New Here - Flavor Questions

[dan_rouse]

I've been lurking for quite a while, and gaining lots of knowledge from everyone here. I've tried to answer my own questions prior to starting this post, but feel like I need more opinions to make sure I'm on track.

I dove in with an all grain system after learning to brew on somebody's test batch system (Sabco Brew Magic). So stainless keggles are all I know.

I have a couple of lighter beers that I have flavor questions about. One is a tripel, the other a NW pale. Both of these I made prior to studying about water chemistry. Both have warm, rounded tones, rather than the clean, crisp flavors I was after. The tripel I was attempting to clone is Dulle Teve. The pale is Red Chair by Deschutes.

I mashed way too high for the tripel, I think (158), so there's some residual sweetness and body issues that aren't helping, but that's different. The Red Chair was mashed at 151.

I don't have recipes in front of me, but while the hopping schedule is radically different for these two styles, the off-flavor I have is the same. It's a rounded off, warm tone that doesn't let any of the hop aroma and taste shine through. The red chair was even dry-hopped in the keg as a last resort to try and add something.

Attached is my water report. I made no adjustments to the water in either brew.

I'm looking for advice on how to properly amend my water specifically to bring the hop character to life.

Thanks.



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[dan_rouse]

Not sure where that emoticon came from on my first mash temp. It said 158 when I typed it.

 

[BobC]

I could go into a long post on your water but instead I'll post a link for you.

http://beersmith.com/blog/2008/08/24/brewing-water-hard-or-soft/

With out the recipes and knowing how you brewed them it's to hard to tell whether it is your water or the recipe.

 

[chumpsteak]

Your water is pretty soft and a very good starting point for most brew styles except for maybe the lightest lagers. You might even have to add a little alkalinity to brew anything with very much roasted in it.

The beers you've made so far are both fairly light in character and color though, so even though your water is soft you may still be a little high in the pH range for the mash and that may be why your beers don't have enough pop for you. Your sulphate is also fairly low and increasing that through the addition of gypsum may help bring up the bitterness profile and hop character.

I would suggest you continue to read about water chemistry and read AJ's water primer in the brew science forum. You'll want to invest in a pH meter or at least some pH strips so you can have some idea of what your mash pH is.

 

[dan_rouse]

Your water is pretty soft and a very good starting point for most brew styles except for maybe the lightest lagers. You might even have to add a little alkalinity to brew anything with very much roasted in it.

The beers you've made so far are both fairly light in character and color though, so even though your water is soft you may still be a little high in the pH range for the mash and that may be why your beers don't have enough pop for you. Your sulphate is also fairly low and increasing that through the addition of gypsum may help bring up the bitterness profile and hop character.

I would suggest you continue to read about water chemistry and read AJ's water primer in the brew science forum. You'll want to invest in a pH meter or at least some pH strips so you can have some idea of what your mash pH is.

Thanks. Very helpful.

I'd like to go the pH meter route for higher accuracy. Any suggestions on brands/models?