Horrible Aftertaste

[fidcastro]

I just tried my first solo batch tonight for the second time. I tried it last week, but it was the same tonight.

The aroma is great, the taste is great going down... but the aftertaste is NASTY.

I guess it's my first, so I shouldn't be too disappointed...

[Beerconnoisseur]

...if you want us to comment, you'll have to be a bit more specific about what the off-flavors were like.

Also, list the instructions you followed (and/or any deviations from those). The source of the problem may jump out at you, or perhaps someone has had similar problems in the past...

[fidcastro]

The aftertaste is very greasy and oily. Like it is clinging to my mouth. And the taste itself is a hoppy flavor, but not in a good way. It tastes like I would expect the sludge at the bottom of the fermenter to taste.

Like I said, the actual taste as I'm drinking it is good. But a few seconds after I swallow it this horrible aftertaste makes me want to cringe. It is an overpoering, bitter, rotten hop taste.

I was given the recipe by a friend. It is supposed to be a pretty hoppy IPA.

12 lbs Maris Otter
2 lbs Cara Vienna
1 lb wheat

At begininning of boil 3 oz of Crystal hops, after 15 minutes 2 more oz, 15 more minutes 1 oz, and after 20 minutes 2 oz more, for the last 10 minutes of boil. All the hops are crystal.

I've had his batch made from this recipe, and it is good. Mine isn't.

Any thoughts? (sorry I wasn't more specific last time.)

P.S. I left in primary ferment for 2 weeks, then secondary for 3 more. Then I left it in the bottles for 3 weeks before I tried it for the first time (one week ago today), so it has been 9 weeks since I brewed it.

[Beerconnoisseur]

8 oz. is a LOT of hops for this recipe. The IPA I brewed last night had roughly the same grain bill as yours, but only 6 oz. total (2 oz for Magnum (bittering and flavor) and 2 oz. Columbus (aroma).

Remember that the Alpha Acid percentages for hops will vary from crop to crop, so you should follow your friend's recipe, but make sure to use Alpha Acid Units or HBU's to determine the required oz. of hops needed. Also, minor details, such as your friend performing the boil with the kettle lid off, while you kept yours on, can affect the final result.

Palmer goes into the calculations here (http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter5-4.html), so this might help. :)

I'm also curious: is the recipe supposed to be for an ale, or a lager? 8-9 weeks time is pretty long for an ale, and it might be too early for the flavors to smooth out in a lager.

[brewmonkey]

You trying to win the Alpha King competition? Since I do not know what your OG (or efficiency) was I assumed a standard IPA and I come up with somewhere in the neighborhood of 120IBU's for that (assuming mid range of your hop at 5%AA).

As for the off flavors, I have never experienced those and after looking through my info, I am stumped. As for the hop flavor, are you sure these were fresh hops? While you did use alot of them, you said you had not experienced this flavor before. Older, oxidized hops can throw off some pretty funky flavors (think Belgian lambic hops).

The oily and greasy flavors, not had them before myself so I am guessing here as I have no info on them. Did you clean your equipment well? Residue from cleaning agents could play a part in this. Did you use PBW or a household soap in the kettle?

I will look some more this afternoon, I have a few books I have not looked in yet, maybe they will shed some light.

[Tweek]

Is it possible that you have just never tasted anything that was that young and hoppy before? I find that I cannot touch my very hoppy beers for at least 5 months and they dont start getting good for about a year. I would wager a guess that if you gave it some time you might be pleasantly suprised at the change in them.

[fidcastro]

It is supposed to be an IPA, and I only had it figured out to be about 78 IBUs. I know, that is still a lot, but like I said, my friend's was good, so I wanted to try it.

My o.g. was 1.061, and f.g. was 1.02, so the alcohol is about right at 5.3% by volume.

When I cleaned I used bleach, and then rinsed forever to get the smell out.

I honestly don't know if my hops were too old. They were pellets that I ordered online, but they smelled fine when I got them...

I'm gonna take Tweek's advice and wait a couple more months and try it again. I hope it does mellow out. I guess I was just too ambitious with my first batch. I'll look for something a little easier for next time.

[Beerconnoisseur]

Originally posted by fidcastro
When I cleaned I used bleach, and then rinsed forever to get the smell out.

I'd also use Iodophor sanitizer. Bear in mind that chloride ions can accentuate hop sharpness more than you'd want, so switching may fix the problem entirely.

[fidcastro]

Originally posted by Beerconnoisseur
I'd also use Iodophor sanitizer. Bear in mind that chloride ions can accentuate hop sharpness more than you'd want, so switching may fix the problem entirely.

Thanks,

I'll get some for next time.