Hello All,
I have been home brewing for a little less than 2 years and just started all grain brewing. My brews have never been as good as I had hoped and they all seem to need aging for them to A. taste decent or B. be drinkable. I've gotten weird off flavors from cloying sweetness, hotness (fusel alcohol from fermenting too hot), to a band aid flavor in my current pumpkin ale (but that was the flavor after 3 weeks in the primary. It's currently in the secondary being dry hopped and I'm hoping I won't have to wait until next Halloween for this to be drinkable).
Anyway, I am trying to figure out why all of my brews have been disappointing. I'm looking at the water I use. Below is my water quality report. According to this site http://www.howtobrew.com/section3/chapter15-1.html my tap water is low in several areas.
I am hoping that I can get some guidance and clarification (I may be reading this water quality report wrong). Any help would be greatly appreciated. I love this hobby, but am tired of hoping things will just work themselves out.
I have been home brewing for a little less than 2 years and just started all grain brewing. My brews have never been as good as I had hoped and they all seem to need aging for them to A. taste decent or B. be drinkable. I've gotten weird off flavors from cloying sweetness, hotness (fusel alcohol from fermenting too hot), to a band aid flavor in my current pumpkin ale (but that was the flavor after 3 weeks in the primary. It's currently in the secondary being dry hopped and I'm hoping I won't have to wait until next Halloween for this to be drinkable).
Anyway, I am trying to figure out why all of my brews have been disappointing. I'm looking at the water I use. Below is my water quality report. According to this site http://www.howtobrew.com/section3/chapter15-1.html my tap water is low in several areas.
I am hoping that I can get some guidance and clarification (I may be reading this water quality report wrong). Any help would be greatly appreciated. I love this hobby, but am tired of hoping things will just work themselves out.