maybe the remaining yeast on the beer could be sufficient to carbonate it in the bottle?

 

[glugglug]

You shouldn't think of your bottles as a secondary fermenter. A secondary is another large container that holds the entire contents of your beer. Usually another large bucket or Carboy.

Bottling after only 1 week of fermentation without taking a reading is a bad idea, and potentially dangerous one. If fermentation is not complete, those bottles cannot contain the pressure that will build up. I don't want to scare you, but I urge you to proceed with caution.

 

[Theo24]

You shouldn't think of your bottles as a secondary fermenter. A secondary is another large container that holds the entire contents of your beer. Usually another large bucket or Carboy.

Bottling after only 1 week of fermentation without taking a reading is a bad idea, and potentially dangerous one. If fermentation is not complete, those bottles cannot contain the pressure that will build up. I don't want to scare you, but I urge you to proceed with caution.

I bottled the beer after 1 week because the fermentation was over as no bubbles were coming out. Was that a mistake?

 

[Onkel_Udo]

I bottled the beer after 1 week because the fermentation was over as no bubbles were coming out. Was that a mistake?

You will see it mentioned here a lot but airlock activity is not an accurate indicator of fermentation. Two (minimum) hydrometer readings of the same FG at least a day apart is.

Personally I usually use the "sufficient time" method of just saying "hey, it should take 7 days but I will leave it there for three weeks". Not accurate or advised unless you pitch sufficient quantities of yeast (likely if it is dry yeast) and it good condition (unlikely if it came with the kit).

Now, if you did do a medium to low gravity beer and fermented at room temperature with a kit supplied yeast (Windsor? or Coopers Ale) your beer was likely finished but with will need tome in the bottle to "floc out". You also may have some fruity flavors you did not intend.

 

[RM-MN]

I bottled the beer after 1 week because the fermentation was over as no bubbles were coming out. Was that a mistake?

Fermentation may or may not have been over as the yeast continue to ferment even after they cease to make carbon dioxide. That's why we recommend a longer time in the fermenter and the use of the hydrometer to be sure the beer is done.

You didn't need to add any yeast for bottle carbination, there were plenty to do the job still suspended in the beer and had you waited months to bottle you still would have had enough.

Your beer tastes yeasty because it is. Let the yeast settle for another couple weeks and it will get better. Leave it for a further week or two and it will be better yet.

 

[glugglug]

I wouldn't call it a mistake, but maybe a gamble. As was mentioned, airlock activity is not the way to judge if it's done. 1 week is a short fermentation period. It could be done, but only way to tell for sure is take a gravity reading.

What to do now is the question? You may have a great beer, perfectly carbonated. But I would plan for the worst. Put your package beer in a plastic storage container so that if you have bottle bombs, you have the mess contained. Give your beer a couple of weeks to carbonate in the bottle. Then after a couple if weeks grab a couple of bottles, put them in the fridge and try them. You'll know a lot more then. I would continue to store this batch in a container for a while.

Having said all that, I usually don't do a hydrometer reading when I bottle or keg. I do grab a sample, and test that, but by then the beer is sealed. What scared me about your post was that you bottled after only a week without taking a reading. That is generally pretty short.

If you have to deal with bottle bombs, wear some eye protection and gloves.

Now, I'm going to envision in your bottles a very tasty, perfectly carbonated beer that you will thoroughly enjoy, and so should you. Give it some time to age though.

Btw, what did you brew?

 

[BigFloyd]

I bottled the beer after 1 week because the fermentation was over as no bubbles were coming out. Was that a mistake?

Yes, that was a mistake. For your safety and that of your friends/family, please don't do it again. It's good that you haven't had bombs (yet) with this batch, so you may well have dodged a bullet.

If you don't have a hydrometer, get two, use them. It's pretty unusual to hear someone talk about doing an AG batch with out talking about gravity readings. If you don't use a hydro, allow for three weeks in the primary before bottling.

After you beer has bottle conditioned at least three weeks at 70-75*F, put a few in the fridge for at least three days before opening. It will help with the "yeasty flavor" by allowing the suspended yeast to settle to the bottom. Careful to leave that behind in the bottle when you pour.

How much yeast did you add prior to bottling? If it was any more than about 1/5 of a packet, that explains your yeasty-tasting beer. You needn't have added any at all.

 

[progmac]

1056 stays in suspension a while and i imagine there is still a lot of yeast per sip.

after you are satisfied with the carb, stick two six packs in the fridge for two weeks without touching them. this should cause most of the yeast to settle.

as a fun experiment, after two weeks, compare one of these cold-conditioned beers to a bottle that has been sitting on the shelf and refrigerated only 24 hours or so. see which you prefer.

 

[Theo24]

I wouldn't call it a mistake, but maybe a gamble. As was mentioned, airlock activity is not the way to judge if it's done. 1 week is a short fermentation period. It could be done, but only way to tell for sure is take a gravity reading.

What to do now is the question? You may have a great beer, perfectly carbonated. But I would plan for the worst. Put your package beer in a plastic storage container so that if you have bottle bombs, you have the mess contained. Give your beer a couple of weeks to carbonate in the bottle. Then after a couple if weeks grab a couple of bottles, put them in the fridge and try them. You'll know a lot more then. I would continue to store this batch in a container for a while.

Having said all that, I usually don't do a hydrometer reading when I bottle or keg. I do grab a sample, and test that, but by then the beer is sealed. What scared me about your post was that you bottled after only a week without taking a reading. That is generally pretty short.

If you have to deal with bottle bombs, wear some eye protection and gloves.

Now, I'm going to envision in your bottles a very tasty, perfectly carbonated beer that you will thoroughly enjoy, and so should you. Give it some time to age though.

Btw, what did you brew?

Apologies i didn't mentuon that as soon as the airlock stopped bubbling, i took a gravity reading of about 1.010. Next day i took the same gravity reading and then decided to bottle it. OG was 1.042 so i think that it attuated normally. So i think that there is no danger at all.

I brewed an American pale ale, maybe a bit lighter than normal, at 1.042 OG and 1.010 FG. Cascade hops, and 1056 yeast. 86% MO pale ale malt and 14% Caramalt. The beer is really good if you forget about the yeasty flavor and it leaves a nice caramelly maltiness as an aftertaste. I would like a bit more character though, but i assume that this will arrive with my next APA which will be a Sierra Nevada pale ale clone at 1.053 OG. I would also like a more intense hop aroma which lacks i think because i added only 5gr of Cascades at the last 15min of the boil.

 

[Theo24]

1056 stays in suspension a while and i imagine there is still a lot of yeast per sip.

after you are satisfied with the carb, stick two six packs in the fridge for two weeks without touching them. this should cause most of the yeast to settle.

as a fun experiment, after two weeks, compare one of these cold-conditioned beers to a bottle that has been sitting on the shelf and refrigerated only 24 hours or so. see which you prefer.

That's a really interesting experiment, i will do it, thanks!

 

[glugglug]

1.010 makes me feel a bit better.