So, I’m 20 days in on secondary of a lager @40*.
At 10 days in, it brought back memories of upstate NY beer gardens. Kinda smelled like Schultz and Dooley peeing in Hemlock Lake. If you get that reference you best be retired!
Today two of us evaluated the beer. Totally changed. Both picked up on alcohol and malt and the hops w/ great warmth. Curious thing is it made the roof of our mouths itch like a sharp cheddar.
The only reference I’ve come across is the same effect from Dale’s Pale Ale brewed by Oscar Blues Brewery, here in Colorado. Most of their styles are over the top in strength, think Dogfish Brewery in the old west.
Yeast is Saflager W34/70. Hops are Northern Brewer, Malts are light and Munich.
Can’t wait for this to fully mature seeing as I just drank the last of my NEPA & only hard cider left on tap.
Any & all comments welcome.
Itchy cheese mouth? I have never gotten an itchy mouth from eating cheddar.
I am not an expert or qualified person in anyway. Take this for what it’s worth (which probably isn’t much).
I did some quick Googling but didn’t find much. The only interesting topic I saw was, itchy mouth after consuming yeast containing alcoholic beverages can be caused by an allergic reaction to yeast or mold. They also mentioned blue-cheese as triggering it. Unless you’ve never used 34/70 or it’s cousins I would tend doubt the yeast theory.
The presentation of stronger alcohol heat and the change in the presentation of the malt flavors might suggest an infection of some kind. I can’t even begin to guess on what might have taken hold, if anything.
Hopefully some of the BJCP judges on this forum have some ideas. I have never experienced that symptom so it seems interesting.
Paul
Cheese itch for as long as I can remember. The sharper, the stronger. I don’t consider it a bad thing, always taken it as a sign of great cheddar. Even better if it’s smoked. Goes good w/ a rauchbier and red meat.
Here’s hoping someone else has experienced this in a lager and able to explain it.
I have made over 1000 lagers in my life, from 5 gallons to 60bbls. I’m sorry to say I have never had this or know of it.
Sharpness in cheese is a result of lactose being broken down into lactic acids. I love sharp cheeses but never have they caused an itchy sensation but certainly do cause a tanginess.
last night I had itchy cheese fingers… so I added a bunch more cheese to my sauce!