[wamille]

I brewed five gallons of beer a couple months back - a 7.6% ABV IPA.  Everything seemed fine technically with the brewing, fermenting, and kegging.  Strangely though, the beer has a "burn" to it... that's the best way I can describe it. It burns all the way down the throat... nothing that can't be tolerated though. I've brewed stronger beers without this "burn" before.  Could this feeling simply be the alcohol or something else?  None of my other higher ABV beers did this.  One thing I did differently was... well, I got a "wild hair" while boiling the wort... and threw in some fresh basil leaves(maybe a dozen) near the end of the boil.  The basil plants were in the kitchen window sill and I've brewed a stout with cayenne pepper that turned out great hence my experimental bent.  Just wondering if the basil could've imparted this burning sensation.  Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[euge]

Fusel alcohols? Don't know about the basil though. Doesn't seem to be in basil's character.

[wamille]

Perhaps... but wouldn't that mean the fermentation temperature would have to be higher than normal for the development of fusels?  I kept the beer in an air conditioned room at 70 degrees the entire time the beer was fermenting.

[Mark G]

It could be the basil. In cooking, I've noticed some basil leaves have a bit of a peppery character to the flavor. Have you tried chewing a couple leaves to see if that's what you're experiencing?

[Hokerer]

Perhaps... but wouldn't that mean the fermentation temperature would have to be higher than normal for the development of fusels?  I kept the beer in an air conditioned room at 70 degrees the entire time the beer was fermenting.

An ambient temp of 70 degrees is way too warm, hence the fusels.  Fermentation generates its own heat and the wort can be 5 - 10 degrees warmer than ambient.

[bluesman]

Could you provide some more details?

pitching temp
OG
FG
recipe (grain,hops and yeast)

[wamille]

The beer particulars follow:

14 lbs 2 row
1 lb 40L Crystal
1 lb Caramunich
1 lb Rye

1 oz magnum 75-min
.5 oz magnum 60-min
.5 oz horizon 45-min
2.5 oz. horizon 15-min
2.5 oz. horizon 15-min
1 oz centennial 1-min
1 oz magnum 1-min
1 oz horizon 1-min
appx. 12 basil leaves 1-min

WLP-001 - pitched at 70 degrees... fermented in air conditioned room at 70 degrees

OG 1.075
FG 1.017

I didn't realize that the 70 degree room needed to be 60-65 due to the increase in temperature caused by the fermentation activity.  However, the last 10 beers have been fermented in the same fashion.  I keep learning.

Cheers,
Bill

[bluesman]

When brewing ales the wort should be chilled down into the low sixties prior to pitching and then fermented in the low to mid sixties.  The fermentation process is exothermic in nature and can warm up several degrees or even higher depending on gravity. When fermenting in the seventies the yeast can produce fusel alcohols and other by-products that can be perceived as off-flavors in the finished beer.  While you will make beer it is best to get your fermentation temp down into the lower sixties.

On the next brew lower your ferm temp and let us know how you make out. Good Luck!

...and welcome to the AHA forum.