I just need to vent a bit. I have been brewing on and off for 15 years, but I got serious about it about 18 months ago when I upgraded equipment and switched to all grain. There have definitely a learning curve, but I have 30 or 40 AG batches under my belt, and so far so good. I have brewed some real tasty beers, and a few that were not so good. Most have been in the middle. I am really enjoying learning as I go.
Now after 35 (+/-) batches I have never had any real problems. I try to take a lots of care to clean and sanitize my equipment. And I try to control my fermentation temps as I clearly recognize that beer fermented at proper temps is the kinda beer I want to drink .
But all of a sudden its like I have hit the wall. In all my batches (including back to my extract days) I never had a problem getting yeast going. I have a batch that I brewed last week, and I pitched some washed American Blend Ale yeast as I have done a dozen times. No activity after 4 days. So I made a new starter on Saturday, pitched Sunday midday, and still no activity. Ferment for goodness sake, I just want to see some fermentation!!!
And then I have a keg of IPA that I brewed June 1, kegged on/about June 21, and tapped it over the weekend when my house IPA ran dry. It's cloudy as hell, and not just a chill haze, but cloudy where I can't see through it. It's NOT soupy, and it doesn't taste all that bad, but frankly its so heavily hopped that I am not sure I would taste an off flavor anyway. Where is my clear beer??? I can deal with a chill haze, but what is going on here????
Oh, and I'll mention the 10 gallon batch of IPA that is in the pipeline. I racked both batches to secondary last week becuase I needed the space in primary and neither batch is even close to clear after 3 full weeks. Yes, they are heavily hopped, but I am used to seeing more clarity by now. Two different yeasts were used, and I don't think either is bad. Both yeast starters smelled fine, and the fermented as normal. FG tells me they are done at about 1.014. But I am now panicked that I will not have enough drinkable IPA in the pipeline for the all important Summer beer drinking season. !
Have I lost my ability to make clear, good tasting beer?? What the heck is going on?? I feel like a newbie all over again .
I know, I know.....RDWHAHB....I am really good at the HAHB part of that, it's the RDW that I have struggle with .
Alan
Now after 35 (+/-) batches I have never had any real problems. I try to take a lots of care to clean and sanitize my equipment. And I try to control my fermentation temps as I clearly recognize that beer fermented at proper temps is the kinda beer I want to drink .
But all of a sudden its like I have hit the wall. In all my batches (including back to my extract days) I never had a problem getting yeast going. I have a batch that I brewed last week, and I pitched some washed American Blend Ale yeast as I have done a dozen times. No activity after 4 days. So I made a new starter on Saturday, pitched Sunday midday, and still no activity. Ferment for goodness sake, I just want to see some fermentation!!!
And then I have a keg of IPA that I brewed June 1, kegged on/about June 21, and tapped it over the weekend when my house IPA ran dry. It's cloudy as hell, and not just a chill haze, but cloudy where I can't see through it. It's NOT soupy, and it doesn't taste all that bad, but frankly its so heavily hopped that I am not sure I would taste an off flavor anyway. Where is my clear beer??? I can deal with a chill haze, but what is going on here????
Oh, and I'll mention the 10 gallon batch of IPA that is in the pipeline. I racked both batches to secondary last week becuase I needed the space in primary and neither batch is even close to clear after 3 full weeks. Yes, they are heavily hopped, but I am used to seeing more clarity by now. Two different yeasts were used, and I don't think either is bad. Both yeast starters smelled fine, and the fermented as normal. FG tells me they are done at about 1.014. But I am now panicked that I will not have enough drinkable IPA in the pipeline for the all important Summer beer drinking season. !
Have I lost my ability to make clear, good tasting beer?? What the heck is going on?? I feel like a newbie all over again .
I know, I know.....RDWHAHB....I am really good at the HAHB part of that, it's the RDW that I have struggle with .
Alan