So, I brewed a pumpkin* spice ale last month that did not go so well.1.050 starting gravity.
The problem is, as that is batch #5, i'm still changing a lot of things each batch trying to get my process down. I think batch #6 went a lot better, but haven't bottled yet
Variables this time around:
- This was the first time I used filtered (PUR) tap water instead of buying the jugs from the store.
- Bought a cooler so i can put my bucket fermenter in surrounded by water bath with ice to get fermentation temps down (August was hot).
- Poor attenuation led me to poke at it.
- Filling the plastic bucket 24 hours pre brewing with mild bleach solution to really make sure the bucket gets cleaned.
So, the first glitch was a OG of 1.053 and a FG of 1.023. A vigorous 2-3 day fermentation and then it completely crashed to zero bubbles. After reading around here, I'm blaming aereation.. thinking something about switching to the filtered tap water instead of jug water for the top off water didn't match the the level of effort I put into aereation for batches 1-4. Maybe less oxygenated to start with from the tap?
Anyway so I have this high FG 1.023, went ahead and bottled it. Been 3 weeks in bottle now, so cracked a few open to see what the end result is. It's actually pretty tasty *except* for a very plasticy aftertaste (like PVC, not like bandaid).
So, questions / hypothesis:
1) Are the two things related? poor aereation and the plastic taste? If so, I'd be happy because then there's just one problem
2) could spending too long with the bleach solution start leaching plasticy ness out of the bucket? using 3 capfulls of bleach per the 5 gallons.. maybe I'm destroying the bucket
3) could it be the PUR water filter may have left something behind that I'm not accounting for when switching water sources?
4) wild yeast more likely?
5) how about the spices.. ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg .. could i have overdone one of these and it takes on some sinister plastic smell?
6) will this go away? Overall tastes pretty good.. just the finish has plastic-ness.
*does not contain pumpkin
The problem is, as that is batch #5, i'm still changing a lot of things each batch trying to get my process down. I think batch #6 went a lot better, but haven't bottled yet
Variables this time around:
- This was the first time I used filtered (PUR) tap water instead of buying the jugs from the store.
- Bought a cooler so i can put my bucket fermenter in surrounded by water bath with ice to get fermentation temps down (August was hot).
- Poor attenuation led me to poke at it.
- Filling the plastic bucket 24 hours pre brewing with mild bleach solution to really make sure the bucket gets cleaned.
So, the first glitch was a OG of 1.053 and a FG of 1.023. A vigorous 2-3 day fermentation and then it completely crashed to zero bubbles. After reading around here, I'm blaming aereation.. thinking something about switching to the filtered tap water instead of jug water for the top off water didn't match the the level of effort I put into aereation for batches 1-4. Maybe less oxygenated to start with from the tap?
Anyway so I have this high FG 1.023, went ahead and bottled it. Been 3 weeks in bottle now, so cracked a few open to see what the end result is. It's actually pretty tasty *except* for a very plasticy aftertaste (like PVC, not like bandaid).
So, questions / hypothesis:
1) Are the two things related? poor aereation and the plastic taste? If so, I'd be happy because then there's just one problem
2) could spending too long with the bleach solution start leaching plasticy ness out of the bucket? using 3 capfulls of bleach per the 5 gallons.. maybe I'm destroying the bucket
3) could it be the PUR water filter may have left something behind that I'm not accounting for when switching water sources?
4) wild yeast more likely?
5) how about the spices.. ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg .. could i have overdone one of these and it takes on some sinister plastic smell?
6) will this go away? Overall tastes pretty good.. just the finish has plastic-ness.
*does not contain pumpkin