Anyone get upset with a streak of bad beer?

[b_oh_bee]

I've been trying to nail down the NE IPA for the last 3 months and it's just proving difficult. All ten (small) batches have been really not great. My other regular IPA's have been dynamite, but as soon as I started actually "focusing" on making a NE IPA, they come out both too sweet and too bitter at the same time - a literal mess. Every batch is just something I would never drink on the regular. I've had positive feedback from others, but I can't say I enjoy the results so far. I've messed with pH, water chemistry, and different hop varietals. The most recent batch is the most enjoyable but it's rather empty.

Some of the batches use all late hopping techniques...say a boil volume of 10 quarts with a 1.5 oz volume of hops altogether for 20 minutes...then about another 2 oz of dry hop. Comes out palate-scrubbing, like a triple IPA! Yet it's cloyingly sweet despite no added fruit or anything.

Does base malt have a lot to do with it? Using basic Great Northwestern Pale Ale malt. Probably thinking about switching to Maris or Pearl.

It's getting to the point where i'm trying to reach this goal but I'm just getting tired of brewing it. Getting a little burned out even though I gotta just keep trying.

Anyone repeatedly try to nail a style to no avail? Just try try again?

I'm thinking about going back to traditional IPA techniques without the goofy junk and just supplement with fruit or lactose or whatever.

Cheers fellow HB'ers.

been in the same spot. tried brewing 4 straight hazy pale ales/ipas, none have come out how I would have liked. Ive tried different yeast, then different hops, then different grain bill.

I even went to a ss brewbucket and keg, and pressure transferred after fermenting thinking oxygen may have been the issue.

my big problem is I'm fairly new and don't have a great feel for actually tasting beer and distinguishing or describing what I am tasking, making it hard for me to know what to tweak. Have been looking into the flavor spikes and volunteering as a steward at some local comps to try and become better.

The one thing that's stayed the same though is my water profile, which I built up from distilled using BeerSmith. After the last batch I compared with suggestions from Brun water, and they came out much different. so I then started dosing water with the brewing salts to taste the difference of them. Based on that my next batch I'm going with less salts and see how that goes.

 

[WestMichBrewer]

I extract brewed for a few years but shelved it due to unsatisfactory results. I got back in with small batch BIAB (stove top paint strainer mashing). I can't say that the extract was the issue as I've since made some good ones with extract, but I think just restarting and rethinking my procedures helped a lot. Buying a few crucial items helped with sanitation, and switching to kegging were huge.
I still do smaller 3 gallon batches but have a cooler mash tun, a temp controlled fermentation, and a kegging setup and things are going good now.

 

[specharka]

been in the same spot. tried brewing 4 straight hazy pale ales/ipas, none have come out how I would have liked. Ive tried different yeast, then different hops, then different grain bill.

I even went to a ss brewbucket and keg, and pressure transferred after fermenting thinking oxygen may have been the issue.

my big problem is I'm fairly new and don't have a great feel for actually tasting beer and distinguishing or describing what I am tasking, making it hard for me to know what to tweak. Have been looking into the flavor spikes and volunteering as a steward at some local comps to try and become better.

The one thing that's stayed the same though is my water profile, which I built up from distilled using BeerSmith. After the last batch I compared with suggestions from Brun water, and they came out much different. so I then started dosing water with the brewing salts to taste the difference of them. Based on that my next batch I'm going with less salts and see how that goes.

Join a homebrew club. It’s fantastic for getting insight into the same flavor discrepancies you’re describing. At the very least you’ll get more honest feedback than sharing with friends and family. Also really good because some people are more sensitive to certain flavor thresholds than others, so they can pick up on something you might not be detecting.

Comps are good too but the judges rarely offer constructive suggestions for fixing beer problems. They will, however, put a name on them.

 

[c673986]

Last year I ruined summer by making three different saisons, which I hated them all. Turns out I really don’t like saisons and they give me hangovers.

 

[dmtaylor]

Last year I ruined summer by making three different saisons, which I hated them all. Turns out I really don’t like saisons and they give me hangovers.

Try fermenting them in the 60s. All the best saison brewers do.

 

[El Nino]

I've honestly only brewed bad batches when I've tried to make a 'crowd pleaser' beer which is honestly the kinds of beer I don't generally drink anyway. Since then I've only stuck with making IPA's and Pale ale's since that's what I like. Though trying a hefe atm since I do like those kinds of beer as well, just the wheat and pils malt / hefe yeast are expensive here ($3/lb, around 9 bucks for the yeast). I suppose that's cheaper than buying a decent hefe from the liquor store for $8 for a 16oz bottle tho lol.

 

[b_oh_bee]

Join a homebrew club. It’s fantastic for getting insight into the same flavor discrepancies you’re describing. At the very least you’ll get more honest feedback than sharing with friends and family. Also really good because some people are more sensitive to certain flavor thresholds than others, so they can pick up on something you might not be detecting.

Comps are good too but the judges rarely offer constructive suggestions for fixing beer problems. They will, however, put a name on them.

thanks for the feedback. I have been looking into getting into a local club, the meeting nights just aren't great with my schedule. Does seem like that would be very helpful though.

 

[supermallard]

I'm in a bit of a funk right now. I've been troubleshooting an astringency / solvent flavor that has plagued me for months.

I took a break for most of the summer, but just reevaluated my system and did some water tests. I also realized I was doing at least three things incorrectly:

Adding cacl and gypsum when I didn't need to
Using my water softener with my RO system
Not giving my yeast enough oxygen

I just brewed a pale ale last weekend, and I'm hoping this one tastes right.

I definitely get discouraged but find answers here often, and regain the urge to brew.

 

[brewbama]

I'm in a bit of a funk right now. I've been troubleshooting an astringency / solvent flavor that has plagued me for months.

I took a break for most of the summer, but just reevaluated my system and did some water tests. I also realized I was doing at least three things incorrectly:

Adding cacl and gypsum when I didn't need to
Using my water softener with my RO system
Not giving my yeast enough oxygen

I just brewed a pale ale last weekend, and I'm hoping this one tastes right.

I definitely get discouraged but find answers here often, and regain the urge to brew.

I hope it’s the best beer you ever brewed.

I went thru a two nasty beer issue myself and determined it was equipment related. Eliminated the offending equipment and problem solved.

 

[bracconiere]

Just as a word of praise, for the hard luck brewers....I haven't seen one of these posts yet that said "Damn it, it didn't have any alcohol!",

as far as i can tell, being most of the 'bad brewers' say other people like it...i think it might be a lack of self-confidence....which any homebrewer should have in abundance!

I think the big boys are just worried about losing your money! whispering in your ears...

and for a finish, i don't really like rap but this seems fitting...For people that don't like their OWN beer!

 

[supermallard]

I hope it’s the best beer you ever brewed.

I went thru a two nasty beer issue myself and determined it was equipment related. Eliminated the offending equipment and problem solved.

Thanks! I appreciate that. Fingers crossed.

 

[cooper]

One thing that I have started doing a few years ago is making sure I clean my pumps and valves after brewing session. I have always been very diligent in my cleaning and sanitation but early on I wasn’t taking the valves apart and cleaning them so I got a lot of gunk built up in them. I figured they were good since I run pbw and hot water through everything followed by a hot water rinse. Once I started taking things apart and scrubbing them my brews actually improved.

 

[supermallard]

One thing that I have started doing a few years ago is making sure I clean my pumps and valves after brewing session.

This. I know I need to disassemble some valves for sure. I should probably remove my element from my boild kettle and deep clean all of it.

 

[GPP33]

This has come up before. Disassemble valves after EVERY brew day. It’s amazing and nasty how much stuff gets stuck in there.

 

[supermallard]

This has come up before. Disassemble valves after EVERY brew day. It’s amazing and nasty how much stuff gets stuck in there.

Alright I'll add that to the standard cleaning procedure. I'm thinking a deep clean is imminent.

 

[00Seven]

One thing I do to keep from getting frustrated is I always keep one beer that I know I like and is good on tap. I have a double tap setup in my garage and keep a blonde ale or some type of everyone beer or one of my favorites there, then use the other tap for experimentation type stuff. Keeps me from getting frustrated, and always ensures I have beer around, plus it keeps me brewing. I brew almost every 2-3 weeks like clockwork

 

[supermallard]

One thing I do to keep from getting frustrated is I always keep one beer that I know I like and is good on tap. I have a double tap setup in my garage and keep a blonde ale or some type of everyone beer or one of my favorites there, then use the other tap for experimentation type stuff. Keeps me from getting frustrated, and always ensures I have beer around, plus it keeps me brewing. I brew almost every 2-3 weeks like clockwork

Oh I'd love to do this but I have not had a good batch in some time. My AG success rate is quite dismal so far, unfortunately. Hopefully Ive identified my issues.

 

[00Seven]

Oh I'd love to do this but I have not had a good batch in some time. My AG success rate is quite dismal so far, unfortunately. Hopefully Ive identified my issues.

Is it your process or your recipes or what?

Also no shame in doing an extract batch.

 

[supermallard]

Is it your process or your recipes or what?

Also no shame in doing an extract batch.

I'm pretty sure it's mainly my water. I did over 40 extract batches with the same water supply (pre-RO though) and the majority of those batches were really good beer.

I know AG is a different beast, but I've been troubleshooting and attempting to monitor sparge and mash pH, sanitation etc.

I actually did an extract batch about a year ago and it was okay. It was a free stout kit though. My main beers I attempt to make are pales, IPAs, and an occasional hefe.

 

[00Seven]

I'm pretty sure it's mainly my water. I did over 40 extract batches with the same water supply (pre-RO though) and the majority of those batches were really good beer.

I know AG is a different beast, but I've been troubleshooting and attempting to monitor sparge and mash pH, sanitation etc.

I actually did an extract batch about a year ago and it was okay. It was a free stout kit though. My main beers I attempt to make are pales, IPAs, and an occasional hefe.

If you want another set of eyes looking over your process feel free to message me. I'm far from an expert but wouldn't mind helping out if I can.

 

[supermallard]

If you want another set of eyes looking over your process feel free to message me. I'm far from an expert but wouldn't mind helping out if I can.

Oh excellent. I will take you up on that!