Strange tastes

vttroopah · 03-24-2010, 09:04 PM

I have brewed several LME kits and the first three were unbelievable. The last four batches all had this off flavor my wife describes as molasses then lemon. I tastes sweet at first then VERY sour. I follow the directions closely and the only issue I have noticed is fermenting temps vary due to forced hot air heat, but the rarely go below 62 or above 70. All the brews tasted great going into secondary and even into bottling, so I figured it was a bottling/conditioning issue. I brewed 10 gal of MW's stout and it's barely drinkable. I cleaned, sanitized, and went crazy on all my equipment before the last batch and it is remarkably better, but still has a slight sour bread taste. I hate to keep throwing beer out. Am I using too much sugar? I use the whole 5.oz each time per the directions

Vuarra · 03-24-2010, 09:24 PM

Sour bread taste sounds like there is an infection *somewhere* in the line. Your issue is not too much sugar, but something contaminating between secondary and the opening of each bottle.

If you are absolutely certain that you have sanitized everything else, you may wish to consider using a can of Lysol or other alcohol-based disinfectant in the air in your bottling room. I've *heard* of wild yeast growing in places like houses, but I've never experienced it here.

Best option for you would be to look at every step you do to make sure that everything that comes in contact with the new beer is cleaned and sanitized. I've forgotten something arcane before, and I felt like a bonehead. Actually, I am a bone-head.

**Brocster** · 03-24-2010, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vttroopah

I have brewed several LME kits and the first three were unbelievable. The last four batches all had this off flavor my wife describes as molasses then lemon. I tastes sweet at first then VERY sour. I follow the directions closely and the only issue I have noticed is fermenting temps vary due to forced hot air heat, but the rarely go below 62 or above 70. All the brews tasted great going into secondary and even into bottling, so I figured it was a bottling/conditioning issue. I brewed 10 gal of MW's stout and it's barely drinkable. I cleaned, sanitized, and went crazy on all my equipment before the last batch and it is remarkably better, but still has a slight sour bread taste. I hate to keep throwing beer out. Am I using too much sugar? I use the whole 5.oz each time per the directions

It could be a number of things. Bottles and bottle caps could be an issue, as could be any pieces of the equipement.

How do you prep your bottling sugars?

Are you aerating the beer a lot between fermenting and bottling?

Are you sure the bottles are sanitized?

vttroopah · 03-24-2010, 09:34 PM

Just talked with the wife... I'm going to buy all new lines and spigot. They are at least a year old and not too much $$$ to replace. We're in a new house with a dishwasher, so I'll try using the heat cycle on top off my normal sanitizing process for the bottles.

Did I mention I HATE wasting beer. Thanks for the help.

vttroopah · 03-24-2010, 09:37 PM

Brocster...

I boil a cup of water with the 5.oz of sugar, cool it, then add to bucket.

I may not be aerating the beer enough. I usually shake the carboy for 30 seconds or so.

I rinse the bottles, visually check for shmegma, then hit with one step and let drip dry. Maybe I should rinse with tap water after one step?

Vuarra · 03-24-2010, 09:42 PM

nah, you're good after shpritzing with one step.

good call with replacing the lines... after a while, the invisible cracks in the plastic start to harbour nasties.

**Brocster** · 03-24-2010, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vttroopah

Brocster...

I boil a cup of water with the 5.oz of sugar, cool it, then add to bucket.

I may not be aerating the beer enough. I usually shake the carboy for 30 seconds or so.

I rinse the bottles, visually check for shmegma, then hit with one step and let drip dry. Maybe I should rinse with tap water after one step?

Just to clarify, DO NOT AERATE after you pitch and fermenting is done. You want to absolutely minimize the contact with air once you pitch.

Potter1 · 03-24-2010, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vttroopah

.

I rinse the bottles, visually check for shmegma, then hit with one step and let drip dry. Maybe I should rinse with tap water after one step?

Maybe try using Star-san rather than one-step. I know people swear by the stuff (one-step) but it's not an FDA approved sanitizer.

Also, do you check the necks of the beer bottles. Sometimes an infected beer, or even a normal one will leave a little krausen like ring on the inside of the bottle necks. If you dont scrub it away, it could be carrying over a previous infection. Good luck!

Ps, do you make sour-dough bread in your kitchen?

vttroopah · 03-24-2010, 09:49 PM

Potter,

Will do on the bottle thing. Might just toss the oldies and start fresh

No sour dough in the kitchen, but I wish, cause it's so good for sandwiches.

Brocster, I don't shake except when I add the water before the yeast. But I do bottle from an open top bucket... maybe something's getting in while I bottle.