[saintpierre]

Fermenting too high can account for the esters. I'm not used to lager yeast getting all solventy and phenolic on me, though. I wonder if you had some other kind of wild yeast in there.

Racking too soon isn't your problem. Yeast don't typically metabolize phenols; diacetyl and acetaldehyde, mostly, is what you'd get if you racked too soon.

I would look at sanitation, yeast health, and fermentation temperature first.  Did you have a long lag?

Also, I don't want to pick on you about this, but you seem to not understand the terminology of off-flavors too well. Take a look at the beer faults list from the BJCP web site to get a better idea of the terms. Or avoid using the specific brewing off-flavor terms and stick to the describing what you perceive using common terms.

Gordon, no worries, you are correct I am still learning how to pick up and describe off-flavors

I used CH22 from How to Brew to try and describe with I was observing.
I don't get any green apple, butterscotch or vegetables.  Most of what I get on the aroma and flavor is what I can only describe as acetone or strange alcohol's which is described as solventlike...

The yeast was pitched  about 4pm on my brew day and fermentation was noticeable before I went to bed that night at 11:30 and was active when I went to work the next morning at 7:30.

I do not think it is a sanitation issue as I clean my carboys as soon as I rack off, clean using pbw, sanitize with starsan and cover the carboy opening with plastic wrap to store then pbw and starsan again on brew day...

I will critically look at my fermentation temperatures and getting the wort to the desired fermentation temp before pitching.  

I really appreciate the help from everyone on this as it has been a somewhat reoccurring theme.

[cosmo]

Did you use a stir plate for that half gallon starter?  I get a harsh, dry flavor when I overpitch, especially if I use a stir plate.  Not sure if that is what you are experiencing.  It looks like your starter is the right size if you did not use a stir plate or continuous aeration.  Just a thought.

[saintpierre]

Cosmo, no stir plate just hit with oxygen for a minute.

[tygo]

Even using a stirplate I wouldn't think a half gallon starter would be overpitching for this beer.

[saintpierre]

I really think the consensus is correct. I fermented and pitched the yeast at too high a temperature.

[dak0415]

Mike,
You never did say, what temp did you pitch at?

[saintpierre]

The wort temp was 65F.  Again, too high