skunky?

I been playin with a APA recipe for awhile thinkin I would get my go to beer to make regulary. Recently I brewed two identical beers using us-05 yeast in the first and liquid Cali-v in the second. I used identical ingredients and procedures for both but when it came time to taste them one was REALLY good the other, with the cali-v yeast, was skunky. Now I don't let any light hit my beer except for when I have to work with it. I have brewed alot of beer over the last several years and this is the first time I ever remember my beer being skunky. I let it stay in the bottle for another two weeks and it is gettin better but as it ages the hop flavor is gettin more pronounced. I don't mind that at all but I was wonderin if this could just be the case with the liquid cali-v yeast. I usually use the us-05 but took some advise from my local brew shoppe and tried liquid to see if it is worth it to make my reglar beer better. I do use secondary cause I like how it gets the trub out before I bottle. Also it makes cleaning up the primary alot easier. I primary for two weeks then secondary two more and have had some really good beers but this is three weeks after I bottled this last beer and I just started being able to drink the batch with the cali-v.

I don't recognize the Cali-V yeast, so I can't comment specifically on the strain characteristics.  Is that a white labs, or wyeast?  Skunky isn't a yeast character I've ever experienced or heard described.  So, I would doubt that it is from the yeast. 

There's nothing wrong with US-05 yeast.  So, if that works for you....I don't know a reason to change.  If you want to play with liquid yeast, White Labs WLP001 (California Ale) is a nice well known yeast, and is very clean.  I think it is the dominant yeast used in most APA recipes, especially in California. 

As far as what happened, I'd lean towards some type of process error---infection, oxidation, DMS, etc.  If it has only happened this once, and you've made lots of beers successfully...maybe just chalk it up to bad luck. 

If you want to give this yeast another go....make a mini (1 qt starter size) extract beer with another vial.  Do everything absolutely sterile (instead of just sanitary).  Flame the rims of everything, work over a flame source, pressure cook everything, etc.  Be absolutely sure there can be no infection.  When the starter is complete, decant and taste the resultant beer.  It won't taste "good" but, you should be able to taste (or not) the skunky flavor you have now.  If it tastes okay, make a starter with the stuff and do a full batch of beer. 

I've had one batch of beer that had a lot of DMS, which tasted "skunky".  Its the only batch I've ever had that was chock full of DMS, so it took a while to figure out what I was tasting.  I had to have several people taste it before I was pretty sure it was DMS.  If you use lots of very pale malt (US 2-row, pilsen, etc) that could be a possibility, too.  I normally use UK 2-row or Marris Otter...this batch was my first US 2-row batch....and I did not follow the recommendations I make below:

The solution to DMS is to have a rolling boil, uncovered, for 90-100 minutes.  Rolling doesn't mean foaming up the sides, but rather visibly churning the surface.  The pot needs to be uncovered for the entire boil duration (90 minutes) to allow the DMS vapors to leave the pot, and not condense on the lid and drain back into the wort.  Then you need to cool the full wort below 170 degF, quickly.  If you use a counterflow or plate chiller, you can reciculate the wort until the full batch is below 170F....then flow into the fermenter.  I'm an immersion chiller guy.

I know Cal Ale V as White Labs WPL051 http://whitelabs.com/beer/strains_wlp051.html.  I found that using Cal Ale V at temps in the 70's or higher does produce things I don't like.  I would not call it skunky though.  More sulfur and "hot" fusel  or diesel like alcohol come from the warmer temps.  so, I ferment with it at 66F now.

thanks guys. jomebrew is right the strain iswhite labs wlp051 california ale yeast V. I should have givin more info but the post got kinda long. I fermented at 66 degrees for 7 days primary and seven more secondary. I only boiled for my reg. 60 minutes though but this seems to work usually. I like the secondary cause it makes cleaning my primary easier on me also I get to start another batch quicker. As far as process I never would rule that out cause I am human but lately I have been real careful cause awhile back I did get an infection so I went to using starsan instead of onestep and have been double checking everything trying to avoid that. It still seems strange that this taste is getting better as we go.My little friends takin care of me I guess. Thanks agin

According to all the literature, skunky equals UV light reacting to the hops in the beer.  I know you said you do not let light hit it but florescent light can cause the same same reaction as sunlight.  If you have a cool box with a florescent light, it could contribute to the risk.  I have also heard of it occurring when folks are transferring from the kettle to the carboy in sunlight though I never tasted those beers.

An APA would be more susceptible to lightstuck than a darker beer so less UV light would be needed to start the reaction.

I have not read anything that suggests skunky and infection.    Have you had someone else smell it?  I have my teenagers give me aroma descriptors on all my beers.  They are pretty good at it and don't seems to be concerned about hurting dads feelings when they don't like something

The part about your teens is funny jomebrew cause I just use mine for puter stuff but at the moment I am drinking one of those beers and ya know it isnt bad. I can still get a whif of the smell but it is almost gone. I think maybe this was too soon for this beer. maybe that yeast took longer to clean up or somthin. But I am wonderin bout us-05 yeast. When ya'll use it does the krausen stay on top even after , say 2weeks of primary? Cause I usually wait for the krausen to fall before I rack but that yeast never falls. When I finally rack over to secondary or bottle bucket it still is on top and gets kinda rubbery. So when I syphon it just settles down onto the bottom of my primary. Anyway the only time I let light on my beer is when I have to. Like racking or when I put it in the fermenter or something. After it is bottled I have the old beer boxes that you used to see in the bars with two folding tops and it is stored in a dark corner of the basement where there isn't a light.