Hello All,
I have recently had the same problem with the first 2 batches I have ever brewed with my AG setup. I would like some help determining what the issue might be. Here is some background on the issue.
I have been brewing extracts since Jan 2012 with plastic buckets and recently (March) switched to a 6.5 gallon carboy. My normal fermenting schedule is 2 weeks in the primary with a temparture control ferment (around 68 degrees) using a big plastic tub, teeshirt, a fan on low speed, and a couple frozen water bottles. I use a stick on thermometer on the carboy and I check the temp ever 4-8 hours (more during the start of fermentation). So far, no issues with temperature getting above 70 degrees. I usually will use frozen water bottles at a rate of 1 per 8 hours to keep it in the 66-68 range. My apartment is around 75 degrees most of the time. I make 5 gallon batches only.
My first all grain was a simple brew in a bag recipe with 10lb 2 row/1lb crystal 40 + Columbus (3oz) during boil (60/15/5) and then 1 oz Columbus DH. The beer turned out great. I did this one in May and drank it through June.
Around the end of May 2012 I upgraded my setup to support more than BIAB AG to with a 10 Gallon Rubbermaid model 1610 cooler that I made into a mash tun using a 5/8" brass ball valve and zinc washers ( I am still hunting down 5/8 SS washers). I am using a stainless steel filter setup - washer hose with plastic hose removed setup as a SS screen.
The main issue I have had in the two brews - one english bitter and one rye PA is a weird aftertaste. it tastes kinda of sweet but definately OFF. Not really drinkable to my pallette. I am not really sure what a bandaid tastes like or what Phenols really taste like but alot of what I have read have mentioned these after tastes. All I can say is that it's not like medicine but more like a solvent or plastic after taste.
I have used the same vinyl tubing for 6 months to transfer from cooled kettles to my fermenters (carboy and plastic buckets) without issue. However, it was only since I started using the mashtun did I have the genius idea to use these vinyl tubes for hot side transfer as well. My mash is somewhere between 152 and 170 degrees when I lauter but the tubing should be rated to 180+ range. Do you think this could be the source of the issue?
I really don't notice the aftertase in the finished boiled and cooled wort pre-fermentation. But it starts to stand out at bottling and then after it's been in the bottle a couple weeks.
I would also like to mention that I use starsan to sanitize my carboy. That process hasn't changed much but I do put enough in the carboy for 5 gallons of water and normally only fill it with 2-3 gallons so I can swash it around to clean the carboy while I am boiling/mashing/etc. I drain it for a little bit but I never get all the foam out. there is a lot of foam left over, probably about 4 inches in the bottom when I do fill it with wort. Could this be the issue?
Also, on my second AG, I did catch the vinyl potential issue, so after I had lautered the first runnings (about 2 gallons) I removed the plastic hose and used the spigot only to drain. I can say based on tasting my second batch compared to my first (which i dumped after two weeksn in the bottle since it didn't improve) that the effect of the taste is lessened. Not sure if it's due to less exposure to the plastic or not.
Here are my thoughts so far:
1. Originally, I thought this was a yeast issue since I used wyeast 1099 liquid (1 pack smack) on my first batch. I figured I had under pitched the yeast. I didn't use a starter and the yeast was about 6 weeks old when I pitched it. However, on the second batch I used US-05, always a good dry yeast for me, I didn't hydrate but the effect on taste was the same - although somewhat lessened. Now, I don't think yeast is the issue.
2. Next I thought the issue was vinyl hosing. i made another test batch 1 gallon without any vinyl hose in the process and it definately tasted different after my boil - I didn't use hops - just two pounds of maris otter - and I didn't notice the taste after 1 week in the primary - however this was not a controlled test so I am really not sure I found the source of the issue. used US05 on this test as well.
3. Another idea is the season. I do know that my local water company uses Chlorophol/Chlorine in the water. However, I have not had any issues with my extract or AG BIAB brews, but maybe I just have entered a period of time during the year when they up their concentrations. Not sure. I did look at last years water report and it showed a concentration increase of about 20 percent in May through december. I started brewing in january so I wouldn't know what last decembers water and brews tasted like. ANyways, the current concentration is around 18.4 PPM for Chlorine. Do I need to get a carbon block filter and go that route?
4. Final thought is that the zinc in my mashtun, the ones on the inside, are the problem. i don't think they are treated with any chemicals but maybe so. however, the taste didn't show up in my 1 gallon test batch that i did with out hops and not using any vinyl tubing?
what's the best course of action here?
Switch to silicon hoses and try again?
Do I go back to one step or rinse out the carboy from excess starsan? Can starsan give you this type of aftertaste - sweet/solvent like?
Thanks for any help on this one.
Sincerely,
Louisbrew
I have recently had the same problem with the first 2 batches I have ever brewed with my AG setup. I would like some help determining what the issue might be. Here is some background on the issue.
I have been brewing extracts since Jan 2012 with plastic buckets and recently (March) switched to a 6.5 gallon carboy. My normal fermenting schedule is 2 weeks in the primary with a temparture control ferment (around 68 degrees) using a big plastic tub, teeshirt, a fan on low speed, and a couple frozen water bottles. I use a stick on thermometer on the carboy and I check the temp ever 4-8 hours (more during the start of fermentation). So far, no issues with temperature getting above 70 degrees. I usually will use frozen water bottles at a rate of 1 per 8 hours to keep it in the 66-68 range. My apartment is around 75 degrees most of the time. I make 5 gallon batches only.
My first all grain was a simple brew in a bag recipe with 10lb 2 row/1lb crystal 40 + Columbus (3oz) during boil (60/15/5) and then 1 oz Columbus DH. The beer turned out great. I did this one in May and drank it through June.
Around the end of May 2012 I upgraded my setup to support more than BIAB AG to with a 10 Gallon Rubbermaid model 1610 cooler that I made into a mash tun using a 5/8" brass ball valve and zinc washers ( I am still hunting down 5/8 SS washers). I am using a stainless steel filter setup - washer hose with plastic hose removed setup as a SS screen.
The main issue I have had in the two brews - one english bitter and one rye PA is a weird aftertaste. it tastes kinda of sweet but definately OFF. Not really drinkable to my pallette. I am not really sure what a bandaid tastes like or what Phenols really taste like but alot of what I have read have mentioned these after tastes. All I can say is that it's not like medicine but more like a solvent or plastic after taste.
I have used the same vinyl tubing for 6 months to transfer from cooled kettles to my fermenters (carboy and plastic buckets) without issue. However, it was only since I started using the mashtun did I have the genius idea to use these vinyl tubes for hot side transfer as well. My mash is somewhere between 152 and 170 degrees when I lauter but the tubing should be rated to 180+ range. Do you think this could be the source of the issue?
I really don't notice the aftertase in the finished boiled and cooled wort pre-fermentation. But it starts to stand out at bottling and then after it's been in the bottle a couple weeks.
I would also like to mention that I use starsan to sanitize my carboy. That process hasn't changed much but I do put enough in the carboy for 5 gallons of water and normally only fill it with 2-3 gallons so I can swash it around to clean the carboy while I am boiling/mashing/etc. I drain it for a little bit but I never get all the foam out. there is a lot of foam left over, probably about 4 inches in the bottom when I do fill it with wort. Could this be the issue?
Also, on my second AG, I did catch the vinyl potential issue, so after I had lautered the first runnings (about 2 gallons) I removed the plastic hose and used the spigot only to drain. I can say based on tasting my second batch compared to my first (which i dumped after two weeksn in the bottle since it didn't improve) that the effect of the taste is lessened. Not sure if it's due to less exposure to the plastic or not.
Here are my thoughts so far:
1. Originally, I thought this was a yeast issue since I used wyeast 1099 liquid (1 pack smack) on my first batch. I figured I had under pitched the yeast. I didn't use a starter and the yeast was about 6 weeks old when I pitched it. However, on the second batch I used US-05, always a good dry yeast for me, I didn't hydrate but the effect on taste was the same - although somewhat lessened. Now, I don't think yeast is the issue.
2. Next I thought the issue was vinyl hosing. i made another test batch 1 gallon without any vinyl hose in the process and it definately tasted different after my boil - I didn't use hops - just two pounds of maris otter - and I didn't notice the taste after 1 week in the primary - however this was not a controlled test so I am really not sure I found the source of the issue. used US05 on this test as well.
3. Another idea is the season. I do know that my local water company uses Chlorophol/Chlorine in the water. However, I have not had any issues with my extract or AG BIAB brews, but maybe I just have entered a period of time during the year when they up their concentrations. Not sure. I did look at last years water report and it showed a concentration increase of about 20 percent in May through december. I started brewing in january so I wouldn't know what last decembers water and brews tasted like. ANyways, the current concentration is around 18.4 PPM for Chlorine. Do I need to get a carbon block filter and go that route?
4. Final thought is that the zinc in my mashtun, the ones on the inside, are the problem. i don't think they are treated with any chemicals but maybe so. however, the taste didn't show up in my 1 gallon test batch that i did with out hops and not using any vinyl tubing?
what's the best course of action here?
Switch to silicon hoses and try again?
Do I go back to one step or rinse out the carboy from excess starsan? Can starsan give you this type of aftertaste - sweet/solvent like?
Thanks for any help on this one.
Sincerely,
Louisbrew
that's the story of my life 
