Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Beer Flavor-Hops?  (Read 2645 times)

Offline curnes

  • 1st Kit
  • *
  • Posts: 14
Beer Flavor-Hops?
« on: January 26, 2012, 09:26:16 pm »
I live in Oregon and am an all grain brewer.  And of course I use a lot of cascade hops to brew pale ales and IPA's.  About 6 months ago my brewing partners and I began brewing some beer that tasted pretty bad.  It has a very distinct sour flavor. We figured that we had gotten some kind of contanimation in the fermenter so dumped the yeast and tried again and the flavor is back.  We made some stout and it tasted pretty good, but we figured there were so many flavors, they covered up all the funky bitterness we were picking up in our pale ales.

I was down at my local pub tonight and tasted a local commercially produced IPA and guess what.  This beer had the same sour flavor, although a bit less powerful.  When I told the pub owner that I thought he had a bad keg, he said when he reported the flavor to the brewer, the brewer told him that the flavor was from 2011 cascade hops that had a stronger alpha than normal and that he just hadn't adjusted his recipe.

Doe this make sense to anyone out there? Is my beer bad or is it just an off year for Cascade hopes?

Thanks for the help

 
Cameron

Offline hooter

  • Cellarman
  • **
  • Posts: 30
Re: Beer Flavor-Hops?
« Reply #1 on: January 26, 2012, 10:29:09 pm »
Well, high alpha hops would explain a beer that's more bitter, but sour?  That's another story altogether.  I'm assuming your cleaning and sanitizing is up to par.  I guess try brewing something with hops other than Cascade and see what happens.

Offline majorvices

  • Global Moderator
  • I must live here
  • *****
  • Posts: 11326
  • Polka. If its too loud you're too young.
Re: Beer Flavor-Hops?
« Reply #2 on: January 27, 2012, 05:34:13 am »
Once I got a very weird off flavor from dry hopping with some home grown hops. Such an odd flavor that I decided not to use the rest of the hops and dumped the beer.

That said, "sour" sounds like an infection to me. Hops have a myriad of flavors, sour is not one of them. Unless it is possible you are misstating the off flavor.

Offline davidgzach

  • Senior Brewmaster
  • ******
  • Posts: 1698
Re: Beer Flavor-Hops?
« Reply #3 on: January 27, 2012, 06:31:17 am »
Is sour the right word?  I would think the pub owner wouldn't sell sour beer.  I have used 2# of the 2011 Cascade crop from Hops Direct and they were fantastic, although high at 7.2%.

Dave
Dave Zach

Offline curnes

  • 1st Kit
  • *
  • Posts: 14
Re: Beer Flavor-Hops?
« Reply #4 on: January 27, 2012, 03:38:30 pm »
I sort of thought I might get a question about my use of the description "sour," but that is what it is.  I know bitter and like it.  This was a very different flavor.

I was mostly wondering if anyone had heard of off flavored cascades this year.  The reply about the home grown hopes is intriguing
though.

And to answer the question about our sanitation, we are fermenting in 15 gallon stainless kegs.  I do question our ability to properly sanitized these vessels. I am fermenting my current batch in clean glass.  I will also be dry hopping with last year's Amarillos.

Thanks for the responses, it is very helpful.

Cameron
Cameron

Offline denny

  • Administrator
  • Retired with too much time on my hands
  • *****
  • Posts: 27095
  • Noti OR [1991.4, 287.6deg] AR
    • Dennybrew
Re: Beer Flavor-Hops?
« Reply #5 on: January 27, 2012, 03:49:57 pm »
I live in OR also and haven't heard about or experienced any bad Cascades.  Sounds like maybe the brewer was trying to shift the blame.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline curnes

  • 1st Kit
  • *
  • Posts: 14
Re: Beer Flavor-Hops?
« Reply #6 on: January 27, 2012, 05:02:53 pm »
That's kind of what I was thinking.
Cameron

Offline curnes

  • 1st Kit
  • *
  • Posts: 14
Re: Beer Flavor-Hops?
« Reply #7 on: January 27, 2012, 08:35:18 pm »
I just tasted some beer I made last weekend and it is good.  Now I think the hops are fine and the problem is in our sanitation.  Thanks for the input, it helped me identify the problem.
Cameron
Cameron