I wonder if you're brewing styles that you don't really like. Hoppy IPA'a if you don't really like hops, you just think you do? I've discovered that I like more balanced beers much better than the hop bombs I thought I liked.
I wonder if you're brewing styles that you don't really like. Hoppy IPA'a if you don't really like hops, you just think you do? I've discovered that I like more balanced beers much better than the hop bombs I thought I liked.
I wonder if you're brewing styles that you don't really like. Hoppy IPA'a if you don't really like hops, you just think you do? I've discovered that I like more balanced beers much better than the hop bombs I thought I liked.
The beers I like the most (stouts and porters) typically turn out the worst.
I'm still pretty new at this so take with a grain of salt, but that sounds to me like either a PH or a water issue.
Your process through fermentation sounds fine.
One more thing to rule out...try bottling a six pack and do a blind taste test with your kegged beer to rule out an issue with your keg setup.
I also wonder if you are overdoing the water treatment. Have you had the problem since you started doing RO with treatment, or were you having the problem before?
The beers I like the most (stouts and porters) typically turn out the worst.
I'm still pretty new at this so take with a grain of salt, but that sounds to me like either a PH or a water issue.
Maybe PH, but I wouldn't think water would be the issue. I've purchased all of my water(spring) up until 5 batches or so ago. I've tasted the water on every batch and it tastes great.
Here's why I'm suspicious of it: since the problem (taste) is more pronounced in stouts and porters, and we know that water plays a big role in how such beers turn out, and that water composition should differ by type of beer produced, it suggests to me that water is related to this problem.
You say you're using BrunWater to determine additions, but the one thing you haven't shown us is how you're amending your water, and how you're doing it differently for a stout or porter than a light ale.
So--you're using RO and adding salts and such to it. How, exactly, are you doing that, and what are you adding? Do you ever test PH? How is your sparge water different (or the same) as your strike water?
For a stout I calculate for a PH for 5.5 and a 5.3 for an IPA. My last failure is here https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=359746
I'd be a bit worried that it's oxidation... Anywhere in your process that might sneak in?
Do you use much American crystal malt in those darker beers that don't turn out well? I'm not a big fan of the taste of American stuff. It took me many years and many batches to figure this out. Now I avoid the stuff when possible.
Otherwise, could you be tasting astringency from the tannins in the darker malts and even some in the lighter malts? You said you use bru'n water so I'm assuming that you are acidifying your sparge water below 6.0, right?
Maybe, but I'm not sure where? That's partially the reason why I don't use a secondary.
I'd be a bit worried that it's oxidation... Anywhere in your process that might sneak in?
Without knowing your process, its hard to say what is going wrong. For me the biggest difference came when I was able to control fermentation temperature. How are you doing that out of.curiosity?
I would trying picking a recipe, maybe a clone of a favorite commercial beer, and brew it a couple times, until it's good. I think it's a good suggestion to find someone knowledgeable to taste your beer--either homebrew club, HB shop employee or owner, local brewpub brewer.
"Alcoholic" and "dry" would seem to indicate wild yeast infection, assuming you're not mashing too low or adding sugar. Is it "phenolic" as well? (plastic-y or band-aid)? If this is the case, it's probably in the kegging setup--are you able to pump cleaning solution through the dip tube?
Sulfury--usually a yeast characteristic, unless it's DMS. Are you boiling pretty good, with the lid off?
Stale would indicate oxidation--are you purging the headspace a couple times after adding beer, before carbonating?
Are you using a racking cane when transferring to the keg or bottling bucket? Are all the seals and connections tight so air isn't being introduced?
If you have a bottle or 2 available I work in Lansing and would be happy to try them.
One thing I noticed is the amount of Starsan at 1/4 teaspoon in a quart. The proper dilution is one ounce in 5 gallons...... I would say the concentration is too acidic without doing the calculations.
Enter your email address to join: