I've brewed over 50 batches of beer now, and entered about 12 or so in various competitions over the last couple of years. Several of these beers have had comments suggesting a medicinal, smoky, phenolic off-flavor and aroma, which I can detect as well. Some of these beers never had the water treated (and their IS chlorine in the city water where I live), some had water treated with campden tablets, and one or two were carbon-filtered.
All of the judges suggest the start of a wild yeast infection. However, my question is this: if it IS due to wild yeast, would the infection and off-flavors/aromas not worsen over time? In some cases, the beers were months old and the flavor is barely there, and in other cases, I don't notice a worsening in the flavor of the beer many months after entering the competition.
I think that my sanitization procedure is pretty solid... I hope so, anyway. If I'm filtering my water now, I wouldn't expect chlorine to be an issue. Not sure what else I can do, but I want to try to eliminate the wild yeast factor... I can't help but think if it was an infection, things would worsen noticeably over time.
All of the judges suggest the start of a wild yeast infection. However, my question is this: if it IS due to wild yeast, would the infection and off-flavors/aromas not worsen over time? In some cases, the beers were months old and the flavor is barely there, and in other cases, I don't notice a worsening in the flavor of the beer many months after entering the competition.
I think that my sanitization procedure is pretty solid... I hope so, anyway. If I'm filtering my water now, I wouldn't expect chlorine to be an issue. Not sure what else I can do, but I want to try to eliminate the wild yeast factor... I can't help but think if it was an infection, things would worsen noticeably over time.