sensibull
Well-Known Member
It pains me to admit this, as I usually pride myself on being quite DIY proficient, but something is going terribly wrong with my all grain brewing. I'm thirteen batches into this hobby and totally addicted to it, and several of my extract batches have turned out quite delicious. All four all grain sessions so far, however, have been virtually undrinkable.
I *think* what I'm dealing with is astringency, but it's not easy to be 100% confident in that diagnosis. In any case, the "off-taste" is a grainy bitterness and bad aftertaste. I have troubling believing it's an infection issue, because although the off taste in question is remarkably consistent, there's very little in common otherwise from batch to batch as I've been upgrading as I go and experimenting with different options (different fermenters, different water source, different brewing gear, different sanitizers, etc.), and lately I've been pretty fanatical with my sanitation. Two of these batches I let age for two months with little discernible reduction in the off taste.
(More specifics about my process are given below)
So... assuming it's astringency, I'm hoping I can get some advice about possible culprits or best strategies for eliminating the problem.
1. Mash pH: Ward labs returned a result of 7.8 for the pH of the tap water used most recently. That doesn't seem that high to me. Total alkalinity (CaCO3) was at 28 (that's not particularly hard either, right?) The three previous batches were made with well water from a farmhouse that wasn't tested.
Possibly solutions: Should I invest in that pH 5.2 stuff?
2. Oversparging: I'm not entirely clear on what this means. Using Brewsmith, I did end up with more wort than I intended, but I just left a gallon or so in the mash tun instead of using it all. My original gravities have been universally lower than intended, some by as much as 15 points, some by only 3-4. I was chalking this up to a poor crush from my LHBS and have since invested in a mill but haven't received or used it yet.
Possibly solution: Use the method where you measure you first runnings and then divide the amount needed into two equal sparges.
3. Boiling grains: I vorlauf several times like a good little boy, and only collect when the runnings look clear, but I suppose it's possible some grain is making it into my boil.
Possible solution: Use a paint strainer bag when collecting the runnings to make sure wort is totally free of grain.
4. Mash/Sparge temps: I've been within 1-3 degrees of my intended mash temp (153 or 155) in all four cases. In my first few attempts, I overemphasized the importance of the mash out and may have used sparge water in the 190-195 degree range, but all four times I actually left the thermometer in the mash and, ironically, the grain bed never even hit 168.
Possible solution: forget about the mash out and use 170 degree water for my sparge.
Am I overlooking anything? I greatly appreciate any and all help offered.
Additional details
Recipes attempted: Kona Pale Ale Clone, Mojave Red, Centennial Pale, and Stone Ruination Clone.
Mash tun: 10g rubbermaid with SS mesh tube filter
Boil kettle: Initially an aluminum pot, now a converted keg
Chiller: DIY Immersion Wort Chiller
Fermenter: 6.5g carboy and an ale pale.
Yeast: Mostly using US-05, rehydrated.
Temperature Control: Converted freezer, temps in the mid 60s throughout fermentation.
Sanitizer: First three batches used iodophor, now using star san.
Water additions: based on my water test, I have been adding 4g CaCl2 and 3g of Epsom salt per 5 gallon boil. Ever since switching to tap water, I've also added 1 campden tablet to my mash/sparge water and let it sit overnight.
I *think* what I'm dealing with is astringency, but it's not easy to be 100% confident in that diagnosis. In any case, the "off-taste" is a grainy bitterness and bad aftertaste. I have troubling believing it's an infection issue, because although the off taste in question is remarkably consistent, there's very little in common otherwise from batch to batch as I've been upgrading as I go and experimenting with different options (different fermenters, different water source, different brewing gear, different sanitizers, etc.), and lately I've been pretty fanatical with my sanitation. Two of these batches I let age for two months with little discernible reduction in the off taste.
(More specifics about my process are given below)
So... assuming it's astringency, I'm hoping I can get some advice about possible culprits or best strategies for eliminating the problem.
1. Mash pH: Ward labs returned a result of 7.8 for the pH of the tap water used most recently. That doesn't seem that high to me. Total alkalinity (CaCO3) was at 28 (that's not particularly hard either, right?) The three previous batches were made with well water from a farmhouse that wasn't tested.
Possibly solutions: Should I invest in that pH 5.2 stuff?
2. Oversparging: I'm not entirely clear on what this means. Using Brewsmith, I did end up with more wort than I intended, but I just left a gallon or so in the mash tun instead of using it all. My original gravities have been universally lower than intended, some by as much as 15 points, some by only 3-4. I was chalking this up to a poor crush from my LHBS and have since invested in a mill but haven't received or used it yet.
Possibly solution: Use the method where you measure you first runnings and then divide the amount needed into two equal sparges.
3. Boiling grains: I vorlauf several times like a good little boy, and only collect when the runnings look clear, but I suppose it's possible some grain is making it into my boil.
Possible solution: Use a paint strainer bag when collecting the runnings to make sure wort is totally free of grain.
4. Mash/Sparge temps: I've been within 1-3 degrees of my intended mash temp (153 or 155) in all four cases. In my first few attempts, I overemphasized the importance of the mash out and may have used sparge water in the 190-195 degree range, but all four times I actually left the thermometer in the mash and, ironically, the grain bed never even hit 168.
Possible solution: forget about the mash out and use 170 degree water for my sparge.
Am I overlooking anything? I greatly appreciate any and all help offered.
Additional details
Recipes attempted: Kona Pale Ale Clone, Mojave Red, Centennial Pale, and Stone Ruination Clone.
Mash tun: 10g rubbermaid with SS mesh tube filter
Boil kettle: Initially an aluminum pot, now a converted keg
Chiller: DIY Immersion Wort Chiller
Fermenter: 6.5g carboy and an ale pale.
Yeast: Mostly using US-05, rehydrated.
Temperature Control: Converted freezer, temps in the mid 60s throughout fermentation.
Sanitizer: First three batches used iodophor, now using star san.
Water additions: based on my water test, I have been adding 4g CaCl2 and 3g of Epsom salt per 5 gallon boil. Ever since switching to tap water, I've also added 1 campden tablet to my mash/sparge water and let it sit overnight.