Common Beer Faults Terafan Greydragon University of Atlantia 2 December A.S. XXX

Overview u I will provide samples of each fault. We will cover identification characteristics – Taste and/or smell when possible u Typical causes u Recommended solutions

7 Most Common Faults u Diacetyl u Light struck u Oxidation u Esters u Phenols u Over/Under carbonation u Sour/Acidic

Diaceytl u Buttery or Butterscotch flavor u Not enough oxygen in wort when pitched u High temperature initial fermentation u Excessive use of adjuncts such as corn or rice (deficient in soluble nitrogen based nutrients) u Aerate wort AFTER cooling (not when hot) u Ferment below 75 degrees F u Limit use of corn and rice

Light Struck u Skunky (Brits call this ‘catty’ as there are no skunks in England) u Fermenting beer in glass in bright light u Light striking beer over prolonged time in brown glass u This is instantaneous in green or clear glass u Ferment in dim/dark area (Away from light) u Use ONLY brown glass and protect beer

Oxidation u Paper or cardboard like u Aerating finished beer when siphoning or pumping u Adding aerated or tap water to finished beer u Too much air in the bottle/ too old u Minimize splashing, especially during racking and bottling u Fill bottles appropriately

Esters u Flavors similiar to banana, strawberry, apple, or pears u Warm fermentation/Excessive pitching rates u Excessive aeration u Excessive trub u Ferment below 75 degrees F u Don’t overpitch in an attempt to ‘get a good start’ u Maximize the hot and cold breaks

Phenols u Medicinal, Band-aid like, plasticlike u Boiling grains/ oversparging u Overly chlorinated tap water u Bacterial /wild yeast contamination u Avoid too much sparge water u If you have high-chlorine water, use alternatives u Minimize risk of infection

Over/Under Carbonation u Gushing (Over) or lack of head(Under) u Over primed or bacteria/wild yeast infection u Improper seal on bottle caps u Excessive lagering time leaves not enough viable yeast for bottle conditioning u Prime with 3/4 or 7/8 cup (Avoid using a full cup) u Prime kegs at one-half to one-third normal rate u Minimize infection risk and lagering time

Sour/Acidic u Lemon juice flavor (on sides of tongue) u Bacterial infection (Lactobacillus)/use of wooden spoon u Excessive use of refined sugar u Excessive fermentation and/or storage temperature u Pay LOTS of attention to sanitation practices u Don’t use ANY refined sugar u Ferment below 75 o F and store below 80 o F

Summary u Most common beer faults are caused by TWO simple errors –Bacterial or wild yeast contamination –Initial fermentation temperature too high u Both of these are easy to avoid

References u Papazian, Charlie, The New Complete Joy of Homebrewing, Avon Books, New York, 1991 u Eckhardt, Fred, Essentials of Beer Style, Fred Eckhardt Associates, Portland, OR 1989 u Jackson, Michael, Simon & Schuster Pocket Guide to Beer, Simon & Schuster, New York, 1993 u Papazian, Charlie, The Home Brewer’s Companion, Avon Books, New York, 1994 u Robertson, James D. The Connoisseur’s Guide to Beer, Jameson Books, Ottowa, IL u Mosher, Randy, The Brewer’s Companion, Alephenalia Publications, Seattle, WA, 1995

The most important tip to remember while brewing.... RELAX, HAVE ONE YOU BREWED LAST TIME!!!