[travjohn92]

Alright so I brewed a dunkelweizen and I took about a gallon and a half of it and racked it onto some iced oatmeal cookies (it is for my homebrew club competition - everybody has to use these cookies).  My dunkelweizen by itself is fine, but I'm concerned about the iced cookie portion.  It has been on the iced cookies for about 9 days and when I went to check on it today it has a very strong smell, like nail polish remover.  I took a taste sample and the taste was nothing like the smell.  The taste was pleasant with a slight oatmeal cookie taste.

I know they say phenolic contamination will smell like adhesive bandages, and it is expected in certain styles of beers.  I just want some thought on if it is bacterially contaminated.

[nateo]

Nail polish remover is a sign of fusel/higher alcohols. It's usually from stressed yeast or fermenting too hot.

[travjohn92]

It was racked onto the cookies after primary fermentation was complete (14 days), but it has been around 73 degrees since it has been on the cookies.

Is this bad?  How do I reduce / eliminate the smell or can I?

[davidgzach]

It was racked onto the cookies after primary fermentation was complete (14 days), but it has been around 73 degrees since it has been on the cookies.

Is this bad?  How do I reduce / eliminate the smell or can I?

If you racked it on to the cookies, then I would think the yeast would start eating the sugar in the cookies.  If it's been at 73F, IMO you can expect some fusel alcohols to be produced.  I'd crash cool it and package.  If kegging, purge the airspace a few times over the next few days with CO2.

Dave

[Mark G]

How many cookies are we talking about? It could be fusels I suppose. Are these store bought cookies? If so, take a look at the ingredients. They put a lot of crap in them that could be making off-flavors too.

[travjohn92]

How many cookies are we talking about? It could be fusels I suppose. Are these store bought cookies? If so, take a look at the ingredients. They put a lot of crap in them that could be making off-flavors too.

It was 3/4 of a package and were store bought.  If I recall the weight was 12 oz.  I no longer have the package as they have been used in the process or eaten.

They have been on the cookies since early Monday August 20 so it has been 12 days.  I had told myself I was going to let it ride for two weeks, but I think I will go ahead and begin the cold crashing for a few days then bottle.

[travjohn92]

So I started cold crashing this beer today, but I have a few questions.
1.  Will cold crashing reduce / eliminate the nail polish remover smell from the assumed fusels?
2. I don't think dryhopping an Iced Oatmeal Dunkel would be the norm, but if I did, would that reduce the odor?  If so what hops would I use?  I used Tettnang in the boil

Any other insight would be great?

[erockrph]

I can't say for sure whether or not it would help to mask the phenols, but if you want to try a light dry hop I'd go with Tett or Czech Saaz. Ultra would be another option as well. I wouldn't go much more than 1/4 oz per gallon for a dry hop rate if you want to keep it close to style.

[mpietropaoli]

I'll weigh in here.  I just had this happen for the first time in 40 or so brews (Jamils American Wheat with Rye), and tried to doctor it every which way.  Most were unsuccessful, including dry-hopping, zesting, cold-crashing, and finings. 

However, I did a second fermentation as a last resort (opposed to dumping it) with 3 lbs dried apricots, pitching new yeast, and its pretty well not noticeable and turned out to be a decent beer. 

The weird thing is, I've never had it before, so its not likely a water problem.  I can't see how it would've been infected.  Good luck!