Smokey flavor in my beer

[BeerSlut]

I have had a few batches of different beers come out after bottling with a nasty smokey, sharp flavor. It leaves a strong smoke taste after you take a drink. There is no visible sign of infection. It seems to be happening during the bottle conditioning phase. I haven't noticed the taste when I sample my final gravity readings, so it must be during conditioning. It has happened a few times in the past, but 2 of my last 3 batches did this. One was an Irish Red Lager, and the other was a Nut Brown. Both were partial grain recipes, but it has happened with just extract recipes before. What the hell is this? It makes the beer undrinkable. Bummer! I use White Labs yeast. I use corn sugar for the carbonation. Anybody know what causes this? I love smoked fish, but I ain't so crazy about smoked beer!!

[Trogger]

Interesting... and smoked flavor is desirable in rauchbier. I'll be curious to see the theories on this one, but unfortunately, I have not insight.

[fretlessman71]

Rauchbiers are brewed with smoked malt - it's not that much of an effort on the brewer's part to get that smoke flavor if they have the right malt, you know?

[danno]

Scottish ale yeasts can give off a smokey characteristic when fermented cool (60ºF). in fact, traditional scottish ales shouldn't derive their smokey characteristics from smoked malt, but from the yeast...

that said, I have a wee heavy that used 25% smoked malt, and while it's definitely smoky, it's not "sharp". do you know anyone in your area who you respect for their palates, and/or is BJCP certified? i wonder if you're picking up something else, and just misidentifying it, but I can't figure out what it would be...

[BeerSlut]

This is a nasty bitter smokey flavor. It leaves a sour, bitter, almost grassy flavor in your mouth. The smokey taste is very close to the smell of a piece of wood that has been partially burned. Very strong flavor. It is pretty much undrinkable. (And god knows I'll drink just about any beer!!!!) A couple of years ago, I had a pale ale that did this, but after it sat for a couple of months, it mellowed out. I assumed it was just green at first, and finally matured. These 2 batches don't seem to be improving at all. The nut brown is over 2 months now and it still tastes like #@$%! Is it possible to burn the corn sugar when boiling it for the primer? I don't recall either of these tasting like this at bottling time, so I have to think it is some how related to the priming/bottling process. I would really like to find out because I am bottling 3 batches this weekend, and I will not be happy if I lose these too.

BTW, every one of these batches were different styles of yeast. They were however, all White Labs.

HELP!!!

[HogieWan]

Originally posted by BeerSlut
Is it possible to burn the corn sugar when boiling it for the primer?

How long are you boiling it and with how much water?

[I'mRocketMan]

LOL @ HogieWan's sig!!

[HogieWan]

Originally posted by I'mRocketMan
LOL @ HogieWan's sig!!

I aim to please

We now return you to your regularly scheduled thread.

[BeerSlut]

I am using about a cup of water and boiling it for about 5 min with 5oz of corn sugar.

[danno]

do you use a designated bottling bucket? i wonder if you're not picking up an infection at bottling. maybe your bottling wand, or bucket. i'm going out on a limb from the "sour, bitter" part of your description.

something to start with, anyways...

[Tweek]

I once had an infection that could possibly been described this way. Think it was something nasty in my racking cane. Got it in a few batches then I replaced the cane, all gone.

[Stodbrew]

I'd be inclined to think its an infection, too. But I can't think of any beer spoilage bacteria that would produce a "smoky" off flavor.

Another thought, how long was your beer on the yeast after fermentation? Yeast autolysis throws off meaty, brothy like flavors and aromas.

[BeerSlut]

I don't think it is any kind of infection in the bottling bucket or the racking cane because I bottled a Belgian Wit 2 weeks ago, and just tried some last night. It is excellent. I am using a bottling bucket that I am really careful not to scratch and I clean and sanitize the hell out of everything. I use the same racking cane on all of them and it only happens once in a while. It could be the yeast autolysys. It is maybe kind of a meaty flavor. It's hard to describe. The nut brown was in the primary a little longer than I wanted. (My dad had to have open heart surgery unexpectedly). The other was a lager and I may have gone too long in the primary or secondary. I don't remember them tasting too bad at bottling, but I may have had a few other beers before I bottled! This Never happens!!! I am going to pay more attention to my fermenting and see if that helps. Thanks for the help.

[Tweek]

the cane was just anecdotal (sp?). if it is an infection it could be from any number of things.

The too long on the yeast idea was a good one too, I have been guilty of that on more than one occasion.

[BeerSlut]

I am almost positive it is not an infection. I am maybe a little too crazy on sterilization if that's possible. I'm going to really check on these batches I am bottling this weekend. If they taste OK at bottling and come out like crap, at least I'll know it is somewhere in the bottling process. I retasted some a minute ago, and it could be described as a "meaty, broth like flavor", (with smoke flavoring!) so I am leaning towards the fermenting side. Time will tell. (and about $75.00 in wasted beer!) Pouring beer down the sink could make a grown man cry!!!

Thanks guys

[toneyc]

Another possibility might be chlorine. What are you sanitizing with? And does your water sometimes have a chlorine/swimming pool smell? The last beer I had to pour out was because the local water company spiked the chlorine. This was more of a bandaid/plastic smell, though, so it doesn't quite fit in with the smoked description. But you did mention that you were "crazy" on the sanitizing...

:)
Toney.

[BeerSlut]

I use OneStep™ for the sanitizer. My water has very little chlorine in it. I also boil all the water before I add it to the wort. That's supposed to get the chlorine out I was told. I am inclined to think it is the autolysys if that creates a meaty, broth flavor. (Smoked meat!). Part of the fun in making beer is the learning process, but not when it makes you have to dump hard earned beer! I am going to really watch every stage of the process, and if it happens again, I'll know where it's coming from. I was just hoping somebody had experienced this and could save me from wasting my beer.

Thanks

[danno]

more and more municipalties are using choramines instead of chlorine, which can't be boiled out. you may want to check with your local water supplier...

second, how long was your beer in the primary and on the yeast? autolysis takes awhile, well over a month...