all grain troubles...

[jordanpace]

after brewing extract for a while, i started with the all grain.

however, almost every batch i have made, the beer has resulted in something awful. It looks like orange juice and has a distinct strange smell to it.

I can go into detail about all my batches but I was just wondering if this is a tell tale sign of something.

i'll keep posted.

 

[BigKahuna]

Go with Details.

You don't have anyting that one of us hasn't seen before.

 

[jordanpace]

last 3 batches were just a few things I've been playing around with.

here is a 16 gallon batch that i made and ended up terrible

25lbs of pale ale 2 row US
4lbs of red wheat
2oz of perle hops (60min)
1oz of spalter hops (15min)
1oz of spalter hops (5min)

3 packages of german/kolsch yeast (white labs)

Mash at 150 for 60 min
fly sparge with 170 water for 45 min
boil for 60 min

OG 1.040
FG 1.010

fermentation is right at 73 degrees


I have made this exact same recipe before with german pilsner grain and it turned out amazing.

 

[EdWort]

Fermentation is high for Kolsch yeast and will yield some fruity esters. Give it some time.

Pilsener malt was the way to go with that recipe. Fermented at 65 degrees, it would have made a kickass Kolsch.

 

[jordanpace]

i also made this exact same batch with california ale yeast and it turned out the exact same..

 

[EdWort]

What's the smell like? Post some pics of it in a glass.

 

[WBC]

If you fermented at 73F (room temp) then the beer may have been too hot. You also did not say how long it took to cool it or get the yeast going? Some bug may have got started in that rich wort and got a foothold. That's too bad but a reminder of what can happen when you take chances with fermentation temperature.

 

[Bobby_M]

Um, new to all grain and testing the waters with 16 gallon batches?

 

[WBC]

I would make a small brew and get things under control before doing any more big brews. That's really expensive to just toss every time.

 

[jordanpace]

The other batches that turned out the same way were just 6 gallon batches but even though I used different grain, different hops and different yeast, they all taste pretty much the same.

They also all have the color of orange juice.

i'll get some pics post up ASAP of what it looks like and try to describe the smell.

 

[Kauai_Kahuna]

Something is really wrong, have you soaked your lines, fermenter, everything is a cleaning agent and sanitized until your certain everything is clean? Are you brewing somewhere that bugs, spiders etc could get into the wort?
For the record - I do not like spiders, they seem to be everywhere and can get into anything it seems.
High fermentation temps can lead to off taste, but making every beer orange? You sure you don't have a rust in the boiling pot?

 

[thebull]

I would have to agree with Bobby. Stick with five gallon batches until you get a handle on your system and the process. I went a long time before my first ten gallon batch and it was great.

 

[mr_goodwrench]

I thought the same when I read that it was a 16 gallon batch. I too would stick to 5 gallon batches until everything was sorted out. I'm not nearly as experienced as these other guys so I can't come up with much in the way of a solution. Definitely post pics tho.