rmiranda
Member
I have been improving my beers, but now it seems I hit a wall. I have narrowed my problem down to an odd taste that I think results from my water.
The Taste
When I drink my beer, I get a biter taste that is not from hops. I also feel like it leaves an odd aftertaste and almost covers my taste buds with a light film.
My Conclusion
After research, I found this might be due to a high PH level. I use a filter on my tap water that has a PH level of 8.2. According to Beer Smith, a high PH level in the mash causes extraction of too many tannins resulting in this off flavor.
What I Did
I brewed two batches this week. The first was a Mexican Lager, which should easily expose any flaws. I also brewed a Double IPA, because I love IPAs. First, I cleaned the crap out of all my equipment before using it. I also used acid and PH strips to make sure that my sparge water was between 5.2 and 5.6 (by the way, I do batch sparging and get 65% efficiency). I also added 2 grams of salt and 1 gram of gypsum to the mash so that my water is "balanced" (according to beersmith).
My Water
Screen shot of the profile is attached to this post (somewhere).
What I Hope
I hope my beer comes out phenomenal and clear of this off flavor.
My Question
Is my diagnosis and/or treatment correct?
The Taste
When I drink my beer, I get a biter taste that is not from hops. I also feel like it leaves an odd aftertaste and almost covers my taste buds with a light film.
My Conclusion
After research, I found this might be due to a high PH level. I use a filter on my tap water that has a PH level of 8.2. According to Beer Smith, a high PH level in the mash causes extraction of too many tannins resulting in this off flavor.
What I Did
I brewed two batches this week. The first was a Mexican Lager, which should easily expose any flaws. I also brewed a Double IPA, because I love IPAs. First, I cleaned the crap out of all my equipment before using it. I also used acid and PH strips to make sure that my sparge water was between 5.2 and 5.6 (by the way, I do batch sparging and get 65% efficiency). I also added 2 grams of salt and 1 gram of gypsum to the mash so that my water is "balanced" (according to beersmith).
My Water
Screen shot of the profile is attached to this post (somewhere).
What I Hope
I hope my beer comes out phenomenal and clear of this off flavor.
My Question
Is my diagnosis and/or treatment correct?