Bandaid taste

[csiewert]

I have brewed and bottled a couple batches at this point, one bavarian hefe and one APA. Both batches have some sort of bandaid type taste that kinda ruins the experience when you drink it. It's not incredibly strong, but it is noticeable. The beer has been tasted during bottling and every week since (out to 4 weeks so far). I am thinking that I had some wild yeast get into the wort while it was cooling? I don't have a ton of gear so I generally just put the boil pot into a ice bath to cool it down, which can take some time. I have been leaving it uncovered to help expedite the cooling process, perhaps this is allowing some unwanted stuff to get in? Let me know if I am guessing right or if this is a completely different problem.

Thanks!

 

[hamiltont]

Are you using chlorinated water by chance? Cheers!!!

 

[troub]

Yeah, a band-aid flavor is usually attributed to chorinated water or incomplete rinsing of equipment sanitized with bleach. Edit to add: I recently had a store-bought craft brew that had this flavor -- I have no idea how something like that could go to market, it was really bad.

 

[csiewert]

Are you using chlorinated water by chance? Cheers!!!

I haven't officially tested it, but I have never noticed a whole lot of chlorine before... I run it through a Pur water filter first as well... don't know if that would help it at all.

 

[AlphaKing11]

alot of people buy campden tablets that rid the water of the chlorine. just let the water sit with a tablet over night in a fermenter or boiling pot before use. That may be overkill, I may have read that it takes 15-30 minutes, check the directions.

 

[hamiltont]

I'm assuming you're doing extracts. If not, ignore this. Try using Reverse Osmosis (RO) water from your local store for your next brew and see if that makes a difference. We're only talking a couple bucks at most. Cheers!!!

 

[csiewert]

I'm assuming you're doing extracts. If not, ignore this. Try using Reverse Osmosis (RO) water from your local store for your next brew and see if that makes a difference. We're only talking a couple bucks at most. Cheers!!!

+1 Good idea... I will definitely try finding some for my next brew.

Thanks!

 

[csiewert]

Clarification... forgot to mention that all the water added to the wort to bring to 5 gal is bottled spring water bought from the store... don't know if that clears things up or not. The water used for boil is tap water ran through a Pur filter.

 

[brew2enjoy]

Do you use Iodopher sanitizer? If you use the incorrect amount it can leave a "bandaid" taste.

 

[gio]

Pur filters are activated carbon filters. If they are old or have had a lot of contaminated water run through them then the carbon might have reached its limit as to how much contaminants it can absorb and it could actually be releasing them back into your water. Also, spring water can have way more chemicals in it than tap water. The regulations for bottled water aren't as strict.

 

[Hockeyhunter99]

check out this site. it has helped me and others on here.

http://www.homebrewzone.com/off-flavors.htm

they mention bandaid flavors on there.