Wlp500 solventy taste..?

[TheRedDarren]

Hi guys,

Just a had a sneaky taste of a Dubbel I brewed 5 weeks back, unfortunately it's got quite a solventy flavour about it and I can't figure out why.

Looking back over my notes the fermentation temperature hung around 18/20* ambient - not sure about the actual temp of the beer but let's say +2*? And the 'brew like a monk' book says I can use this yeast up 24* without getting light solvent phenols.

The thing I'm wondering is it's been in the bottle for (only) three and a half weeks at room temp, it's possible at some point the room temp has spiked up a bit as we've had the heating on now.
Would this be the answer?
Will the flavour diminish if I store them outside in the shed?

 

[clibit]

If it's not temperature it's likely to be insufficient yeast. What was the batch size and OG? Did you make a yeast starter?

 

[MyQul]

Also did you use any new FV's (or any other new plastic) and have any hot liquid/wort in them. The solventty stuff from plastic can leach into your beer if you have

 

[TheRedDarren]

If it's not temperature it's likely to be insufficient yeast. What was the batch size and OG? Did you make a yeast starter?

Ah interesting....
Batch size was 23l @ 1070.

I'm not sure how much I pitched as I just used a few turkey basters full drawn from the demijohn of my batch that I was culturing to split... Do you remember that thread a while back when I was wondering why I had no krausen in my demijohn?
I don't imaging it was as much as a full phial....

So a low pitch rate gives a solvent flavour? Any fixes for this?

 

[TheRedDarren]

Also did you use any new FV's (or any other new plastic) and have any hot liquid/wort in them. The solventty stuff from plastic can leach into your beer if you have

No, not as far as I can recall.
I've used the fv several times so far with no off flavours.

 

[TheRedDarren]

Also the esters from the yeast seem to have disappeared...

 

[clibit]

Ah interesting....
Batch size was 23l @ 1070.

I'm not sure how much I pitched as I just used a few turkey basters full drawn from the demijohn of my batch that I was culturing to split... Do you remember that thread a while back when I was wondering why I had no krausen in my demijohn?
I don't imaging it was as much as a full phial....

So a low pitch rate gives a solvent flavour? Any fixes for this?

Yes. It sounds like you were under pitched. I think the only fix is time, long conditioning may improve it. Yeast quantity and health are important things to get right, especially in stronger beers, but for any beer.

 

[MyQul]

No, not as far as I can recall.
I've used the fv several times so far with no off flavours.

Just throwing it out there as it's one of the causes of solventy flavour.

It could also be Acetaldehyde. In the link below it doesn't mention it but in low amounts it gives a green apple taste and in high amount a solventy taste. I'm guessing your dubbel has a decent ABV%? If it's not fusils it should condition out eventually

http://www.morebeer.com/content/homebrew-off-flavors

 

[TheRedDarren]

Yes. It sounds like you were under pitched. I think the only fix is time, long conditioning may improve it. Yeast quantity and health are important things to get right, especially in stronger beers, but for any beer.

Buggar.

Ok well, time I have! I shall put it in the shed for winter and try it in a few months.
Thanks Clibit.

 

[TheRedDarren]

Just throwing it out there as it's one of the causes of solventy flavour.

It could also be Acetaldehyde. In the link below it doesn't mention it but in low amounts it gives a green apple taste and in high amount a solventy taste. I'm guessing your dubbel has a decent ABV%? If it's not fusils it should condition out eventually

http://www.morebeer.com/content/homebrew-off-flavors

Yes could be, I think it came out at 6.8% ish so it's a possibility.
As stated above, I shall leave in the shed for a few months and see how it goes.
Thanks Myqul.

 

[clibit]

Taste check it from time to time.

 

[rodabod]

I'd say it's too early to be getting worried for a beer of that strength. Put it this way, whether or not this "solventy" flavour will be there or not, the flavour will have changed in the next couple of months.

Every high ABV beer I've made has been boozy-rough during early sampling. So much changes that I wouldn't get too worried for just now.