I'm so happy, thanks you all.....

[paulshe]

So I had an intermittent problem causing some real bad bad batches. After reading up a bit I had assumed it was related to yeast temp causing the dreaded band aid flavors. I never felt perfectly good with this explanation since I have good temp control. Also, the appearance of this flavor seemed slightly random and happened across a different types of yeasts.

So I have since not had that problem until recently a very slight taste of this in a recent lighter beer. Then I remember I had to add about 1 gallon extra top up water before boil. Of course this water was not heated with the mash or boiled. I then remember that when i had the problem on successive batches and in a group I was experimenting with sparging with cold water.....

And so, I'm convinced, at least mostly unless any experts tell me I'm wrong, that the problem is due to chlorine. I'm assuming using a gallon of non-boiled water out of 6.5 gallons could/would cause some badness.

I know do full volume mashes so this should not be a problem for me but I figured I'd share in case others may run into this....

If I'm wrong here then I take back my thanking the group but I came to this conclusion from my various perusal of threads.

 

[z-bob]

Glad you found it, and glad the group helped. Boiling might not be enough; or it might be enough now, then your water company switches from chlorine to chloramine and you're back to square one.

Try adding Campden tablets (off the top of my head I think half a tablet is plenty for 6.5 gallons, but look it up), or K-meta (that just takes a pinch), or a crushed Vitamin C tablet. Any of those will remove chlorine and chloramine, and would also let you quickly treat any top-up water you need unexpectedly.



Edit: the more I think about it, boiling maybe does remove chloramine. The chlorine and ammonia should disassociate and boil-off. But Campden or K-Meta are still better; you don't have to boil them, by the time they are dissolved the chlorine in whatever form is converted to chloride.

 

[doug293cz]

Yup, Campden (potassium or sodium metabisulfite) is cheap insurance against bandaid flavors due to chlorophenols (from chlorine or chloramine in your water.) Couple hundred milligrams per 5 gal is all it takes. And you never have to worry again.

Brew on