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Keviebaby

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I needed to get a brew done before my holidays last month so I did what was supposed to be a basic pale ale. 3.7k Pale malt, 230g crystal and a touch of black. Prime bittering hop was target (28g) and I whacked in 57g of East Kent Goldings for the last 10 minutes.
Yeast was Safale S-04.

However, this was during the heatwave we had in July and the ambient temp where I ferment was in the high 20's. Probably between 25 and 28 at times.

It ended up fermenting for 3 weeks before I managed to keg and bottle it and it's now coming up to 3 weeks conditioning.

I've just had a bottle of this and it is not what I expected. It has cleared well and carbed up nicely but it does not taste like a pale ale. It is more like a Leffe blonde. There is a definate clove flavour there, possibly a bit of banana but I might be imagining that.
It's not unpleasant, it's actually quite nice but not a beer you would have more than one of at once.

Now, I know that you can get clove and banana flavours from high fermentation temperatures so I am hoping that's all it is, but could this taste be down to an infection? I've got a keg full but not sure if I could finish it all before an infection took proper hold. I've no temperature control for fermenting or conditioning (next on the list!)

Opinions?

KG
 
I think you're correct and that is just the off flavour esters. I had some in my first kit (and I think it was potentially better than a later brew of the same kit).
I believe it's vinegar type flavours that show an infection (not had one to date so don't know for sure).

I've secured a cupboard in the utility room that is big enough for my builders trug (£6 from Wilkes I think) and use an aquarium heater (£10ish from amazon). Not sure if this would work for you.
 
I'd also suspect yeast by-products due to high temperature. I've often had what I call "antiseptic" flavours - which I believe are pretty well identical to some continental lagers & wheat beers - due to English ale yeasts becoming stressed, with high temperature being a common cause.
It's a flavour that I personally hate, but obviously others disagree or it wouldn't be available commercially!
 
I'd also suspect yeast by-products due to high temperature. I've often had what I call "antiseptic" flavours - which I believe are pretty well identical to some continental lagers & wheat beers - due to English ale yeasts becoming stressed, with high temperature being a common cause.
It's a flavour that I personally hate, but obviously others disagree or it wouldn't be available commercially!

My first HB had that flavour and I never had a bad one since..

I put it down to brewing way too high temp or poorly rinse steriliser
 
I find that beers fermented at too high a temp give me an absolutely rotten headache...have a few and if you wake up rough in the morning you can be comfortable it is just down to the heat! :lol:
 
Thanks guys,

Consensus seems to be heat then, think I was just fretting but it's good experience to understand the flavours you can get from different fermenting temps.

KG
 

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