I got some competition scores back and one red flag that came up was mild astringency. I didn't catch it when I drank the beer. I've been looking up the causes and can't figure it out. For one, how much does one sparge with to over-do it? I do all grain and batch sparge. I mashed at 152-153 with 1.25 qts water/pound. The initial strike water temp was 173F. I sparged with around 5.50 gallons of water. Is that too much? I did a 15 min hop steep as well, which I didn't account for the added bitterness. This could have been why the beer was slightly more bitter than I was intending. Could that cause any astringency.
Recipe:
11 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 91.7 %
8.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 2 4.2 %
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 3 4.2 %
0.30 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - First Wort 60.0 min Hop 4 10.7 IBUs
1.30 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 20.0 min Hop 5 14.1 IBUs
1.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 10.0 mins) Fining 6 -
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 7 6.5 IBUs
0.15 oz Citra [13.40 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 8 1.3 IBUs
0.15 oz Citra [13.40 %] - Boil 4.0 min Hop 9 1.1 IBUs
0.15 oz Citra [13.40 %] - Boil 3.0 min Hop 10 0.8 IBUs
0.15 oz Citra [13.40 %] - Boil 2.0 min Hop 11 0.6 IBUs
0.15 oz Citra [13.40 %] - Boil 1.0 min Hop 12 0.3 IBUs
1.25 oz Citra [13.40 %] - Aroma Steep 15.0 min Hop 13 0.0 IBUs
1.0 pkg American Ale II (Wyeast Labs #1272) [124.21 ml] Yeast 14 -
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Dry Hop 4.0 Days Hop 15 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Citra [13.40 %] - Dry Hop 4.0 Days Hop 16 0.0 IBUs
Recipe:
11 lbs Pale Malt (2 Row) US (2.0 SRM) Grain 1 91.7 %
8.0 oz Cara-Pils/Dextrine (2.0 SRM) Grain 2 4.2 %
8.0 oz Caramel/Crystal Malt - 40L (40.0 SRM) Grain 3 4.2 %
0.30 oz Centennial [10.00 %] - First Wort 60.0 min Hop 4 10.7 IBUs
1.30 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 20.0 min Hop 5 14.1 IBUs
1.00 Items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 10.0 mins) Fining 6 -
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 7 6.5 IBUs
0.15 oz Citra [13.40 %] - Boil 5.0 min Hop 8 1.3 IBUs
0.15 oz Citra [13.40 %] - Boil 4.0 min Hop 9 1.1 IBUs
0.15 oz Citra [13.40 %] - Boil 3.0 min Hop 10 0.8 IBUs
0.15 oz Citra [13.40 %] - Boil 2.0 min Hop 11 0.6 IBUs
0.15 oz Citra [13.40 %] - Boil 1.0 min Hop 12 0.3 IBUs
1.25 oz Citra [13.40 %] - Aroma Steep 15.0 min Hop 13 0.0 IBUs
1.0 pkg American Ale II (Wyeast Labs #1272) [124.21 ml] Yeast 14 -
1.00 oz Cascade [5.50 %] - Dry Hop 4.0 Days Hop 15 0.0 IBUs
1.00 oz Citra [13.40 %] - Dry Hop 4.0 Days Hop 16 0.0 IBUs