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**helibrewer** · 12-23-2011, 05:32 PM

You're topping off with ice, which is fine depending on where the ice is coming from. Is it tap water that you have frozen, how long has it been in the freezer? Was it boiled first? Some apartments can have plumbing issues that change to chemistry of the city water. I would try a batch using only bottled spring water to see if it makes any difference.

BrewStooge · 12-23-2011, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackiolantern;

I cool my wert with Ice and a sick full of cold water & by topping off my wert with Ice.

Well there's yer problem.

Also I'm not particularly sure what type you mean by 'Stoneware' but I've seen that name on the thin coated metal pots, usually black or green with white flecks. It may not be a problem when new but those have been said to have problems with the sustained boil and somewhat acidic nature of wert over time.

Other than that, murky, cloudy, sounds a lot like just another bit of green beer that needs some time. As a general rule, I look at no less than 2 months as being a start to finish time scale for most brews. It may just be a case of wait for a while and let it all meld.

**daksin** · 12-23-2011, 05:39 PM

+1 to fermentation temps. If the humidity is low, it's a simple as tossing a wet towel on your fermentor and pointing a fan at it. I can ferment my beers at 61-62F this way in an 80F condo. No water bucket or ice bottles required, though that's another way to go if your humidity is very high and evaporative cooling doesn't get the job done.

Once you fix your fermentation temperatures, everything else will come together. It will also be much easier to diagnose problems.

jackiolantern · 12-23-2011, 11:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beerman0001

OK lets make this easy. Make sure you wort is at a maximum of 65 before you pitch and do not let it go higher. If you are having the same off taste issues after that we will start working on other possible issues.

Okay- This is new information- My kit directions say below 80. Beerman0001Can you tell me why below 65?

bighorn_brew · 12-23-2011, 11:38 PM

Whenever I get into a hobby or pursuit (ceramics, fly-fishing, skiing, drawing) I try to limit my variables as much as possible and work within of the constraints of said lack of variables. Personally, I would recommend starting with a quality dry yeast selection(s). Dry yeast is inexpensive as compared to liquid, more forgiving, and end result can rival or surpass liquid selections depending on what your going for.
Pick a kit like someone mentioned, use a 5 gallon plastic bottled water (as your water source, repeatable, known quality) that way you can (likely) get a water assessment. I first started brewing with a 2.5 gallon boil, then poured 2.5 gals in 5 gallon carboy, and poured resulting wort ~2 gals or so into carboy. Mixing the hot and cold togethor like this insured sanitation and quick cool down since the cool water was as much or more than the hot wort.
With your first batches try not to get to fancy, just "get it in the can."

beerman0001 · 12-24-2011, 02:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackiolantern

Okay- This is new information- My kit directions say below 80. Beerman0001Can you tell me why below 65?

Every yeast has a temperature range that it works best in. I have found that if I pitch yeast at or below the temp that I want to ferment at that in the end I have a much better beer. I know the kit says to pitch under 80 but that is out of the temp ranges for almost all the yeast out there.

djfriesen · 12-24-2011, 02:48 AM

A good rule of thumb to remember is that kit manufacturers, for the most part, are trying to speed up the process for you. Their fermentation periods will be smaller, and they will do things like recommend a higher pitching temp in order to make life easier on the new brewer (It's amazing how much extra energy it takes to chill from 90° to 65° compared to boiling to 90°, assuming you're using an icebath).

I usually chill to 65° or so and let the yeast bring the temp up if the fermentation calls for it.

As a resource, I would advise reading up on the wiki beer making process. I found it an invaluable tool when I first started out brewing. And any uncertainties can always be cleared up with eaither a search of these forums or a thread posing a question.

I still learn new things every time I get on this forum, so good luck. Preparation and repetition will win the day.

danorocks17 · 12-24-2011, 02:56 AM

when i did extract, i topped off with tap water and had good results. some of the off flavors might come from the ice you are using. IIRC, ice can absorb odors and other nasty stuff. I'd advise not using ice, unless it was boiled and then frozen. As far pitching temps, i've pitched in the low 80s and it came out ok, but i wouldn't recommend it hahah.

Skyforger · 12-24-2011, 03:15 AM

I give a +1 to beerman. The kit probably gives that temp range to make things simple and foolproof, as yeast will ferment very strong at those temps. but most yeasts will start to give off flavors once you start to get out of the sixties, some of them even in the upper sixties. So keeping temps lower is a great place to start in eliminating off flavors. That and waiting longer. Often people get impatient and try the beer too soon, and then wonder what went wrong. Beer that is too young can be surprisingly unpleasant, especially if fermentation temps were off. If we take care of these things, it will take care of many problems and give a much more solid ground to isolate any other potential problems if they still exist.

billtzk · 12-24-2011, 03:57 AM

Fermentation will raise the temperature of the wort around 10 degrees, so if you pitch at 80, it may continue to cool down during the lag period a few degrees depending on your ambient temperature, but once the fermentation takes off it'll go up about 10 degrees. That'll most likely put you out of the ideal temperature range for ale fermentation.

You should be shooting for 68 to 72 degrees for most ale yeasts, and a lower starting temp is usually better. I pitch at 62 to 64 degrees and keep my fermenter in a room that is 65 degrees.