[Iliff Ave]

Hey Guys.

I took a hydrometer sample on day 12 to see where my attenuation is at. The sample was very murky with tons of yeast (WY2565). The sample had a very strange tangy flavor however I don't perceive it as infected...yet. I realize that time will tell but can a lot of suspended yeast provide this kind of flavor profile? To be very general, the beer is an amber that has some orange zest but no other ingredients that would provide this flavor. I don't think the orange zest is providing the flavor that I am perceiving. I am more curious than anything.

[HoosierBrew]

I bet it's fine. The orange zest combined with lots of a strain in suspension that has a white wine character probably explains it. Time will tell, but I bet you're good.

[Iliff Ave]

I bet it's fine. The orange zest combined with lots of a strain in suspension that has a white wine character probably explains it. Time will tell, but I bet you're good.

I don't get the sense that it is infected but it's just a very strange flavor that I have no experience with. This is only my second time using 2565 so that could have something to do with it. My attenuation is good so I plan to begin crashing in a couple of days.

[HoosierBrew]

I bet it's fine. The orange zest combined with lots of a strain in suspension that has a white wine character probably explains it. Time will tell, but I bet you're good.

I don't get the sense that it is infected but it's just a very strange flavor that I have no experience with. This is only my second time using 2565 so that could have something to do with it...

If it gets better as it clears I'm right, if it gets worse over time I'm wrong. 

[toby]

It's probably a combination of the two (the yeast and the orange zest).  2565 does have a somewhat 'tangy' facet to it, and is a pretty low flocculating strain.  So, on day 12, you will definitely get some of that flavor.

[dmtaylor]

Yeast tastes tangy to me.  After it settles, this character should be reduced.  2565 takes a long time to settle out, usually a month or more.

[Iliff Ave]

Yeast tastes tangy to me.  After it settles, this character should be reduced.  2565 takes a long time to settle out, usually a month or more.

Yeah I am learning how unflocculant 2565 is. The kolsch that I brewed prior and fined with gelatin is just starting to clear after more than 2 weeks in the keg. It seems that some get faster results.

[HoosierBrew]

Yeah, 2565 is pretty powdery (and stubborn). I crash for a few days @ ~ 30F and then use the gelatin. It takes a little patience but it makes a great beer. Need to do another soon.

[toby]

Yeah, I brew a kolsch with 2565 fairly often (at least 2 or 3 times a year).  Even with cold crashing, it takes about a month in the keg before it starts to drop really clear.

[reverseapachemaster]

Definitely would not be alarmed that there's still some yeast bite on day twelve with a lazy strain like that.

[Iliff Ave]

Definitely would not be alarmed that there's still some yeast bite on day twelve with a lazy strain like that.

Thanks for the reassurance. I kind of assumed that was the case but just wanted to check with others here. I mainly just wanted to take a hydrometer reading to make sure it was finished or close to it so I figured I might as well taste it...

[Wort-H.O.G.]

Definitely would not be alarmed that there's still some yeast bite on day twelve with a lazy strain like that.

Thanks for the reassurance. I kind of assumed that was the case but just wanted to check with others here. I mainly just wanted to take a hydrometer reading to make sure it was finished or close to it so I figured I might as well taste it...

yeah - that's the crappy part of our brewing job...tasting 

[Iliff Ave]

Count me as another who thinks suspended yeast tastes tangy, and a bit, well....yeasty!

For lighter and more delicate styles like Kolsch, I find that this yeasty flavor can be the dominant note in young beer even if you had a perfectly clean ferment. It can be really interesting and satisfying to enjoy as a zwickelbier if that's what you're going for, but in my experience the yeast needs to have cleared for a Kolsch to taste like a Kolsch.

Speaking of clearing beer, I really do notice that my Kolsches and lighter lagers taste best after a month or two of cold storage, even if I cold crashed them and fined them with gelatin. I find it just takes some time for the malt flavor to really "pop", even after the beer is cleared. Not sure why this is, or if anyone else has the same experiences.

I am experiencing this now with a young kolsch I have on tap. The yeast character is seeming a bit strong for my tastes. This is likely related to age but could also be impacted by a higher than anticipated fermentation temperature. I thought it was beginning to clear but it is not. The small glass I sampled the beer in deceived me.

This is where patience is still a problem for me. I know it will get better, it just needs time...

[Frankenbrew]

A couple of years ago, my buddies and I were headed down to Philly to the NHC. One of the beers that I was bringing for club night was a kolsch brewed and aged with Wy2565. While we loaded the pickup, I treated the boys with a small glass to toast the journey. When we got there seven hours later, I poured another glass for us all to toast our arrival. The agitation of the trip had apparently re-suspended the yeast, and the result was a tangy, tart toast, and we all remarked how differently it tasted after the trip. The good thing was that it all settled out over the first couple of days we were there, and it tasted great at club night. My experience tells me that your beer may just need a little more time to settle and clear.

No extra charge for the alliteration.