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Author Topic: Weird smell at kegging?  (Read 1428 times)

Offline Lylebobyle

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Weird smell at kegging?
« on: November 30, 2014, 06:40:09 am »
Ok,.....I brewed a 10 gallon batch of a Wit with coriander and orange peel. I split the batch in 2 fermenters and used a Trappist Ale WL yeast and a Wyeast Abbey Ale yeast on the other.

I didn't notice any off smells while fermenting....kept at around 62 degrees for 2 weeks. At kegging, the trappist ale yeast fermenter smelled normal...just fine and tasted great. The Abbey Ale yeast has a weird smell to it. Almost a mix of bubble gum; like the hard gum ball kind you'd get out of a machine, mixed with spiciness and then a slight musky smell. Not rotten eggs, but just enough musky to catch your attention. It tasted fine however. I didn't notice any weird floaties or anything and the yeast cake looked normal.

This is my first time using an Abbey Ale yeast. Is this just a characteristic of the yeast? And now that it is kegged and purged w/ Co2, will it be ok to serve at event on Dec 7th? (Kegged yesterday) I use Starsan for sanitation and haven't ever had any trouble or an infection ever.....

Offline majorvices

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Re: Weird smell at kegging?
« Reply #1 on: November 30, 2014, 06:45:24 am »
Bubble gum can be a normal characteristic of Belgian yeasts, and if there is still a lot of yeast in suspension you may get some yeasty off aromas, depends on the yeast though, some Belgian yeasts smell great swhen still in suspension.

Offline Wort-H.O.G.

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Re: Weird smell at kegging?
« Reply #2 on: November 30, 2014, 07:13:20 am »
I recently used wyeast 1214 and had inadvertently let the temp get higher than I wanted. Result was certainly bubble gum and banana, however a good month of cold conditioning on co2 has dissipated a great deal of it.


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Offline Lylebobyle

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Re: Weird smell at kegging?
« Reply #3 on: November 30, 2014, 07:40:02 am »
So, I am hoping it will be ok to serve on Dec 7th.....

Offline Wort-H.O.G.

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Re: Weird smell at kegging?
« Reply #4 on: November 30, 2014, 07:45:42 am »
Some taste and smell  probably just is going to be there, but it should improve.  I like it better fermented in the low 60's however it's still a good beer, and people are enjoying it.
Ken- Chagrin Falls, OH
CPT, U.S.Army
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Harveys-Brewhaus/405092862905115

http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=The_Science_of_Mashing

Serving:        In Process:
Vienna IPA          O'Fest
Dort
Mead                 
Cider                         
Ger'merican Blonde
Amber Ale
Next:
Ger Pils
O'Fest

Offline majorvices

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Re: Weird smell at kegging?
« Reply #5 on: December 01, 2014, 06:43:44 am »
This won't help you now, but, I noticed you said you "kept it at 62 for 2 weeks" and that's fine but you might want to raise the temp up next time after the beer has been fermenting for 48-72 hours to speed up fermenting and help yeast clean up some off flavors. Also the increased activity may help blow off some of the aromatic compounds you aren't likeing.