Coconut IPA part 2-Uh-Oh

[Beer-lord]

Did this today and this time, I used all the exact hops that Ryan did from his original recipe. OG was supposed to be 1.070 and I got 1.074 but came in a bit under 6 gallons. The 007 yeast was clunky and definitely ready for pitching and since it didn't start very fast and I couldn't cold crash and decant, I had almost 2 liters to add to the fermenter so I'm at 6 anyway (though my preference is to decant).
This will make a nice, end of summer (well, summer isn't over until October here) beer. I think these hops will really help the coconut to shine though it really has to be drunk within a month or you really start to lose all the goodness.
RedBEERd was a big help in the 93 degree weather (105 fell like temp) and we enjoyed some good beers to boot between chugging lots of water.

[Kealia]

This is the one that you tweaked a bit last time, right? This time you're doing the original recipe?

Coconut is one of those things that I like - just usually not in other things. Same with banana....I'll eat bananas all day long but I don't go for banana-flavored things. I'm weird like that.

Hope this goes well for ya, Paul.

[Beer-lord]

Last time I wasn't able to get all the same hops that Ryan used in his recipe but this time i was. Other than that, they call for 001 and I used 007 which I liked better so I went with that again (I actually think Stone used something different than Ryan's recipe called for).
Everyone liked it and I was asked to do it again this summer and so it happened. I've not rebrewed many things as I continually do something new but I'm trying to revisit a number of my more enjoyable beers.

I had a banana for breakfast!

[Beer-lord]

Went to dry hop this tonite and took a reading....1.019 and looking for 1.017 but I was higher than predicted so I think I'm good.
However, there was what looked like hop residue on top though I've not added any dry hops before today. It doesn't smell bad but I took a taste and got a strange flavor. Semi fusel (AGAIN!!!!!!) I had this problem twice last summer though it was more noticeable but this did not go above 68 degrees and has been between 65-68 for 2 weeks.
I went ahead and dry hopped and plan to keg on Sunday but don't know if I want to even waste time adding any more coconut in the keg. I think I'll condition in the keg for a few weeks before kegerating (sp) it and adding coconut and take another taste in 2 weeks.
This does not look like any infection, doesn't smell bad and doesn't have a vinegar taste (yet????) and I've used hops I've not before but none that are high alpha or odd tasting....all tropical. Maybe it's too early to tell and I should chill but without bragging I have to say, I've brewed long enough to know something isn't right.
That's the bad news but since I need to look for good news, I'll just have to brew again in a week or so and get the Levitation done. Then follow it up with another try at Coconut since I really wanted to see what the true, original recipe was like.

[BlackDuck]

Interesting looking pot of baby poop you got there!!!

All kidding aside, that does look like it's full of hops already. Hope it turns out OK for you.

[Beer-lord]

Gonna put this up on a few other forums to see what people think.
Like I told my brother, like life, it's a numbers game. Brew enough beer, you're gonna have failures no matter how much you take care not to.

[Kealia]

I'm pretty sure the twin sharted in your wort dude.

Honestly, that's what my beers look like when I either hopstand or toss a bunch o' hops in at flameout. Weird that it would look like that after two weeks in the fermenter. Any chance in warmed up recently and this is just CO2 coming out of solution and bringing the hops up with it? Really odd...

[Beer-lord]

Didn't do much of a hopstand but I did do a 5 minute whirlpool of the coconut. But I also strain well into the fermenter.

I've thought lots about this tonite (surprised) and I think I'll naturally carb the keg Sunday as it can't get into the kegerator now anyway. Then, in about 2 weeks, I'll take a room temp taste test with some slight carbonation to see if it's worth chilling and then adding the balance of the coconut.
Not only does the stick on thermometer show cool temps, just touching the fermenter I can feel how cool it's been for over 2 weeks. No chance at all.
When I did a reading a few days ago, I did see just a little but of the funk on top and it tasted slightly of coconut. Tonite, no coconut taste at all. I'm pretty damn sure it's not going to be the beer I brewed in January and not what I intended this time but because I trying to stay positive and have already invested time and money, I'm letting it roll. Got plenty of kegs and infinite more time than money so why not keg it?

[BigPapaG]

Paul, it is possible that what little funk from the coconut made it into the wort as coconut meat solids was subsequently fermented by the yeast.

The result of that, from what I have been reading tonight, might be a decidedly bitter coconut oil component.

Could that be adding to the green taste that would already be present and causing this off flavor you are describing as fusal alcohols?

Also, since fresh coconut meat is 41.6% fat... Which we know is bad for head retention...

The notion of CO2 coming out of solution makes sense in this case... And I would guess that the resulting bubbles form more readily due to the fats or oils from the first coconut infusion.

Or... I could be totally coconuts!

[mashani]

Only coconut (or chocolate, or whatever) I'd used in beer would have to be "de-fatted". Fat and beer do not mix. Except as separate parts of a meal.

[Beer-lord]

I've done this in January and other than using different hops, used the exact same coconut which I toasted in the oven. I used the same coconut that Ryan used in his recipes.
I did send him an email and hope to see what he thinks if he even responds.
Regarding head retention, surprisingly last time, there was decent head that lasted a bit longer than I expected. Not as long as my other brews but the taste was perfect and giving that up was well worth it.
I'm just surprised that this happened so long in the process and not earlier. I thought about off-gassing but still am not sure. It sure looks like hop material to me.
I'll see what it looks like Sunday and likely will still opt for naturally carbing in the keg.
Thanks everyone!

[Kealia]

Fat and beer do not mix. Except as separate parts of a meal.

I'm willing to bet that the mid-sections of a lot of Borg members disprove this statement

Keep us posted Paul - although I still think the Twin is to blame.

[philm00x]

As I sit here watching brew dogs, I noticed that they put coconut flakes (raw, I toasted flakes) into the mash. This seems like it would impart quite a lot of coconut flavor plus increase your OG a bit with its natural sugars. Just a thought for future reference.

[Beer-lord]

I saw that show last week and thought about my recipe.
My brew is not my own recipe but one done thousands of times by many across the beer world. Ryan Reschan and Ryan Masterson created it and I think they tried it without roasting the coconut but they didn't like the end result. The last time I brewed this, it was pretty dang good but nothing ever comes out exactly the same when you homebrew.
I kept 1 bottle 6 months and the loss of coconut flavor was much more than I expected. I asked Ryan about this and he said none of his beers lasted long enough for him to notice the flavor loss. I'm tempted to add more coconut to both thhe flameout and keg but am leaving it alone for now.

[Beer-lord]

Today I naturally carbed this in the keg. My thoughts are to try it at room temp in 2 weeks then see if it's worth putting it in the kegerator under coconut flakes for 7 days.
For now, I do taste some alcohol but can't be sure it's fusels from heat but at 7%, I don't think it's from the beer. I'll post my question in the yeast area about my thoughts.
But, maybe adding the coconut in a few weeks will overpower the taste enough for this to be enjoyed at colder temps where I won't taste the alcohol but also may not taste as much coconut.

Also, my keg top gasket fell into the beer! Yikes, it was clean, had some food grade lub on it so instead of trying to find it, I just put another one on. Seems like this is one of those not meant to be.