[erockrph]

My threshold for detecting diacetyl is quite low, meaning it's very easy to pick up, even in minute amounts. I think this is true of most educated beer drinkers.

Our beers have had a complete lack of this issue...maybe we are just lucky? I personally would dump the beer if this was detected. I do not like it. Not one bit.

It has as much, if not more, to do with physical differences as education and training.

To add to Denny's point, we all have different sensitivities for all of our senses. About 20% of the population is blind to Diacetyl, that is genetics, similar to about the same amount that say Cilantro tastes like soap. We all have different compounds we are sensitive to, or not.

Exactly. I can't smell asparagus pee, but I can't choke down anything from Red Hook because of the diacetyl.

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[Village Taphouse]

My threshold for detecting diacetyl is quite low, meaning it's very easy to pick up, even in minute amounts. I think this is true of most educated beer drinkers.

Our beers have had a complete lack of this issue...maybe we are just lucky? I personally would dump the beer if this was detected. I do not like it. Not one bit.

It has as much, if not more, to do with physical differences as education and training.

To add to Denny's point, we all have different sensitivities for all of our senses. About 20% of the population is blind to Diacetyl, that is genetics, similar to about the same amount that say Cilantro tastes like soap. We all have different compounds we are sensitive to, or not.

Exactly. I can't smell asparagus pee, but I can't choke down anything from Red Hook because of the diacetyl.

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Whoa.  You can't smell asparagus pee?  That's like a superpower.  I eat asparagus and 30 minutes later I go pee and wonder if I'm on death's door because of the fumes... Oh.  It's just the asparagus.  Thank Jeebus.

Anyway... I understand that part.  We're all playing with different variables.  I don't want to do too much at once so for now I will assume that these beers could use some warmup prior to being sent to the keg.  I will start with that and if I don't see an improvement I will move down the list.  Thanks for the help and for the link.  Much appreciated. 

[Village Taphouse]

Update:  I have a pale ale in the fermenter that was brewed on 12/6.  It was taken out of the fridge and given a mild swirl and that was probably on the 12th or so.  Every day I have given it a gentle swirl to make sure the yeast is in suspension and hopefully slay the diacetyl.  Last night around 10pm I grabbed a small sample of the beer through the spigot.  No diacetyl detected.  None.  Ordinarily I would take the fermenter out of the fridge, swirl it once and then just leave it.  That may be fine when the weather is warmer but when it's cooler this is probably mandatory.  I have a lager going now too and I will do the same and also taste it before sending it to the keg.  Cheers Beerheads.

[denny]

Update:  I have a pale ale in the fermenter that was brewed on 12/6.  It was taken out of the fridge and given a mild swirl and that was probably on the 12th or so.  Every day I have given it a gentle swirl to make sure the yeast is in suspension and hopefully slay the diacetyl.  Last night around 10pm I grabbed a small sample of the beer through the spigot.  No diacetyl detected.  None.  Ordinarily I would take the fermenter out of the fridge, swirl it once and then just leave it.  That may be fine when the weather is warmer but when it's cooler this is probably mandatory.  I have a lager going now too and I will do the same and also taste it before sending it to the keg.  Cheers Beerheads.

I'd love to see a control not swirled to see if the swirl really has anything to do with it.

[erockrph]

Update:  I have a pale ale in the fermenter that was brewed on 12/6.  It was taken out of the fridge and given a mild swirl and that was probably on the 12th or so.  Every day I have given it a gentle swirl to make sure the yeast is in suspension and hopefully slay the diacetyl.  Last night around 10pm I grabbed a small sample of the beer through the spigot.  No diacetyl detected.  None.  Ordinarily I would take the fermenter out of the fridge, swirl it once and then just leave it.  That may be fine when the weather is warmer but when it's cooler this is probably mandatory.  I have a lager going now too and I will do the same and also taste it before sending it to the keg.  Cheers Beerheads.

I'd love to see a control not swirled to see if the swirl really has anything to do with it.

I've always wondered this as well. If the yeast flocced out already, is giving it a swirl really going to do much other that make you wait for the flocced particles to settle out again?

[Village Taphouse]

I see what you're saying.  On one of the batches that are on tap now, there is slight diacetyl.  That batch was probably in the fridge for 5-6 days and then taken out, swirled and placed on a plank of wood (to keep it off the colder floor) between two fridges where it's warmer.  The fermenter was not swirled again after that initial time.  This batch has been swirled now 4-5 times and I plan to send it to the keg on Friday.  The swirling is also going to allow a bit of blowoff... do you feel like that has any impact on it?  I will taste another sample before I transfer it just to verify the presence of diacetyl but when I sampled it earlier this week... no diacetyl. 

[denny]

I see what you're saying.  On one of the batches that are on tap now, there is slight diacetyl.  That batch was probably in the fridge for 5-6 days and then taken out, swirled and placed on a plank of wood (to keep it off the colder floor) between two fridges where it's warmer.  The fermenter was not swirled again after that initial time.  This batch has been swirled now 4-5 times and I plan to send it to the keg on Friday.  The swirling is also going to allow a bit of blowoff... do you feel like that has any impact on it?  I will taste another sample before I transfer it just to verify the presence of diacetyl but when I sampled it earlier this week... no diacetyl.

I'm glad your beer is coming along, but without a control its hard to say why.

[Village Taphouse]

I'm glad your beer is coming along, but without a control its hard to say why.

I would absolutely agree but in the end... if this particular beer (handled slightly differently) does not have diacetyl then I wouldn't necessarily lose sleep over the WHY part.  I suppose that I don't know that this beer EVER had noticeable diacetyl so there is that part of it.  As the temps continue to be cool, I will monitor things more closely and sample the beer prior to transferring it to the keg.  If those steps keep my beers diacetyl-free, I will dance, cheer and raise my fists in victory!