Burping up Bandaids!

[WhiskeySix]

I brewed my second batch, a NB Honey Kolsch extract beer. 6 days in the primary. 3 weeks in the secondary and 3 weeks in the bottle so far. 1.046 OG, 1.010 FG. Primary temp between 62* and 68*. I dry hopped an oz of Saaz for the first 5 days in the secondary. I used bottled spring water.

I tried one last night and while it wasn't bad there is a definite bandaid taste and burp. Good carbonation but no head retention. Tasted crisp with no honey taste at all. But a very noticeable plastic/bandaid taste. At two weeks the plastic taste wasn't there but is at three weeks.

I had high hopes for this one. I have an AHS Double Chocolate Stout in the secondary now. I sure hope it turns out good. My first batch was a BB Cream ale. It turned out good. Creamy head with great lacing. It's all gone and the Kolsch was next to drink.

 

[TipsyDragon]

well the bandaid taste typically comes from chlorine or chloramade in the brew water. did you clean with bleach? that will do it too.

plastic tastes typically come from the use of non-food grade plastic (buckets, hoses, spoons).

as far as the head retention goes that may just be a problem with your glass itself. some soaps will leave an invisible layer on the inside of the glass that kills head retention. also if someone used it for something other than beer can also cause this problem for the same reason. the recipe and AA content can also affect head retention.

 

[WhiskeySix]

No bleach. Oxyclean and Starsan only. Primary and secondary both in Better Bottles.

I'm thinking wild yeast or some other infection producing Phenols. If so this will only taste worse as time goes on.

 

[Toga]

I know this may sound like a horrible thing to ask but did you taste the batch spring water you used? I have purchased "spring" water from walmart and other places before that tasted like bandaids. If it is not that and not an infection of sorts it may sort its self out with enough age. I have a batch I bottled the first week of January that just now has lost the bandaid flavor.

 

[WhiskeySix]

I bought two 2 1/2 gal jugs and two 1 gal jugs. All were Ozarka Spring water. I drank one of the gallon jugs and it was good.

I have Dave Miller's Homebrewing Guide. It says that wild yeast will give a phenolic or medicinal flavor. Described as "smelling like a bandage". It also says that they will continue to pump out by-products after bottling or kegging. Making a beer that tasted OK at one or two weeks undrinkable at three or four.

This is only my second batch. Kinda discouraging.

 

[iron_city_ap]

I ran into a similar issue with my 3rd batch. Ended up pitching the whole thing. It got bad then it got worse, then in got really nasty..... It was discouraging and I was extremely nervous for the next couple batches, but so far its the only time I've had an issue. Watch, I just jinxed myself.

 

[Yooper]

What kind of yeast did you use, and how big of a starter? It might be a long shot, but there are some yeast strains that are notably phenolic when stressed.

 

[Weezknight]

My ESB had the band-aid/plastic taste going on. I traced it to my tap water. It was the ONLY batch I had ever made with tap water, which I later found out is riddled with Chlorine! I usually buy bottled water. It is very possible that the the water you bought contained some level of Chlorine in it.

 

[WhiskeySix]

What kind of yeast did you use, and how big of a starter? It might be a long shot, but there are some yeast strains that are notably phenolic when stressed.

It was Wyeast 2565 Kolsch. I just dumped the fully inflated smack pack in. I had really vigorous (and stinky) fermentation. Probably 10 to 12 hours lag time.

On my third batch I made a 1 1/2 liter starter. Will do that from now on.

 

[althalos]

I'll have to agree with everyone else and say chlorine. However, stupid me didn't clean his bottles properly and was saddled with this problem for nigh 6 months before I discovered the problem, which was probably wild yeast. It's only your second batch; don't get discouraged. Give everything a good cleaning and I think it might solve your problem. I recommend Powdered Brewery Wash, that %$&# works like gangbusters!

 

[kfox527]

I had a similar problem with a British IPA I made a few months ago. The bad burp taste has mellowed a lot since I first tried it. Some less sensitive folks can't taste it. I would stick it in a corner for a month or two and then try it again. If at that point it's undrinkable then I guess you could toss it.

 

[KevinW]

Being the noob that I am, I would ask if the 6 days in the primary fermenter could have a hand in the "off taste"?

I am a big fan of 3 weeks in the primary. I use municipal tap water(which has very little chlorine taste but I know has chloramine) and have had no "off tastes" to speak of. I have just used campden tabs for the first time though since I am trying my hand at Kolsch.

 

[seanoj]

Reviving an old thread...

My first batch of all grain Koslch had band-aid flavor so intese that I had to dump all 10 gallons. This was about a year ago.

I brewed my second batch of Kolsch back at the end of December 2011. Used charcoal filtered tap water (good RV style filter) and added camden tablets to the water.

Unfortuantely, I think this batch is begining to develop a chlorophenolic flavor as well.

All-grain. WLP 090 yeast. have had no other chlorophenolic beers in 25 batches, except for the Kolsch. The lightest pilsners to the biggest double IPAs seem to be without problem. The Kolsch is killing me.

We are doing nothing different with our methods. Same equipment. Temperature controlled fermentation. Glass fermenters. Cornie Kegs. All is unchanged. We never use anything but Starsan and PBW (no bleach) and are fastidious with our sanitation.

Wondering if I need to try another yeast? Bigger starter (we did a 1.5 liter for 10 gallons? I am thinking it is really the only variable different for this style from many other of our beers...

Any ideas?