trumpetbeard
Well-Known Member
I'm not really a beginner, but I couldn't think of where else to post this. So I recently moved from NY to CT, and I brewed my first batches at my new place in August. The first batch, a hefe, tasted odd. All the flavors of the hefe were there, but it had this strange watery taste. It was like all the flavor was there hidden beneath this odd barrier. I chalked it up to being careless adding an extra half-gallon of top off water (4 --> 4.5 gallons post boil).
The second batch, a low abv. Belgian Golden, has the same issue, only for some reason with that yeast (wyeast flanders golden) it gives it a really bizarre peanuty taste. My volumes were spot on this batch so I ruled out too much top-off water. There was none of great yeast flavor I've gotten the previous 2 times I used this yeast, and almost no hop or malt character.
Basically, my process is identical to my NY, my sanitation is tight (neither batch looks nor tastes infected), and my ingredients were good and relatively fresh (meaning I have no reason to suspect they are the cause). My suspicion is that the water is the culprit here, but I have no comparison because life got real busy in september and I haven't been able to brew.
I guess my question is does anyone know if water is capable of causing these off flavors (a watery, almost selzer like taste), or is there something I'm not considering. There's just such little hop, malt, and yeast flavor in 2 yeast driven beers that I'm honestly confused. Have people had similar experience w/ changes in water? I guess I'm just confused that it happened twice.
My next step is to brew the belgian (one of my standards that usually turns out amazing) using store bought RO water as a control. I'll post the recipes and process below. Thanks in advance, I know this is a lot to read.
Hefe
4 gallons:
6lb white wheat
3lb pils
.8oz vienna
.75 oz Hallertau @ 45 and .25 @ FO
Wy3638
Mash @ 151
Biab, teabag pseudo sparge
3 weeks primary @ 64-66˚
Belgian Golden
5 gallons:
~5 gallons
7.5 lb Belgian pils
.5 Caravienne
.5lb Flaked oats
.5lb Biscuit
1 oz hallertau @ 60
.5 oz perle @ 15
.25 perle @ 5
.25 perle @ FO
Same process, mashed @ 154
8 weeks in primary (work got insane)
2 weeks @ 66˚
6 weeks @ room temp 68-74
The second batch, a low abv. Belgian Golden, has the same issue, only for some reason with that yeast (wyeast flanders golden) it gives it a really bizarre peanuty taste. My volumes were spot on this batch so I ruled out too much top-off water. There was none of great yeast flavor I've gotten the previous 2 times I used this yeast, and almost no hop or malt character.
Basically, my process is identical to my NY, my sanitation is tight (neither batch looks nor tastes infected), and my ingredients were good and relatively fresh (meaning I have no reason to suspect they are the cause). My suspicion is that the water is the culprit here, but I have no comparison because life got real busy in september and I haven't been able to brew.
I guess my question is does anyone know if water is capable of causing these off flavors (a watery, almost selzer like taste), or is there something I'm not considering. There's just such little hop, malt, and yeast flavor in 2 yeast driven beers that I'm honestly confused. Have people had similar experience w/ changes in water? I guess I'm just confused that it happened twice.
My next step is to brew the belgian (one of my standards that usually turns out amazing) using store bought RO water as a control. I'll post the recipes and process below. Thanks in advance, I know this is a lot to read.
Hefe
4 gallons:
6lb white wheat
3lb pils
.8oz vienna
.75 oz Hallertau @ 45 and .25 @ FO
Wy3638
Mash @ 151
Biab, teabag pseudo sparge
3 weeks primary @ 64-66˚
Belgian Golden
5 gallons:
~5 gallons
7.5 lb Belgian pils
.5 Caravienne
.5lb Flaked oats
.5lb Biscuit
1 oz hallertau @ 60
.5 oz perle @ 15
.25 perle @ 5
.25 perle @ FO
Same process, mashed @ 154
8 weeks in primary (work got insane)
2 weeks @ 66˚
6 weeks @ room temp 68-74