Woodfordes Wherry: Yeasty Taste

[Starter410]

Hello. Just conditioning my first ever homebrew. Woodfordes Wherry. Primary fermentation 10 days. Secondary 2 weeks. Its been conditioning for about 2.5 weeks. Tried a bottle yesterday. Clear, small head, bubbles rising to the surface - really looked the part but tasted very yeasty. I wonder whether I stopped the primary fermentation too early or put too much sugar in the bottles for the seconday fermentation - I used 2 Coopers carbonation drops. Any help gratefully received and will it improve? Cheers. Dave.

 

[terrym]

Hello. Just conditioning my first ever homebrew. Woodfordes Wherry. Primary fermentation 10 days. Secondary 2 weeks. Its been conditioning for about 2.5 weeks. Tried a bottle yesterday. Clear, small head, bubbles rising to the surface - really looked the part but tasted very yeasty. I wonder whether I stopped the primary fermentation too early or put too much sugar in the bottles for the seconday fermentation - I used 2 Coopers carbonation drops. Any help gratefully received and will it improve? Cheers. Dave.

First priming sugar or drops won't make the beer yeasty. Dextrose or table sugar only contribute CO2 and a little alcohol to your beer.
So, was there a lot of yeast carried over from the FV to the bottles? Unless you fermented at about 18*C or less the primary should have finished and the beer started to clear after 10 days.
I found that the Wherry yeast was reluctant to pack down, you may be getting the same, so when you sampled your beer was there any yeast carried over, i.e was your pint slightly cloudy?
I also found Wherry does need a few weeks conditioning before it comes good. 2.5 weeks may not be enough. Give it another 2 weeks and try again.
Finally you don't 'stop' a fermentation as you indicate. It finishes when the yeast has had enough. That usually means on normal strength beer approx FG 1.010. However the Wherry kit yeast has a problem in that it sometimes sticks at about 1.020. What was the SG reading when you bottled?

 

[Lowcliff]

I agree with Terrym, I had the same problem at 2 to 3 weeks in the bottle but leave it for another 3 to 4 weeks and you wouldn't believe it is the same beer

 

[MrDasherD]

I don't often bottle this beer but I seem to remember, as terrym says, the supplied yeast doesn't compact very well and usually remains quite soft in bottom of bottle. Are you disturbing sediment when you pour perhaps?

 

[marlon]

Yep! Agree with above. Leave it longer, 3 months if you can, tough, I know, but it'll continue inproving and the yeasty taste SHOULD go. Next time, consider changing the yeast. I've used Wilco's ale yeast with more success.

 

[Starter410]

Thanks all. very helpful - I will try to exercise some self control and leave it for further conditioning!

Will also try some different yeast with the next brew - perhaps the Wilco Ale yeast Marlon recommends.

 

[GhostShip]

Thanks all. very helpful - I will try to exercise some self control and leave it for further conditioning!

Will also try some different yeast with the next brew - perhaps the Wilco Ale yeast Marlon recommends.

I've just done a Wherry and swapped the yeast supplied with the Wilko Gervin yeast. Fermented really well and there's certainly no yeast taste in the beer.