Made a Biere de Mars-ish beer a few months back, bottle conditioned this one (bottled 2 weeks ago, so definitely still young for the gravity), but there is a distinct thin/cidery taste. The honey (meadowfoam) was added at the last 3rd of fermentation or so. Given the attenuation on this beast (3711; basically about 94% attenuation!), it would up with way more alcohol than planned (8.81% as opposed to 7.3% or so)…I’m thinking this should be a longer-term cellarer, as the booze is a bit evident as well. Stepped up starter of 3711 based on yeastcalc.com. Lagered for 4 weeks after primary.
Will the cideryness dissipate? I don’t think it is acetaldehyde.
Biere de Mars
16-D Bière de Garde
Author: MCP
Date: 2/25/2013
Size: 5.0 gal @ 68 °F
Efficiency: 75.0%
Attenuation: 94.4%
Calories: 229.89 kcal per 12.0 fl oz
Original Gravity: 1.071 (1.060 - 1.080)
Terminal Gravity: 1.004 (1.008 - 1.016)
Color: 11.47 (6.0 - 19.0)
Alcohol: 8.81% (6.0% - 8.5%)
Bitterness: 27.9 (18.0 - 28.0)
Ingredients:
1 lb (7.7%) Meadowfoam Honey - added after boil, steeped 1 m
6 lb (46.1%) Belgian Pils - added during mash
1.75 lb (13.4%) Munich Malt - added during mash
4.2 lb (32.3%) White Wheat Malt - added during mash
1 oz (0.5%) Kiln Black Malt - added during mash
12 g (27.3%) Magnum (14.5%) - added during boil, boiled 60 m
12 g (27.3%) Saaz (5.0%) - added during boil, boiled 20 m
20 g (45.5%) Saaz (5.0%) - added during boil, boiled 1 m
Schedule:
Ambient Air: 70.0 °F
Source Water: 60.0 °F
Elevation: 0.0 m
Notes
gravity measurement at 1.004! on 3/10/13
began lagering at 35* on 3/13/13, bottled on 4/17/13
slightly cidery taste, tasting on 5/1, vanilla from meadowfoam honey really coming through well
Results generated by BeerTools Pro 1.5.24
I wonder if by “cidery” you just mean it is a little thin and you can taste the alcohol. There’s really nothing you can do now that it is bottled but time should help mellow some of the boozy character.
My guess Acetaldehyde. Maybe pulled from yeast a little quick?
I suppose it was a bit quick. 17 day primary total, reached fg in 2 weeks, raised temp from 66 (pitch) to 70 or so after 5 days.
It is just thin and a bit boozy. Probably lost mouthfeel in the crazy fermentation and from adding a bit of water with the honey.
Is it better to store something like this at cellar temp or closer to 70?
I learned from this forum to taste test for Acetaldehyde along the way. I don’t know the fix if one exists but I would cold store a month and see what happens
the best way to get rid of acetaldehyde, assuming it is from fermentation and not from infection, is actually a warm rest. ~72 or a little over and the acetaldehyde will start to boil away.
Sweet, thanks. I had it once in an ale. That was enough for me. What about lagers though?
same deal. Once the yeast is mostly done it’s not going to hurt anything to bring your lager up to 72ish. you can then bring it back down and cold condition it as you normally would. think of it as an extended d-rest.
Copy that. So what if I ran my lager at 50 till it was done, then 72 for a few days before dropping to lager temps?
Helps if you raise the temps just before its done fermenting, not after its comeptely done.
This just speeds it along right? Another method could be more time on the yeast, I’m assuming
Not so much speeding things along, as ensuring a good environment for the yeast to finish and clean up after themselves. Yeast like it warm, and once they are no longer producing heat during high krausen then the temp drops and they see that as a signal to go dormant. Raising the temp fools them into keeping active longer.