Strange aftertaste in my IPA

The Homebrew Forum

Help Support The Homebrew Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Frisp

Frisps 2 Firkin Brewery
Supporting Member
Joined
Jul 28, 2008
Messages
1,259
Reaction score
175
Location
South Ayrshire
folks I just kegged an IPA I brewed a few weeks back and used novalager for the yeast. The hops Used were 22IBU fuggles at 60 mins, 8 IBU of Celeia 10 mins and 27g Celeia and 27g Williamette at flameout..

I had 3 litres left over which i force carbonated before trying a sup... it has an overpowering aftertaste of Liquorice .

is this taste likely to be from the hop schedule or is it an infection?
 
I think this is classed as a phenolic taste. Often caused by chlorine in water or too high a fermentation temperature. There are lots more possibilities, a google search will give you them if you search for licorice or anise aftertaste in beer.
 
I think this is classed as a phenolic taste. Often caused by chlorine in water or too high a fermentation temperature. There are lots more possibilities, a google search will give you them if you search for licorice or anise aftertaste in beer.
the water was charcoal filtered and i used a small amount of Potasium metabisulphide to make sure so Im sure its not chlorine. i have done this loads of times and its always fully dechlorinated the water. The chracoal filter is still effective
As for temp It was in a fementation fridge at a steady 18C.. So Im struggling to work out how its phenols.. but ill delve deeper into the subject
 
I think this is classed as a phenolic taste. Often caused by chlorine in water or too high a fermentation temperature. There are lots more possibilities, a google search will give you them if you search for licorice or anise aftertaste in beer.
Sounds like Esters. Im wondering if the novalager has taken the wort temp way higher than was good for it.. despite the fermentation fridge being set at 18C
 
It could be Clove taste that is a little like Liquorice which is a by product of chlorine in the water.
Or it could be a infection.
Is the beer clear or is it a little cloudy or where there any signs of pellicles on the top?
 
Did you burn the wort on the bottom as this also could give those flavours off
 
It could be Clove taste that is a little like Liquorice which is a by product of chlorine in the water.
Or it could be a infection.
Is the beer clear or is it a little cloudy or where there any signs of pellicles on the top?
its a bit cloudy, looks like a hazy ipa.. Also after fermentation it looked like it had a light sprikling of what i can only describe as a floating, yeast coloured gravel , very grainy. But it didnt spread or multiply I assumed it was just what was left of the fermentation froth.
 
think I got it.. it is indeed chlorine.. i just poured some into a pint glasss, gave it a swirl and a sniff , and yep it stinks of chlorine..
two weeks before i brewed I changed the filter cartridge as I was tasting it in my tea.
seems the filter aint working as well as it should have..
 
Sounds like Esters. Im wondering if the novalager has taken the wort temp way higher than was good for it.. despite the fermentation fridge being set at 18C
Quite possible, I got caught out in our winter. My aircon had shot its's bolt, so I thought. I used a heat belt and set the temperature to 18C, this was on heat. Next day I checked the temperature had climbed to 29C, this was through a thermowell, so of course the heat belt being on heat couldn't change the temperature. Lesson learned.
 
Quite possible, I got caught out in our winter. My aircon had shot its's bolt, so I thought. I used a heat belt and set the temperature to 18C, this was on heat. Next day I checked the temperature had climbed to 29C, this was through a thermowell, so of course the heat belt being on heat couldn't change the temperature. Lesson learned.
I think it may have had a part in it as it went off like a train and was done in under 48 hours, although my inkbird sensor was strapped to the side of my chubby fermenter so In theory it should have dealt with any overheats from the ferment..
But in reality I do think that its been chrorine / chloramine as the water stinks of it.. I

Im changing my filtration as its more twhole house rather than just brewing liquor. im going 5 micron sediment, Activated charcoal. charcoal block and a final resin polish.

Also Im going back to using a brewsheet for my brews so I dont forget things like "Add 0.5g KM" !!
 

Latest posts

Back
Top