I'm not sure what is going wrong with my brews lately. I recently made the switch from extract/partial extract to all grain/biab. I have done one all grain 5 gallon batch of pumpkin (turned out just ok) and 2 batches of biab (both failed, see below).
The biab batches were a 3 gallon and a 2.5 gallon batch respectively. The first was an oatmeal stout that has a very tart flavor and tastes more like tea than beer (it also didn't carbonate well). The second batch was, call it a mild, left over grain from other brews and is very much like tea (also very little carbonation). My efficiency was very bad on both brews, in the 50%-60% range. I used carbonation tablets on the second batch.
My grains were double crushed at my homebrew store, mash temps were good, mashed for 60 minutes, and at least on the first batch I hit my OG. Both brews got down to the projected FG as well with Safale US-05.
I did not do anything special with my water though, as I never had before so didn't think it necessary. I am on well water if that helps but I do not know my chemistry.
I have another brew that I really want to make as biab 2.5 gallons (the method I'd like to focus on moving forward) but don't want to mess this one up and have 4 batches in a row of blah beer.
If anyone has some thoughts or suggestions I'd really appreciate it. I'll try to answer or add any info I can as needed.
Thanks in advance.
The biab batches were a 3 gallon and a 2.5 gallon batch respectively. The first was an oatmeal stout that has a very tart flavor and tastes more like tea than beer (it also didn't carbonate well). The second batch was, call it a mild, left over grain from other brews and is very much like tea (also very little carbonation). My efficiency was very bad on both brews, in the 50%-60% range. I used carbonation tablets on the second batch.
My grains were double crushed at my homebrew store, mash temps were good, mashed for 60 minutes, and at least on the first batch I hit my OG. Both brews got down to the projected FG as well with Safale US-05.
I did not do anything special with my water though, as I never had before so didn't think it necessary. I am on well water if that helps but I do not know my chemistry.
I have another brew that I really want to make as biab 2.5 gallons (the method I'd like to focus on moving forward) but don't want to mess this one up and have 4 batches in a row of blah beer.
If anyone has some thoughts or suggestions I'd really appreciate it. I'll try to answer or add any info I can as needed.
Thanks in advance.