Ask me anything!

[drainbamage]

How are the oils in hops beneficial to head retention, but oils from other sources (nuts, chocolate, skin contact) are considered detrimental?

 

[BGBC]

I think it's the alpha acids from hops that aid in head retention.

 

[Jhubbard9]

I have a question. So every time I try to make an IPA my hop bitterness has the same tingent taste. I can get awesome aroma from my aroma hops and dry hops but my bitterness qualities always come out tasting the same. I dont know why I can't get complexity from my hops. I'm thinking it might be my water but obviously my boil is wrong. Also does anyone have any good advice for water curing. I'm looking for a cheapish way to get better water profiles for my beer. Let me know!

 

[Yooper]

I have a question. So every time I try to make an IPA my hop bitterness has the same tingent taste. I can get awesome aroma from my aroma hops and dry hops but my bitterness qualities always come out tasting the same. I dont know why I can't get complexity from my hops. I'm thinking it might be my water but obviously my boil is wrong. Also does anyone have any good advice for water curing. I'm looking for a cheapish way to get better water profiles for my beer. Let me know!

Water does sound like the biggest culprit here. I'd suggest trying one batch with 100% RO water bought from those big "water machines" at the grocery store, and adding some gypsum to it.

If you're not checking mash pH or doing anything to your water, often that is the cause of a beer that is ok or even quite good, but not great.

A mash pH of 5.4, sulfate in the 150-250 ppm range, and a nice "clean" ale yeast should make all the difference.

 

[Jhubbard9]

Water does sound like the biggest culprit here. I'd suggest trying one batch with 100% RO water bought from those big "water machines" at the grocery store, and adding some gypsum to it.

If you're not checking mash pH or doing anything to your water, often that is the cause of a beer that is ok or even quite good, but not great.

A mash pH of 5.4, sulfate in the 150-250 ppm range, and a nice "clean" ale yeast should make all the difference.

Do I just need gypsum or would a yeast nutrient also help? I mean the beer is decent but its not where I want it and I think starting to brew with RO would help I just dont know what to add to make it have enough nuitrients for what I need.

 

[Yooper]

Do I just need gypsum or would a yeast nutrient also help? I mean the beer is decent but its not where I want it and I think starting to brew with RO would help I just dont know what to add to make it have enough nuitrients for what I need.

Gypsum is all you need for an IPA as far as minerals go with RO water, but you may need some acid malt or lactic acid to get the pH in the proper range as well.

 

[Jhubbard9]

I have some lactic acid for pH balance but I'll have to buy some gypsum and you can just go to Walmart and pick up RO water?

 

[Jhubbard9]

Also if anyone has any good advice on RO water and Ph balance let me know! I'm looking at getting into more of the water chemistry of things and would like to know of some water profiles for different brews and also how to measure proper ppm within a solution. Any help would be awesome!

 

[jbb3]

Also if anyone has any good advice on RO water and Ph balance let me know! I'm looking at getting into more of the water chemistry of things and would like to know of some water profiles for different brews and also how to measure proper ppm within a solution. Any help would be awesome!

Then I would suggest you post your question in the Brew Science forum.

If for no other reason then to distance yourself from this posting...