Floydmeister
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- Aug 12, 2016
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So a few months ago I had a nasty phenol flavor show up in all of my beers. I switched to RO water and got new fermenters and for awhile there it was gone.. but now it's back and it's in everything. The smell when I remove the lid of the fermenter is just "plastic" and thats the general overall flavor other than the first intial taste. So I have some questions because what I've researched and what I'm experiencing doesn't seem to add up.
There are three possible causes that I know of:
1. Chlorophenol
This is what I was pretty sure my problem was. I've switched to using store bought RO water form a dispenser. I use this water for everything. My sanitizer is mixed with it and my brewing water is 100% RO every time with just basic minerals added as per the water chemistry primer thread. I've also started to use campden tablets just as a "hey why the hell not" measure. If chlorine/chloromine is still causing this somehow, I give up.
2. Leftover Cleaning Product
My cleaning/sanitizing process for fermenters is pretty simple. Once I rack it out of primary for packaging I rinse out my PET carboys as best as I can, and then fill them with really hot water and PBW. I let them soak in this mixture overnight and then dump it out the next day. I then rinse them as best as I can and fill them about 1/10th full of RO/Sanitizer solution, cap it off, and give it a good shake. During brew day I continue to occasionally shake it to get sanitizer everywhere and then dump it out right before I fill it up with wort. From what I've read, StarSan shouldn't cause any off flavor. I also haven't heard of any off flavors from a PBW soak.
3. Infection
Aren't infections sour? I love sour beers and none of my beers are sour. This is closest to the taste of a brett beer if anything, but those guys let brett sit for a year before they get any of that funky flavor and mine are overwhelmingly phenol after two weeks, while still in primary.
I do use pure o2 on these beers. But I got this flavor way before I started using o2. Guys at my local homebrew club are of absolutely no help so far. The beer that I brought in I was told 'something happened during fermentation'. This happens on beers where I make a starter using liquid yeast or when I pitch multiple or single dry packs. I've also got fermentation temperature in check. I've been doing a week in the 60's for ales, with a 10* bump after a week/when it slows and a cold crash a few days after that.
If it's an infection, how the heck is it popping up in only two weeks? How do I eradicate it? If it's airborne, can you eradicate it from the brewery?
I'm at a complete loss here. Nothing is making any sense. Thanks for any help.
There are three possible causes that I know of:
1. Chlorophenol
This is what I was pretty sure my problem was. I've switched to using store bought RO water form a dispenser. I use this water for everything. My sanitizer is mixed with it and my brewing water is 100% RO every time with just basic minerals added as per the water chemistry primer thread. I've also started to use campden tablets just as a "hey why the hell not" measure. If chlorine/chloromine is still causing this somehow, I give up.
2. Leftover Cleaning Product
My cleaning/sanitizing process for fermenters is pretty simple. Once I rack it out of primary for packaging I rinse out my PET carboys as best as I can, and then fill them with really hot water and PBW. I let them soak in this mixture overnight and then dump it out the next day. I then rinse them as best as I can and fill them about 1/10th full of RO/Sanitizer solution, cap it off, and give it a good shake. During brew day I continue to occasionally shake it to get sanitizer everywhere and then dump it out right before I fill it up with wort. From what I've read, StarSan shouldn't cause any off flavor. I also haven't heard of any off flavors from a PBW soak.
3. Infection
Aren't infections sour? I love sour beers and none of my beers are sour. This is closest to the taste of a brett beer if anything, but those guys let brett sit for a year before they get any of that funky flavor and mine are overwhelmingly phenol after two weeks, while still in primary.
I do use pure o2 on these beers. But I got this flavor way before I started using o2. Guys at my local homebrew club are of absolutely no help so far. The beer that I brought in I was told 'something happened during fermentation'. This happens on beers where I make a starter using liquid yeast or when I pitch multiple or single dry packs. I've also got fermentation temperature in check. I've been doing a week in the 60's for ales, with a 10* bump after a week/when it slows and a cold crash a few days after that.
If it's an infection, how the heck is it popping up in only two weeks? How do I eradicate it? If it's airborne, can you eradicate it from the brewery?
I'm at a complete loss here. Nothing is making any sense. Thanks for any help.