Yeasty smell

[Brewer_Dad]

Hi all,

I brewed an American IPA as follows:

- Fermented @19@C for a week until it reached FG.
- switched to a 2nd fermenter and cold crashed for a week.
- primed and let it sit for a week.

It's been 3 weeks since I brewed it.

I just couldn't wait and put one to the fridge and now I'm drinking it. It has a strong yeast smell and somewhat of a yeasty taste. I know a week is too soon.

Could this yeasty smell and taste disappear if I just let it rest a couple of weeks?

 

[3 Dawg Night]

Yes. Like you, I've been tempted to taste a few of my beers early. I get that yeasty smell/taste early, but after 2-3 weeks, it will settle out.

 

[dawn_kiebawls]

Let it ride and keep your hands off of them! I know its hard, but if you brew another batch it'll give you something else to think about! The yeasty smell should go away with time once it's properly carbonated.

Also, for future batches just do the entire thing in your primary fermentor and skip secondary. There are very few times a secondary is necessary and anything that focuses on hops is not one of the reasons! Transferring to secondary only increases the risk of oxidation/infection and makes you have to wash equipment more often. It's an oldschool method that has been mostly phased out. Cheers!

 

[Brewer_Dad]

@dawn_kiebawls yes! I forgot to tell that I did try a 2nd fermenter because I was trying dry hopping for the first time and I wanted to get a clean beer.

 

[GnenieGone]

Hi all,

I brewed an American IPA as follows:

- Fermented @19@C for a week until it reached FG.
- switched to a 2nd fermenter and cold crashed for a week.
- primed and let it sit for a week.

It's been 3 weeks since I brewed it.

I just couldn't wait and put one to the fridge and now I'm drinking it. It has a strong yeast smell and somewhat of a yeasty taste. I know a week is too soon.

Could this yeasty smell and taste disappear if I just let it rest a couple of weeks?

Checking for understanding. You transfered to secondary then cold crashed? Asking because its the other way around. Cold crash first, say 55F for 48hrs, then transfer. If you transfered first, then there was very likely a lot of yeast that got transferred also.

Just adding. Modern thought is to dry hop in primary at day 3 or 4 if fermentation so any oxygen introduced gets "eaten" by yeast activity.

 

[Kickass]

Secondary is unnecessary, even with dry hopping. That said, if you like the process and product, have at it.

The “yeastiness” will mellow as the yeast settles out. I stopped giving my wife samples until the final product was carbed and ready for consumption because she always remarks “did you get cheap and ferment this one with our bread yeast?”

 

[Brewer_Dad]

Yup, two and a half weeks after bottling and it tastes delicious. It was all just a matter of time.

 

[RM-MN]

Now that your IPA tastes good, don't hesitate to drink it. Unless you were extremely careful with the beer to avoid any exposure to air after fermentation started the oxygen will cause the hop aroma/flavor to dissipate over time. I found my APA to begin to degrade around 2 months in bottles and most of the hop aroma/flavor to be gone by then end of the third month.

 

[seatazzz]

And I'll +1 to someone above who said start another batch posthaste. You'll find those tasty bottles will go fast, and you'll want something "in the wings" to replace it. Thus begins the descent into hell....or ascent into heaven, as you will.

 

[Brewer_Dad]

Lol I will. I have about 25lts left (I made a 40lt batch) and I will brew again this Friday. I do not drink mon-thu as I work in a 4*3 shift at a mine site - beer lasts longer, thankfully.