[kylekohlmorgen]

Yeah, fusel alcohols can really ruin a beer.  Hangover central!  Dump it!  Fusels don't go away nicely.

If you can wait it out, there's a good chance that fusels wll age out into esters.

I've seen some stress compounds age out in high gravity beers, but it takes a LONG time. A NEB (and most average gravity beers) will be very much over the hill before this happens.

Relying on age to 'fix' fermentation off-flavors is a bad habit to start.

[denny]

I've seen some stress compounds age out in high gravity beers, but it takes a LONG time. A NEB (and most average gravity beers) will be very much over the hill before this happens.

Relying on age to 'fix' fermentation off-flavors is a bad habit to start.

I agree and I would never rely on it nor urge anyone else to.  But it might be worth hanging on to a batch for a while to see if it improves.  If not, then dump it.

[Steve L]

I've seen some stress compounds age out in high gravity beers, but it takes a LONG time. A NEB (and most average gravity beers) will be very much over the hill before this happens.

Relying on age to 'fix' fermentation off-flavors is a bad habit to start.

I agree and I would never rely on it nor urge anyone else to.  But it might be worth hanging on to a batch for a while to see if it improves.  If not, then dump it.

Very true. It's only been in primary for 2.5 weeks. I don't need the fermenter any time soon, a couple more weeks on the yeast certainly isn't going to hurt. Then a re-eval.

[majorvices]

For the record: I have had a few batches get out of hand on fermentation temps on Chico strain and reach temps of 80 degrees that turned out fine. But I pitched the yeast in the low 60s. Pitching and starting the fermentation out cool can really save your beer if a mistake like this happens.

[HoosierBrew]

For the record: I have had a few batches get out of hand on fermentation temps on Chico strain and reach temps of 80 degrees that turned out fine. But I pitched the yeast in the low 60s. Pitching and starting the fermentation out cool can really save your beer if a mistake like this happens.

+1

[dcb]

I had to dump 372 gallons of beer a week ago due to a stupid employee mistake.

Care to share the nature of that mistake?  Always looking to learn from others-- if forces me to think of new mistakes of my own.

[majorvices]

I had to dump 372 gallons of beer a week ago due to a stupid employee mistake.

Care to share the nature of that mistake?  Always looking to learn from others-- if forces me to think of new mistakes of my own.

In the case if my most recent major temp spike it was a 30bbl batch of imperial amber that I pitched at 64 but a valve on the glycol loop malfunctioned and didn't open and temp shot up during high krausen. That was about 2 years ago. But on the homebrew level similar situation happened on RIS that the compressor died to my freezer.

[denny]

For the record: I have had a few batches get out of hand on fermentation temps on Chico strain and reach temps of 80 degrees that turned out fine. But I pitched the yeast in the low 60s. Pitching and starting the fermentation out cool can really save your beer if a mistake like this happens.

Very true.  I made all the beers for Brewcraft at NHC with 05.  My temps got out of hand and they all got up to almost 80.  While they likely weren't as good as they could have been, they also weren't terrible.  There was little trace of fusels or fruitiness.

[ynotbrusum]

How far along into fermentation do you typically not worry about temperature causing fusels and excessive esters?  I have been keeping my ales cool for the first five to ten days in a chilling bag with frozen water bottle rotation, but then letting them finish at interior room temperature (72-75F in the summer) for the last little bit.  Just wondering if there is an accepted degree of attenuation where the ales can be left alone without much worry?

[majorvices]

48-72 hours usually and I ramp up most ales to upper 60s. But in this case I am talking about temp spike was probably within  48 hours. I did not bother lowering it once it spiked.

[ynotbrusum]

Good to know, Keith.  I guess I have been acting on the conservative side for cooling ales (i.e., longer), but so far by pitching well, the yeasts have fermented pretty well and reached full attenuation, despite the extended cooling.  Good to know that after 3 days or so, I can rest easier on these ale measures and let the rise occur a little (I am not talking a total free rise to hot temperatures, of course - except for those Saisons).