Tasting Off

 Education  No Responses »
Jan 182012
 

The proper glassware is something I always consider though, similar to the specific color of the beers I drink, I admittedly do not often think about off-flavors as I am drinking.  Now it is true that the beers you buy really shouldn’t taste off, but as a craft product that can be unfiltered, unpasteurized, or just plain old from sitting on the shelf too long off-flavors can be found in them from time to time.  In home brewing situations they are found far more frequently.

There are quite a few of these flavors that I could get into, but for today I really just want to focus on a handful of the more common (or perhaps popular) ones.  Primarily I referenced the BJCP website for this information (and to a lesser degree craftbeer.com), but I am hoping to simplify the facts based on what I think I know in an effort to keep this post shorter.

Getting to it now in alphabetical order . . .

    • Acetaldehyde
      • This gives a green apple-like aroma and/or flavor.  It can also bring a grass, green leaves, or even latex paint character, but I associated it with the apple.
      • Usually this is reduced to ethanol (the primary alcohol in beer) in secondary fermentation and does not come into play much.
      • Low levels of this are actually found in Budweiser because of the method they use to drop the yeast.
    • Diacetyl
      • Very simply put this is the stuff that gives beer a buttery or butterscotch or toffee-like character to the aroma and flavor.
      • Can possible cause a slickness on the palate.
      • A compound that some people can pick out easily even at low levels and one that others have a hard time identifying at all.  I have no idea where I fall on that scale.
      • This can appropriately be found in low levels in some styles like English and Scottish Ale, Czech Pilsner, and Oktoberfest.
    • DMS (dimethyl sulfide)
      • This commonly produces a cooked vegetable flavor and/or aroma, but I have always associated it with a canned corn-like characteristic.  I guess in extreme cases it can even bring a shellfish quality, but I hope to never taste a beer with that problem.
      • In most lighter lagers (such as Lite American Lager) and some pilsners a bit of this is expected, but too much would be problematic.  Ales really should not have this at all.
    • Infection
      • This is the one that I am least confident in providing a specific description since (I think) it depends on the beer that has been infected and specifically what it has been infected with.  With that said . . .
      • Infected beer can lead to a beer being significantly over carbonated to the point of gushing from the bottle uncontrollably.  Over carbonated beer does not necessarily mean infection though (based mostly on some of my bottles of homebrew).
      • Flavors resulting from infection can include sour/acidic (like vinegar), plastic (Band-Aid-like), rotting eggs (sulfur), or other unpleasant vegetal qualities like that of onions or asparagus.
      • I am fairly certain that none of these things can really hurt you, but that doesn’t mean your stomach will enjoy it.
    • Phenolic
      • This also brings on a Band-Aid-like quality as well as possibly a disinfectant or bleach character.
      • While those are never desirable qualities, phenols can also bring a clove-like, vanilla-like, or slightly smoky (perhaps from smoked malt) profile that is OK in German Wheat Beers and some Belgian styles.
    • Trans-2-Nonenal
      • This one may be the most straight forward as it is produced by oxidation and generally brings a papery or cardboard-like characteristic to the aroma and/or flavor.
      • Oxidation can cause other flavors as well, such as wine or sherry-like.
      • Generally an indication that the beer is old and much past its prime.

As you can see in a few of those off-flavors are not always a bad thing.  Some styles will have a certain level and it is OK, if not appropriate.  The key is then knowing if the flavor you are tasting belongs in the style of beer you are drinking.

Hopefully that is a good start to me hammering this info into my brain, though I really did not even get into the causes for many of these let alone start looking at the other dozen or more off-flavors I did not cover today.  If I missed something important or am off with any of this please let me know.  As I have said before, there is no reason to take up space in my head with inaccurate information.

Cheers!

 Posted by Lucas at 11:00 am  Tagged with: ,

Weyerbacher Brewing Co. – Quad *

 Beer Reviews  No Responses »
Jan 172012
 

This one goes in one of those style categories that is somewhat of a catch all, but also one that I should be using a bit more to categorize beers.  I often just throw everything that does not fit into a style in the Specialty Beer category, but I need to remember that the non-conforming Belgian-style beers really belong in this one.

A big beer to keep the week moving . . .

Brewery: Weyerbacher Brewing Co. (Easton, PA)

Name: Quad

Style: Belgian Specialty Ale

ABV: 11.80% (on bottle)

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and pulled slightly early to warm some before serving in a stemmed goblet/chalice.

Aroma: A really full, malty sweetness to the aroma with prominent notes of dark fruit (like cherries).  Also a softer spiciness with some alcohol noticeable. – 9/12

Appearance: Deep, rich, coppery amber color.  A slight off-white head that is pretty thin, dissipates quickly, and leaves some legs on the glass.  Mostly clear with some haze and rising bubbles visible when held to light. – 2/3

Flavor: Smooth malty sweetness both up front and throughout.  A low spice character from middle to finish that combines nicely with the dark fruit notes of fig, raisin, etc.  Also some slight (and much needed) bitterness near the finish.  A bit of dryness to the finish, but still with a strong lingering sweetness. – 14.5/20

Mouthfeel: Medium body (maybe toward full) with a fairly high level of carbonation consisting of tiny bubbles.  Quite smooth and slightly creamy with some noticeable warmth. – 4/5

Overall Impressions: I very much enjoyed the level of carbonation that helps balance out the otherwise very prominent sweetness.  Certainly balanced to the malty sweet side but the spice, bitterness, etc. are enough to stop it from being cloying.  I like it and enjoyed the one I had, but did not love it.  One at a time (enjoyed slowly) is just fine for this one. – 7.5/10

Overall: B+ (37/50)

6707903455 3f2f22cb96 Weyerbacher Brewing Co. Quad *

Weyerbacher Brewing Co. - Quad

 Posted by Lucas at 11:00 am  Tagged with: , ,

With A Pitchfork

 Miscellaneous  2 Responses »
Jan 162012
 

Every so often I have one of those days where it seems like I can drink gallons and gallons of water and stay incredibly thirsty the whole time.  Aside from being a very good indicator of my inability to maintain hydration over the previous days it is also quite a frustrating scenario.

Before I continue to rehydrate . . .

  • Random thought #1 –  There is no good excuse that I can think of to still have your Christmas lights up at this point if you live in Florida.  You do not have to go out in the cold to take them down let alone shovel and move any snow to get the job done.  The season is over and you need to move on.
  • Random thought #2 –  Regardless of the many reasons I should be against the idea, I really would not have much of a problem with a few mice living in my garage if they would agree to not chew on/through anything.  Unfortunately for them they cannot be reasoned with so they have to go.
  • Random thought #3 – I do not have any basis  for judging the quality of haggis, but if the stuff I consumed at the Central Florida Scottish Highland Games is any sort of indication of what it is supposed to taste like I enjoy it very much and would like to try eat it again at some point sooner than later.
  • Random thought #4 – As a flashback to what college was like I was recently reminded that the worst part of going too many hours without sleeping is not being sleepy.  At some point that goes away.  The worst part is certainly the overall body ache that comes on after you are no longer sleepy.  Ah, I miss the college days.
  • Random thought #5 – Somehow having a few beers in the morning hours seems like the right thing to do when attending an outdoor festival.  I am not saying that it is otherwise a terrible idea, but there is something about watching people throwing heavy objects for distance and launching items over a bar with a pitchfork that just warrants a beer or two in hand.
6704202065 d1cda459c3 With A Pitchfork

Random photo of the week

 Posted by Lucas at 11:00 am  Tagged with:
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