Common Beer Off Flavours – Banana, Estery, Pear.
Off Flavour: Estery
Chemical Name: Isoamyl acetate
What to look for: This is quite distinctive and has an aroma of banana or pear. You will know it when you get it and is very common in wheat beers or big Belgians. Personally I like a bit of banana in my beer, but this is also a preference.
When does it occur: Under pitching, stressed yeast or high fermentation temperatures.
Will it disappear over time? It does reduce over time and with aging.
Tips on how to reduce Isoamyl acetate
- Use the right yeast for the beer style
- Get as much oxygen into your wort prior to fermentation but avoid oxygen in your vessel once fermentation has commenced.
- Make sure you pitch enough healthy yeast
- Avoid high fermentation temperatures unless it’s a Belgian Ale or Wheat Beer. Maintain the temperature at recommended levels or in other words don’t stress the yeast.
Other Common Off Flavours:
- Did someone fart in my beer?
- Why does my beer smell like butterscotch or popcorn?
- Baby sick in my beer? Yuck
- I like hard rock but am not a Metal-Licker
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