darylwoodman
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2014
- Messages
- 57
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Hello,
So I am new to brewing and I have gone full bore and made the whole kit and kaboodle (sp)--I made a temperature controlled freezer (set at 64 +-3F), electric HLT, brew stand, all stainless parts. My first brew was extract, my second, third and forth were all-grain. All of these beers have a distinct "homebrew taste". It's almost like an caramelized, burnt syrupy taste on the tongue as an aftertaste (maybe it's a heavy honey maltiness)--it's hard to describe.
So the first extract kit was the worst-offender. My first all-grain followed as the next worst offender. My recipe had some Munich malt in it and so I figured it was that.
So I tried to brew the Stone IPA recipe posted online. This time I used 1/4 Campden tablet for the HLT (5G 'ish) water, as well as my sparge (5G 'ish) water. I added some Gypsum too (after getting my towns water profile). Brew day went well. I fermented with different yeasts. The first one--the kit, I used the dry yeast. The second brew, I used San Diego super yeast, the third and forth, I used Wyeast 1968 ESB yeast. I used two Smack packs on the IPA clone, so I doubt it's too few cells. The forth I washed the 1968 yeast, grew a starter (stir plate), and used that (I haven't tried it yet, it was only bottled two days ago).
Here is what I can tell you. At the end of primary and secondary after dry hopping, these beers were so good. Slightly sweet, complex and hoppy-very very smotth. However, after bottling for 2-3 weeks, this darn flavor appears again. It's not horrible, but its a common flavor in all my beers so far, and it makes it taste "home-brewed". As for sanitary conditions, I'm a microbiologist and a sterilization consultant. My job is sterility, and so I pretty convinced it's not an infection.
One point about the flavor only appearing after bottling. I am using previously used bottles, but I soaking them in C-brite to remove the labels. Them I rinse them and place them in the dishwasher. I allow them to go through a heat dry cycle. I remove them and store them in boxes face down and covered to prevent dust falling in them, and just prior to using them I rinse them with StarSan and pass the solution to the next bottle.
This flavor might only appear once cold? OR is it the bottling process.
As for fermentation times--I'm typically running primary for about 7-10 days (3-4 days pass krausen falling out) and when the gravity is stationary. Most of my beers have started at 1.062-1.064 'ish and gone down to about 1.011-1.013. I ferment at 64+-3F. I am using priming sugar from a homebrew store for carbonation.
Maybe the flavor is how homebrew tastes, maybe is desirable--I think it's a common flavor that stops my brews having a professional and unique taste. I'm not using the same grain, I get it fresh every time--mostly plain 2 row malt. My LHBS mills the grain. I've used 9 or so different hops in the brews so far--nothing really funky. I used Crystal Malt too--usually not too much. The stone IPA had 3/4lb 10L in a 13lb grain bill.
I'm at a loss. I'm thinking of taking some brews to my LHBS to see what they think. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advance.
So I am new to brewing and I have gone full bore and made the whole kit and kaboodle (sp)--I made a temperature controlled freezer (set at 64 +-3F), electric HLT, brew stand, all stainless parts. My first brew was extract, my second, third and forth were all-grain. All of these beers have a distinct "homebrew taste". It's almost like an caramelized, burnt syrupy taste on the tongue as an aftertaste (maybe it's a heavy honey maltiness)--it's hard to describe.
So the first extract kit was the worst-offender. My first all-grain followed as the next worst offender. My recipe had some Munich malt in it and so I figured it was that.
So I tried to brew the Stone IPA recipe posted online. This time I used 1/4 Campden tablet for the HLT (5G 'ish) water, as well as my sparge (5G 'ish) water. I added some Gypsum too (after getting my towns water profile). Brew day went well. I fermented with different yeasts. The first one--the kit, I used the dry yeast. The second brew, I used San Diego super yeast, the third and forth, I used Wyeast 1968 ESB yeast. I used two Smack packs on the IPA clone, so I doubt it's too few cells. The forth I washed the 1968 yeast, grew a starter (stir plate), and used that (I haven't tried it yet, it was only bottled two days ago).
Here is what I can tell you. At the end of primary and secondary after dry hopping, these beers were so good. Slightly sweet, complex and hoppy-very very smotth. However, after bottling for 2-3 weeks, this darn flavor appears again. It's not horrible, but its a common flavor in all my beers so far, and it makes it taste "home-brewed". As for sanitary conditions, I'm a microbiologist and a sterilization consultant. My job is sterility, and so I pretty convinced it's not an infection.
One point about the flavor only appearing after bottling. I am using previously used bottles, but I soaking them in C-brite to remove the labels. Them I rinse them and place them in the dishwasher. I allow them to go through a heat dry cycle. I remove them and store them in boxes face down and covered to prevent dust falling in them, and just prior to using them I rinse them with StarSan and pass the solution to the next bottle.
This flavor might only appear once cold? OR is it the bottling process.
As for fermentation times--I'm typically running primary for about 7-10 days (3-4 days pass krausen falling out) and when the gravity is stationary. Most of my beers have started at 1.062-1.064 'ish and gone down to about 1.011-1.013. I ferment at 64+-3F. I am using priming sugar from a homebrew store for carbonation.
Maybe the flavor is how homebrew tastes, maybe is desirable--I think it's a common flavor that stops my brews having a professional and unique taste. I'm not using the same grain, I get it fresh every time--mostly plain 2 row malt. My LHBS mills the grain. I've used 9 or so different hops in the brews so far--nothing really funky. I used Crystal Malt too--usually not too much. The stone IPA had 3/4lb 10L in a 13lb grain bill.
I'm at a loss. I'm thinking of taking some brews to my LHBS to see what they think. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you in advance.