runningweird
Well-Known Member
So, I have had several batches - far more than I would like to admit - turn out badly. I mean undrinkable because of a bandaid like medicinal quality that kills any hop aroma or bitterness. These beers finish sweet even if they are at desired FG. These beers all taste the same - even when they are fermented at different temps or with different yeast. Even giant hop bombs that should be close to 100 IBU taste sweet and malty even with mash temps in the low 150 148 range.
I grind my grain in the garage - so I started doing so outside. Still not better.
I replaced all my fermenters and bleached the crap out of my fermentation freezer. still no fix.
I started trying to fix this by bleaching/vinegaring my carboys and replacing all plastic parts/hoses. I got a good batch here and there and continued to be frustrated. I thought it might be my plate chiller - I recirculate boiling wort through it for at least 15 minutes every boil and clean it out afterwards - I even started baking it. Still no 100% fix.
I am drinking a big double stout that turned out great, but in the tap next to it is a maibock that tastes like absolute sh^t. I have about a 30 percent success rate and this is simply unacceptable.
I was so convinced I had an infection- But I then started looking at my water.
I have a cistern which is usually full of nice clean rain water but at times is filled with water we get from the local water supplier - which happens to use chloramines. I believe that while my water tastes fine it is ruining my beer - and today I brewed a batch of Cascade Munich smash to prove that idea.
I added camden powder to my mash, sparge, and any water that touched my equipment. I starsan sprayed and covered in foam everything in my garage. The plate chiller was heated in the oven at 350 degrees earlier this morning and then had boiling wort recirculated through it for at least 30 minutes.
It is in the fermentation chamber now - I will give it a week and then if FG is there and everything has cleared out I will taste it and rack to keg. If it doesn't taste like problem beer I will rejoice and do my happy dance. If it doesn't work I will be buying some spring water and trying to brew at a friends house to see if the problem is environmental.
I make a lot of skeeter pee/lemon wine. I use the same fermentation vessels that I do for beer. I assume that if these batches are turning out fine that the chloramine in the water is interacting with the grain and making bad things happen.
I am slightly tipsy on this stout and am rambling so I will check back in when I keg/dump this batch
I grind my grain in the garage - so I started doing so outside. Still not better.
I replaced all my fermenters and bleached the crap out of my fermentation freezer. still no fix.
I started trying to fix this by bleaching/vinegaring my carboys and replacing all plastic parts/hoses. I got a good batch here and there and continued to be frustrated. I thought it might be my plate chiller - I recirculate boiling wort through it for at least 15 minutes every boil and clean it out afterwards - I even started baking it. Still no 100% fix.
I am drinking a big double stout that turned out great, but in the tap next to it is a maibock that tastes like absolute sh^t. I have about a 30 percent success rate and this is simply unacceptable.
I was so convinced I had an infection- But I then started looking at my water.
I have a cistern which is usually full of nice clean rain water but at times is filled with water we get from the local water supplier - which happens to use chloramines. I believe that while my water tastes fine it is ruining my beer - and today I brewed a batch of Cascade Munich smash to prove that idea.
I added camden powder to my mash, sparge, and any water that touched my equipment. I starsan sprayed and covered in foam everything in my garage. The plate chiller was heated in the oven at 350 degrees earlier this morning and then had boiling wort recirculated through it for at least 30 minutes.
It is in the fermentation chamber now - I will give it a week and then if FG is there and everything has cleared out I will taste it and rack to keg. If it doesn't taste like problem beer I will rejoice and do my happy dance. If it doesn't work I will be buying some spring water and trying to brew at a friends house to see if the problem is environmental.
I make a lot of skeeter pee/lemon wine. I use the same fermentation vessels that I do for beer. I assume that if these batches are turning out fine that the chloramine in the water is interacting with the grain and making bad things happen.
I am slightly tipsy on this stout and am rambling so I will check back in when I keg/dump this batch