Consistent Off-Flavor in my Centennial Blonde

[GotPushrods]

Ok, I know how to calibrate to the extremes, but give me some ideas on calibrating to the temps in the mashing ranges.

You just need a reference thermometer that you trust. Ideally you'll find a lab mercury or alcohol glass thermometer. But if you have a 2 or 3 digital thermometers at home that all more-or-less agree, that will work for now. A meat thermo, BBQ wireless thermo, pH probe temperature readout, whatever you have. Borrow something if you need to. A ThermaPen would be great if you know someone that has one.

Bring a pot of water to 150 according to your reference thermometer and adjust your mash tun thermometer accordingly. It may now be off at freezing and boiling, but who cares!

 

[Dok]

could this just be a "green beer" taste that will subside in a few weeks? Perhaps it shines through more so with this lighter-side beer than your others. How long will this taste persist if you leave a bottle/keg?

+1

 

[afr0byte]

I'd wager it's almost certainly the high sodium level + high alkalinity. You shouldn't be brewing with water from a softener.

 

[Guidry]

We do not have a softener installed at my house. At least not one I am aware of. The water in our area is known to be soft. Taking a shower usually requires as much work to get the soap off as it does to scrub off the dirt.

 

[afr0byte]

We do not have a softener installed at my house. At least not one I am aware of. The water in our area is known to be soft. Taking a shower usually requires as much work to get the soap off as it does to scrub off the dirt.

That's odd looking water then. I wouldn't brew with it, personally (I'd get RO water from the grocery store.). It looks like all of the reports I've seen from softened water. Are you near the ocean? Also, regardless of the source, your alkalinity is much too high for blonde beer like this. It'd be easier to use RO.

EDIT: N/m, I see you're not near the ocean.

 

[DagoBrewer]

OK, I've posted my process and equipment in a separate thread as to not hijack this one. Anyone who feels like trying to help, my new distress thread is at:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f36/consistent-off-flavor-my-centennial-blonde-375255/#post4698398

When was the last time you took your mash tun apart and cleaned or replaced any crusty looking parts? I just had a couple batches in a row taste like what youre describing. I rebuilt my tun using all stainless parts instead of the brass stuff cuz it had some nasty stuff building up in and around the valve and rubber washers.. first batch after rebuilding it tastes back to normal again..

 

[kchomebrew]

Use campden tablets to get rid of the chlorine/chloramine in your water. Add 1 to 2 tsp of gypsum to up the Ca level. That ought to do it. I ran into some of the same problems you mentioned for quite some time as the water where I am at is somewhat low in Calcium. Good luck.