Fusel alcohol - Here's your IPA and two Tylenol for the impending headache

[ShanMan14]

I brewed an AG IPA this past Friday. I made a 2qt starter, decanted and pitched at about 62F. The temps were in the 60's when I checked it last on Saturday morning before leaving for an overnight trip. It was in a plastic bin containing water and ice packs.

Upon return on Sunday morning the carboy temp was 78 and fermentation was all but over. I put in ice packs to bring it down but... :eek: OG was 1.065 and I measured it last night at 1.016.

Hopefully with the hops any off-flavors will not be readily apparent but I'm afraid the fusel alcohol will be a problem. :( What irritates me the most is that I know fermentation temps are critical yet I brewed and left without the ability to check it and watch the temps. Dumb. :mad:

[darylM]

But think of the valuble lesson you learned. I am not being sarcasic here. My last three batches all have had something wrong with them. I learned a lot from the mistakes I made. Think of it as not a crappy brew, but now you can become a better brewer.

[Otis_The_Drunk]

As long as the Temps didn't get over 65° F you should be fine.

[ShanMan14]

As long as the Temps didn't get over 65° F you should be fine.


They did, up to 78. :mad:

[hooky]

It may end up being the best darn beer you've made, but then you'll be unable to duplicate the fermentation schedule.

Why is glass always half empty?

[steveh]

Um, don't take the Tylenol for an alcohol induced headache, it's been proven to accelerate liver damage. Stick with Ibuprofin.

S.

[cul8rv8]

Um, don't take the Tylenol for an alcohol induced headache, it's been proven to accelerate liver damage. Stick with Ibuprofin.

S.
I lol'ed. :)

[steveh]

I lol'ed. :)

Why? I'm not kiddin' here -- look it up. Acetaminophen and alcohol don't mix.

http://arthritis.about.com/od/acetamin/a/tylenol_warning.htm See number 5.

S.

[Mad Scientist]

Why is glass always half empty?

Because you won't stop drinking it long enough for it to fill up!!!

[Fweezle]

I had nearly the same thing happen with a bourbon porter I made recently, there's a post out there about it. I too am worried about the fusels but only time will tell, going to bottle next week. I put a lot of time and money into this beer so headaches or not, it will be enjoyed.

[Otis_The_Drunk]

There is a saying that goes a long way in homebrewing:

Relax, Don't Worry, Have a homebrew.

[Fweezle]

There is a saying that goes a long way in homebrewing:

Relax, Don't Worry, Have a homebrew.

...and take a Ibuprofen to combat the headache and give an evil stare to your wife for messing with the thermostat.

RDWHAHBATAITCTHAGAESTYWFMWTT

[Mad Scientist]

...and take a Ibuprofen to combat the headache and give an evil stare to your wife for messing with the thermostat.

RDWHAHBATAITCTHAGAESTYWFMWTT

I'll bet you're a Mary Poppins fan, huh?

[Fweezle]

Naw, I prefer Sherry Bobbins.

[Cosmic Charlie]

Sherry Bobbins is an original character, like Ronald Ruck.


Anyway, I don't know about the chemistry, but does aging the beer for a while help change(?) higher-order alcohols?

[Mad Scientist]

No, unfortunately once they are there, you are stuck with them.

[Otis_The_Drunk]

In 20 years I have fermented beer at a wide range of temperatures, including temps of over 78° F. and have yet to produce headache beer.
The only reason I have ended up with a headache from drinking mine or anyone else's beer was from over indulging.

If you were to look at some Belgian recipes, some call for temperatures that are quite high... I think really when you have to really start worrying about fusel alcohol is with temperatures into the 80s or above.

[markaberrant]

I did an English Barleywine 2 winters ago, fermented around 75F. Still tastes like solvent.

[Otis_The_Drunk]

Are you sure that it was the temp?

I've seen other beers fermented at temps as high as 79°F and they were extremely fruity (packed with esters) but not solvent like.

[Otis_The_Drunk]

Solvent-like
This group of flavors is very similar to the alcohol and ester flavors, but are harsher to the tongue. These flavors often result from a combination of high fermentation temperatures and oxidation. They can also be leached from cheap plastic brewing equipment or if PVC tubing is used as a lautering manifold material. The solvents in some plastics like PVC can be leached by high temperatures.

[cul8rv8]

Why? I'm not kiddin' here -- look it up. Acetaminophen and alcohol don't mix.

http://arthritis.about.com/od/acetamin/a/tylenol_warning.htm See number 5.

S.

Oh, wasn't saying it wasn't true, just saying that I laughed. I actually learned that one back in my college days.

[Cosmic Charlie]

Let me take another stab at this: some fusel oils are acceptable in Barleywines...so call it a Barleywine instead of an IPA???

[ShanMan14]

Well, this is interesting. I took a gravity reading after three weeks and it attenuated further down to 1.014. I racked to the secondary and dry hopped with two ounces of hops.

Now, the airlock is going again and the hop particles are swirling around - it looks very primary fermentation-like, though not as vigorous.

It can't be off-gassing from racking it five days ago. Did I rouse the yeast? Very strange... :confused:

[Mad Scientist]

How much gas is coming through the airlock?

[ShanMan14]

I'd guess six times per minute'ish.

[Mad Scientist]

Where do you have it stored? If it is in an enclosed space, like a fermentation fridge, then the pressure differential will cause CO2 to offgas when you open the door...barametric pressure difference.

[ShanMan14]

It's in the brewhaus, of course! That is, my walk-in closet away from curious small children. :rolleyes: