I know what it looks like…it looks impossible.
It also looks infected: some of the other beers I have made have had similar issues, visually, which corresponded to something going wrong with the flavor.
I’m pleased to say that’s not the case this time: the nose is definitely more malty, with a pleasant orange sweetness wrapped in there. The taste is undercut by the effervescence, the pops of tiny bubbles sweeping away flavors. But it’s pleasant and drinkable and once I give the beer time for the head to settle out (five minutes, tops!), there’s even a smidgen of a hop bite at the end.
So what’s causing this?
Well, in January I was a steward for the Oregon Beer Awards, where a bunch of experts tried over 900 beers (we poured over 3,000 samples on Saturday alone, I was told), and at the end of Saturday the organizers said to the serving staff: “None of this beer can stay here. Take it all home!”
I walked out of there with three cases of hastily assembled beer from all over Oregon.
Drinking three cases of beer takes time. Even for me. The consequence of doing so, however, meant that all of this beer spent a few weeks longer in the bottle than it normally would and that, I believe, lead to the carbonation levels.
The proof will be in my next couple batches of beer, though. If those are also overcarbonated but taste fine then the hypothesis is supported. If not, well then maybe I just got lucky with this batch.
Brew date: 12/15/16
Steeping Malts
3 lb 2 Row
2 lb Metolius
2.5 lb Golden Promise
Fermentables:5 lb EXLME
Hops
1 oz Sorachi Ace@ 60
.5 oz Medusa@ 60
.5 oz Sorachi Ace @60
.5 oz Medusa & Sorachi Ace @5
Yeast: Imperial- Barbarian, 3rd use
OG: 1.08
FG: 1.019
Additions: 1/2 tsp Gypsum added to boil
Pinch of Irish Moss @flameout
Secondary 12/30/16: 1 oz Medusa in secondary
Bottled 1/2/17
ABV: 8.3%
A pint for Dionysus 