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Author Topic: Kegged IPA - Flavor Change after 1 week  (Read 3269 times)

Offline kylekohlmorgen

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Kegged IPA - Flavor Change after 1 week
« on: June 17, 2010, 01:56:43 pm »
After pouring myself an IPA from the keg, I found its flavor had changed considerably from last week. It was more bitter, almost harsh, and the wonderful grapefruit/citrus aroma from the late addition hops was almost non-existent.

What happened?

I kegged this beer about two weeks ago... last week it was fine, but a little under-carbonated. I turned the regulator to about 10 psi to up the carbonation a little under a week ago. Could this be the cause?
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Offline The Professor

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Re: Kegged IPA - Flavor Change after 1 week
« Reply #1 on: June 17, 2010, 02:55:51 pm »
After pouring myself an IPA from the keg, I found its flavor had changed considerably from last week. It was more bitter, almost harsh, and the wonderful grapefruit/citrus aroma from the late addition hops was almost non-existent.

What happened?

I kegged this beer about two weeks ago... last week it was fine, but a little under-carbonated. I turned the regulator to about 10 psi to up the carbonation a little under a week ago. Could this be the cause?

The amount of carbonation is a matter of personal preference...I think that a lower level of carbonation brings out flavors more, and a higher level can accentuate harsher notes and hide the more subtle notes  (serving it too cold can also do that).

Leave it alone for another week or two and you may like the result better taste-wise as the harshness smooths out a bit.  It's not too late for aroma either... I age my IPAs much longer because I like them better that way (personal taste),  but even so,  my practice in recent years has been to not dry hop the beer until a few weeks before I start pouring it.  The result is the clean but still quite intense bitterness that I like, and a nicely enticing aroma.
AL
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[499.6, 101.2] Apparent Rennerian
Homebrewer since July 1971

Offline majorvices

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Re: Kegged IPA - Flavor Change after 1 week
« Reply #2 on: June 17, 2010, 04:32:51 pm »
Yeah, soudns like you over carbed it personally. An IPA that sits on Co2 too long can really pick up some harsh notes. Don't forget, higher Co2 makes you perceive the beer to be dryer and I think this is what happened to you.

One easy way to "de-carb" a keg is to take a "in" QDC and pop in on not attached to any Co2. You can tape a piece of cottojn over the end (or paper towels) to keep thing from crawling in, though I doubt you will have problems with it regardless.

Offline kylekohlmorgen

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Re: Kegged IPA - Flavor Change after 1 week
« Reply #3 on: June 21, 2010, 07:33:42 pm »
Thanks for the tips, all... I'm bleeding off the pressure every few days until the keg is back to normal carbonation. Its still a bit over-carbonated, but its regained a LOT of its smooth, lingering bitterness and some of the flavor/aroma. The off-flavors are gone.

Whew! The forum saves another brew!
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Recipes, Brett/Bacteria Experiments: http://SouthHouseBeer.com/