Fusel/solvent/estery/ethyl acetate problems!!!

[LASERBOY147]

3 months back I brewed a simcoe ipa all grain kit from  hbc. As I lifted the lid to the fermenter the smell that went up my nose was overpowering. I can't say what off flavour it exactly was but it was strong and as I cracked open tge first bottle 10 days later, it was worse still. I would describe it as ethyl acetate solvent like when swirled. My entire ferment didn't get higher than 18.5oc
I put this one down to a once off but I've just brewed an imp red ale and it's the same! My water is hard and there is a smell to it but not a nasty smell. This ferment didn't go higher than 18oc and was mainly at 17.5 . I could drink the beer but it's just not nice.  What's happening? 2 totally different recipes brewed very carefully both only 1 fermenter,  no secondary.

[Bubbles]

How long was the beer in the fermenter?

Did you take a temperature reading before you pitched the yeast?

Did you rehydrate the yeast? If so, how?

[LASERBOY147]

The first beer was the ipa it was in the fermenter 11 days. it was og 1048. Second beer for 18 days as was very slow bubbling dew to low ferment temp and was 1070 og
I pitched both beers at exactly 19oc
No rehydrate. And both beers I used safale us-05

[LASERBOY147]

Both beers are very different style beers. The ipa fermented fairly vigorously but never at a hi temp and fg 1010. And the imp red fermented slow and long time fg 1012.

[LordEoin]

that kit comes with us05, right?
Have you added any plastic bits to your brewery?

[Damo]

Do You brew in the kitchen?  Could be fruit flies

[LASERBOY147]

I brew in a kitchen and my boiler is plastic from hbc. I didn't notice any fruit flies but maybe..
Us-05

[LordEoin]

mysterious

[Bubbles]

Try calibrating your thermometers. These things are usually temperature related.

If not, it's possibly caused by an infection. How do you clean and sanitise your gear?

[Shanna]

The first beer was the ipa it was in the fermenter 11 days. it was og 1048. Second beer for 18 days as was very slow bubbling dew to low ferment temp and was 1070 og
I pitched both beers at exactly 19oc
No rehydrate. And both beers I used safale us-05

1.07 to 1.012 would give you a beer of about 7.6%. Fusel alcohols can be either too high a fermentation temperature or else the beer sitting too long on the yeast with an excessive amount of yeast

www.google.ie/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CB0QFjAAahUKEwj5sPe6w_zHAhVHVhoKHR11DCY&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.howtobrew.com%2Fsection4%2Fchapter21-2.html&usg=AFQjCNER5MIIscr_SWSVIaXzDQBAlU1asg

Were you using dried US-05 or rewashed or recyled yeast by any chance?

I had a similar beer I had fusel alcohols in the beer that was picked up by others for several months (OG was 1.070 and FG was 1.010). I traced it back to too high a temperature for pitching. I did notice that it started to improve over time and after 3 months or so I could not tell it was there.

Shanna

[imark]

US05 is very forgiving on fermentation temperature in my experience. I'd be looking at initial pitch temperature and underpitching.

[molc]

Yeast stress & health, low oxygenation and high og can all combine to give fussel alcohol I believe. Coupled with poor temp control over the summer and it's quite easy for it to happen.
That said, you seem to have control. Can you ensure the temp was not changing? Also the 1.048 beer shouldn't have gone that crazy, so it's a bit mysterious.

[LASERBOY147]

Mysterious and damned right annoying....but I'm fortunate enough to have enlisted the help of Roger Rotheroe who is going to come and do a brewday with me and taste my shite beer and tell me where I'm getting it wrong , which is a huge relief as it wrecks your head getting it wrong 2/3 times in a row.
The temps were definitely perfect and thermometer is calibrated too . I literally brewed the last beer perfectly up to the point of fermentation and so I'm now wondering if it's stressed yeast or I need a new fermentation vessel. Anyway thanks for your thoughts and I will repost after Roger has sorted it all out...

[Bubbles]

Where do you store your yeast?

[LASERBOY147]

Yeast in pkt in spare rm . Not hot not cold