bad aftertaste HELP!!!

Hi all. I have just started to brew my third batch and I having problem with after taste problem. I've followed the steps to teeth and still problem.

the off flavor is something like eating unripen peach and having scruffy feeling on your tongue. and when I drink some of it my throat feels same way.

already wasted almost 150 dollars on three batchs.

Any ideas what could be causing them?

sanitized them all with bleach and one step.
7days on primary
7days on secondary.
14 days in the bottle.

used powdered corn sugar for priming the beer.

sounds like your not giving it enough time. try the 123 method. 1 week primary 2 weeks secondary and 3 weeks in the bottle. It's probably just to young.

Do you have any beers left from your first batch that have aged for a while now? How do they taste?

Also, take a look here and see if any of these fit: http://www.howtobrew.com/section4/chapter21-2.html

I think bleach leaves a medicine-y (phenol) taste if it's not rinsed very very well. I'd recommend not using bleach any more, that may help.

You don't need to use bleach and one-step. Use just the one-step.

Also, are they really hoppy beers?

+1 on just using one step. My first batch had a bad aftertaste, but mellowed in time..

It is difficult for us to diagnose over the net, although we will try our best.

So far I can agree with everything said, but my best contribution to you tonight would be to see if you can get a more experienced homebrewer in your area to sample and critique your brew.

If you can't drink it you can't expect others to enjoy it.

thax everyone for the suggestions.
Since, I have written so much that I've tried to organize it.

maybe I should have it tasted by someone as suggested. Thax homebrewer99. maybe I get to try some good beers while they try to find out whats wrong with my beer. hehe
any Anchorage Alaska Homebrewers out there?

I'm not sure Ó Flannagáin. I have just followed recipies. except for the bad aftertaste, I would say that its hoppy as any other ale.

I gave my first batch 1week in primary, 1week in secondary about 2 weeks in bottle. Had to spit it out.

R.I.P *flushed it down the sink*
* I would like everyone to take a moment of silence. "sniff so young and full
of potential. sniff*

Second batch, I've kept in bottle for little over two week now. I've been opening one by one every few days. Its not as bad as first but same taste is still there.

I'm on my third batch. because of problems I've had, left in primary fermentation for 2 weeks. Looks much cleaner than previous batches. Planned on leaving on secondary for 1 more week.

I was suspecting that either there is problem with my water or my wort boiling timing was off.
If I am correct, I boil water till 180 degrees then cut heat. steep for 30 minutes.
restart heat untill reachs 180 then 1 hour wort boiling timer starts?
with in first 7minutes I work in my malt and bittering hops. last 15minutes I toss in my flavoring hop.

I've followed link by Liquidicem and sounds like this is close to what I'm experiencing. Its kinda like sucking down on a tea bag. except for the powdery thing.

Astringent
Astringency differs from bitterness by having a puckering quality, like sucking on a tea bag. It is dry, kind of powdery and is often the result of steeping grains too long or when the pH of the mash exceeds the range of 5.2 - 5.6. Oversparging the mash or using water that is too hot are common causes for exceeding the mash pH range. It can also be caused by over-hopping during either the bittering or finishing stages.

according to the article I could be excedeing ph range of 5.2-5.6 Do I check it by using PH tape?

Well, the first thing to know is are you using grains and dry malt? Or liquid malt extract? I suspect you're 180 temperature is causing some astringency, but I need a little more information.

Could you post your exact recipe and exactly how you did it and when? I know it seems long, but it would help us get to the bottom of this.

Like this example:

Recipe:
6 pounds liquid extract
1 oz Northern Brewer hops 60 minutes.
.5 oz cascade hops 5 minutes.

Boiled for 60 minutes.

That will help us narrow it down. Up to 180 then off, then boil, is a good description but we need a little more on the recipe and what you did at what step.

Yeah, my first batch was good but had a funny aftertaste. Narrowed it down to the fact that I steeped the grains at too high a temp. I think 150 to 160 is good.

yeah, 180F is too hot for steeping. anything over 170F starts extracting tannins from the grains, which is an off flavor that doesn't mellow with time like other flavors can.

bleach residue also creates an unpleasant off flavor, often called medicinal or 'band-aid' like which also does not age out.

but I think yer on to something with the high steeping temp.

sorta off topic, but next time you order supplies, I'd get a big bottle of Star-san. it'll last a very very long time, is no-rinse, and won't affect beer flavor or head retention if any residue is left behind.
oxygen cleansers like one-step are also no rinse, but if you mix it too strong, or don't get it all poured out, it can lend funky flavors too.
plus star-san works in 30 seconds, one step takes a little longer.

Thax for all the suggestions everyone. I'll be sure to pay more attention temp on next batch and maybe even rinsing after 1 step.

Yooperbrew I can't find recipie for other two at the moment. I'm on my third batch and its Elbro Nerkle Brown Ale(english style brown ale.)

temp and time has been consistent for all batchs so far.

1 1/2 gallon of water boiled till 180
1/2 lbs crystal dry malt *steaped for 30min*
1/4 black patent dry malt *steaped for 30min*

*water reraised to 180 and 1hour timer started*
6.6lbs muntons dark plain malt extract syrup *as soon as temp hit 180 *

2 oz fuggle hops(bittering hop) *right after syrup is done*
1/2 oz fuggle hop(finishing hop) *15minute before hour is up*

wort cooled to around 125ish
2gallon water in glass carboy
added cooled wort and filled till 5 gallon mark
added yeast then shoot the bottle for aeration for 3 minutes


this batch is going week 3 soon. Its on secondary fermentation. If its the problem with too high of temperture, any suggestion as to how to fix it? adding something to combat the off flavor and such. or having to reboil the mixture.

barniclebob12 said:

Thax for all the suggestions everyone. I'll be sure to pay more attention temp on next batch and maybe even rinsing after 1 step.

Yooperbrew I can't find recipie for other two at the moment. I'm on my third batch and its Elbro Nerkle Brown Ale(english style brown ale.)

temp and time has been consistent for all batchs so far.

1 1/2 gallon of water boiled till 180
1/2 lbs crystal dry malt *steaped for 30min*
1/4 black patent dry malt *steaped for 30min*

*water reraised to 180 and 1hour timer started*
6.6lbs muntons dark plain malt extract syrup *as soon as temp hit 180 *

2 oz fuggle hops(bittering hop) *right after syrup is done*
1/2 oz fuggle hop(finishing hop) *15minute before hour is up*

wort cooled to around 125ish
2gallon water in glass carboy
added cooled wort and filled till 5 gallon mark
added yeast then shoot the bottle for aeration for 3 minutes


this batch is going week 3 soon. Its on secondary fermentation. If its the problem with too high of temperture, any suggestion as to how to fix it? adding something to combat the off flavor and such. or having to reboil the mixture.

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Ok, I'm a complete newbie here, but let me get a shot at this.

180F is too high for steeping, usually 155 is the target.

The 1 hour timer is usually started when you add the hops, which is after boiling has started (or even after hot break), not when the wort reaches 180F

You should get the wort under 80F, not 125F when cooling. Possible problems with hot side aeration here?

"Shooting" the bottle might cause more problems than it solves. I've always heard to aerate before adding the yeast, not after, don't know if that's a problem, though.

As far as removing the tannins that may have been extracted from the husks from the 180F water, I'd guess you're out of luck, but someone with more experience may have a better answer.

Another thing, you mention working the malt extract in within the first 7 minutes, but the extract needs to be added with the pot off of the heat, or it may scorch.

How are you crushing the steeping grains, or are they pre-crushed from your supplier? If the husks are shredded to much you could pick up even more astringency.

Unless your way up in the mountains(like 15,000 ft.) it shouldn't boil till you get to around 212F. Brewing at high altitudes may present some challenges that I'm not sure I know enough to answer. There was an article withing the last year in either zymurgy or BYO to talked about a high altitude brew.

If your using dry yeast you could probably skip aeration, at least until you resolve the other issues.

camiller said:

How are you crushing the steeping grains, or are they pre-crushed from your supplier? If the husks are shredded to much you could pick up even more astringency.

Unless your way up in the mountains(like 15,000 ft.) it shouldn't boil till you get to around 212F. Brewing at high altitudes may present some challenges that I'm not sure I know enough to answer. There was an article withing the last year in either zymurgy or BYO to talked about a high altitude brew.

If your using dry yeast you could probably skip aeration, at least until you resolve the other issues.

Click to expand...

I crush the grains at supplier, since they let me use their crusher for free.
I'm not high on the mountain so I think it is something else.

after lurker on the forum for couple days, I have learned lots. Realized few mistakes I have made and going to try again and see.

again, everyone thax for the input and wish me luck.

YooperBrew said:

I think bleach leaves a medicine-y (phenol) taste if it's not rinsed very very well. I'd recommend not using bleach any more, that may help.

Click to expand...

I used bleach once to clean my kit, and right after I brewed pilsnar and it completely ruined it. Bleach is too hard to completely wash out and really isn't worth the effort, to me anyways. I use food grade sanitizers they clean faster than bleach, are easier to wash out, and don't leave bad tastes.