IPA disaster

mancer62 · May 11, 2017

Dooohhhh!!!!
First time brewing an IPA (Coopers with added Cascade & Citra Hops).
I made the kit, boiled the hops for 5 mins and added to FV.
It has been in there for over 5 weeks. Today I went to batch prime before pressure barreling but looks like its turned bad.....the surface seems oily and like theres a film over it. The taste is very sour and tastes off. Very disappointed was looking forward to this.. Any ideas what may have happened?.

Linalmeemow · May 11, 2017

The oily surface may well just be hop oil. I often get that prior to bottling. Sour flavours sound like an infection though.

mancer62 · May 11, 2017

if I take a pic of it and try post it here later do u think i'll get correct diagnosis....ive never made an IPA before so don't know what it should exactly taste like...but I would say it does taste very sourish...u think I should just pour it down sink?

foxbat · May 11, 2017

What's the current gravity? One indicator of an infection is a final gravity much lower than expected.

chesters-mild · May 11, 2017

Sorry to hear that, hop oil will float on the top, no worries there, but the sour taste sounds like a wild yeast infection.
I'm sure you were very clean and sanitised everything, however 5weeks in the FV is rather long, even for a strong IPA, I think that's where your problem comes from. Normal time should be about 2weeks FV 2weeks to carb up in bottle / keg then 2 weeks to drinking time.

henteaser · May 11, 2017

mancer62 said:
ive never made an IPA before so don't know what it should exactly taste like...but I would say it does taste very sourish...u think I should just pour it down sink?

If this is your first IPA, is it possible you're confusing (what could just be) unconditioned, super bitter, dry-hopped beer as "sourish"?

As Linalmeemow said, the "film" could just be the hop oil but if you could post a photo I'm sure someone can confirm or deny if it's an infection.

mancer62 · May 11, 2017

quite a strong smell coming from it oily film on top and tastes sour OG 1042 - FG 1008

Tanzanite · May 11, 2017

mancer62 said:
quite a strong smell coming from it oily film on top and tastes sour OG 1042 - FG 1008

Taste it , it wont kill you , if it doesnt taste right down the sink with it:thumb:

henteaser · May 11, 2017

mancer62 said:
quite a strong smell coming from it oily film on top and tastes sour OG 1042 - FG 1008

I'd suggest trying to get a photo before you dump.

If it's an infection, I'd be surprised there are no other visual clues other than "film". Any brown/green mold? Large islands of coagulated gunk? Any furry patches?

Also, are you familiar with what both citra and cascade should taste like? Both are citrus dominated hops, citrus like grapefruit, lemons.

Are you getting sour like lemons (a pleasant sour?) or sour like gone off milk with nothing that reminds you of a citrus fruit?

Hopefully it can be saved!

mancer62 · May 11, 2017

No I am not familiar with the citra and cascade hop taste ..its the first time I have added hops to my homebrew....I would say I am getting sour but certainly wouldn't say pleasant. I normally can drink from the hydrometer test jar at this stage but this stuff I cant...

foxbat · May 11, 2017

1.008 is fine. A little dry but not excessive for the style. The hop oil on the surface is nothing to worry about. I say package it and leave it to condition for a month.

mancer62 · May 11, 2017

really? even though its undrinkable now? you think there's a chance?

Godsdog · May 11, 2017

I'm with foxbat on this,package it and leave for 3/4 weeks and try it,nothing to lose other than a little of your time,the drain is the drain no matter when you throw it down

mancer62 · May 11, 2017

I just prime batched it with 4 1/4 oz suger and must say smell of hops (I think its hops anway lol) was very strong. I took some pics of the IPA in the FV before I transferred. I also took couple of pics of the Trub at the bottom of the FV. I must say the trub (a mixture of the yeast and hops ) certainly seemed healthy. But I suppose it may also look this way if infected. All I know is that I couldn't drink it which is the first time ever. Is this heard of before?. Also total novice at this how do I go about posting pics on here/ Maybe someone who knows could look at them and tell me to keep it or send it down the sink. Ty for everyone that's commented really appreciate.

chub1 · May 11, 2017

mancer62 said:
No I am not familiar with the citra and cascade hop taste ..its the first time I have added hops to my homebrew....I would say I am getting sour but certainly wouldn't say pleasant. I normally can drink from the hydrometer test jar at this stage but this stuff I cant...

Wouldn't take much notice of the taste from a trial jar( i do it myself must admit) it will change:)

chuffer · May 11, 2017

Always tastes better once its carbonated and chilled

mancer62 · May 11, 2017

anyone tell me how to get a pic from my mobile onto here? ty

Wilfy · May 12, 2017

mancer62 said:
anyone tell me how to get a pic from my mobile onto here? ty

Upload it to an image hosting site such as photobucket, imgur etc. Copy the direct link and paste it using the button that looks like the sun rising over a mountain.

chewie · May 12, 2017

mancer62 said:
No I am not familiar with the citra and cascade hop taste ..its the first time I have added hops to my homebrew....I would say I am getting sour but certainly wouldn't say pleasant. I normally can drink from the hydrometer test jar at this stage but this stuff I cant...

Citra is to me a predominantly grapefruit flavour that has a touch of orange in it, cascade is similar but not as strong grapefruit but with a more spicy feel to it, with boiling the hops first though you will tend to get a lot more bitterness, 5 weeks could also be a bit on the long side. Certainly bottle it up and try a bottle every week once primed, it will either improve to your liking or it won't, at least it will be a learning curve on how a beer can develop for months after bottling.

mancer62 · May 12, 2017

But can I ask has anyone ever made an IPA that was totally undrinkable at the stage they were about to keg/bottle it? I couldnt even swallow quarter of a mouthful of it vile. I cant believe (although I live in hope)
That this will work out and be fine. Anytime in past I have always been able to quite easily drink the beer/stout/lager from my test jar but not this time. Should an IPA be any different and are the hops a factor in this or.shouldnt they make any.difference.

IPA disaster

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