How To Make Homebrew Beer Taste Less Yeasty

Learn how to make your homebrew beer taste less yeasty.

Yest is a common ingredient that’s found in practically all types of beer (with the exception of a select few varieties). It’s responsible for acting as the catalyst, converting the sugars into alcohol. Because of its critical role, leaving it out of your brew would essentially ruin your batch of beer.

While some yeast flavors are to be expected when brewing beer, some homebrewers may notice an overly heavy yeast-like flavor — and this isn’t your professional bakery-quality yeast flavor; it’s more of a sour/bitter flavor that strikes your taste buds in an unpleasant manner. So, how can you make your homebrew beer taste less yeasty?

During the initial stages of fermentation, yeast will float, or suspend, in the middle of the beer. Here, it begins the process of converting the beer’s sugars into alcohol. If the beer is removed and bottled prematurely — while a significant portion of the yeast is still suspended — it will likely result in a heavy yeast taste.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, you must wait until your homebrew beer has finished fermenting before attempting to bottle it. Many people, especially newcomers to the homebrewing hobby, are eager to taste the fruits of their labor; therefore, they remove their beer prematurely, before it’s finished fermenting. Nine out of ten times this results in heavy yeast flavors that overwhelm the pleasant hop flavors.

The exact amount of time required for fermenting varies depending on a number of different factors. With that said, 3-4 weeks is usually more than enough time for the yeast to perform its duties while settling to the bottom of the pot.

Another element that can produce heavy yeast flavors in homebrew beer is autolysis. Basically, autolysis is chemical breakdown of yeast. Once the yeast has converted the sugars to alcohol and has settled to the bottom of the pot, the yeast’s own enzymes will begin to break down the yeast, causing new chemical reactions to occur. This process, known as autolysis, releases numerous chemicals into the beer, resulting in a range of unpleasant flavors.

The secret to preventing autolysis is to regulate your temperature, preventing the beer from becoming too hot. In addition, you should avoid leaving the yeast sediment inside your beer for too long after it’s finished fermenting. The longer it’s left in the beer, the greater the risk of autolysis.