6 Beer Off-Flavors and How To Fix Them

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Part of becoming a brewmaster is developing the ability to identify and address flavors and aromas that are not intended to be in your beer. We typically call these “off-flavors.”

From the infamous skunky smell to hints of canned vegetables, Drew Beechum (Simple Brewing, Experimental Brewing) walks us through 6 of the most common beer off-flavors.

And remember! You can always turn a less-than-drinkable beer into malt vinegar or use it as paint

Common Beer Off-Flavors

oxidation - Beer Off-Flavors
Oxidation
wet cardboard, sherry, musty
skunk - Beer Off-Flavors
Lightstruck
skunk spray, sulfur
DMS - Beer Off-Flavors
Dimethyl Sulfide (DMS)
creamed corn, cooked vegetables
diacetyl - Beer Off-Flavors
Diacetyl
buttered popcorn, butterscotch
acetaldehyde - Beer Off-Flavors
Acetaldehyde
green apple, fruity, solvent
chlorophenol - Beer Off-Flavors
Chlorophenol
Band-Aid, mouthwash, medicinal
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