Consistently Contaminated Beer

[Mischief_Brewing]

As mentioned above, I think some more elaborate tasting notes on the off taste could help in our cyber-diagnosis...

Some of the things I noticed when I moved into a new house in regard to my brewing:

- More stable fermentation temperatures at the new house resulted in more consistent beers.
- Harder water resulted in that indescribable "homebrew" taste, which was fixed with a good water filtration system
- Brewing outside in Jersey resulted in having to keep the lid partially on during the boil (lousy bugs). No DMS vegetable flavors yet, but it's high on my list of concerns

Give us the exact tastes you are getting and elaborate more on when in the process you're getting them.

And IMO, 1-week in primary is not enough time. I'm sure others will help me elaborate more on that...

 

[melortz]

Drat:

I am brewing extract so I am using distilled water — with that in mind, the water shouldn't be an issue right?

The taste is hard to describe, but consistent It's somewhat astringent.

Thanks

 

[KellyK]

You said you use an immersion chiller, any chance water from the chiller is dripping into your brew while it's cooling? Sometime a little drip isn't very obvious. You could be introducing all kinds of things from the water if that's occurring. It may not have been a problem with your old tap water source, but perhaps this is the new house variable you're looking for.

 

[melortz]

THought about that, but I only immersed the bucket about halfway in the chiller. Thanks for the idea/suggestion.

 

[KellyK]

What??? I understood you were using a copper coil immersion chiller to cool the wort which you were putting in the wort to sanitize before kicking on the chilling water. What I'm suggesting is that you check the fittings where the water is entering and exiting the chiller to see if you have any small leaks that are running down the arms of the chiller and into your nice wort. How far immersed the chiller is wouldn't matter if you have a leak. If the water is heavily chlorinated, just a little bit will cause some really horrible off flavors. Or, if there is bacteria or wild yeast in the water that would also be a potential source of problem.

If you're doing something different to chill, then disregard my suggestion.

 

[melortz]

LOL - I misunderstood what you wrote It appears with my chiller that the connections are on the outside of the brew kettle, but perhaps something could be running into the wort. I haven't thought about that or perhaps a leak in the copper once it is immersed? Hrmmmm. Thanks for the idea.

 

[GoldMiner]

Drat:

I am brewing extract so I am using distilled water — with that in mind, the water shouldn't be an issue right?

The taste is hard to describe, but consistent It's somewhat astringent.

Thanks

Have you switched to distilled water recently?

You might want to change it up to spring water or even just another brand of distilled water.

It's worth a shot.

 

[melortz]

I've always used the same brand. I thought that I needed to use distilled water with extract beer kits. Yes/No? Thanks.

 

[midfielder5]

[didn't read whole thread]
are you running beer through the spigots in your bucket (if there are any)?
For a while when I started I did not know they come off!
totally gross stuff was caught in there, even though i "flushed it" out with hot water, oxy + sanitizer.
now I disassemble it each time.
good luck.

 

[melortz]

Yup tried that too Thanks anyway!

 

[giligson]

Immersion chiller is a good place to look
notice how much condensation runs down from the part that may not be immersed in the boiling wort. I run the tubing up and over the edge of the kettle - this tubing is boiled then pulled back out of the wort. This means any part of the chiller where condensation forms and can run back into the cooling kettle has already been boiled (sanitized). Is it possible that you have contamination from your chiller running from the unsanitized portion where condensation forms.

 

[melortz]

I am going to try a test tomorrow and see what happens. I have never noticed anything leaking from the tubing itself, but perhaps condensation? But, if I sanitize the tubing shouldn't the condensation also be sanitized? Thanks for the idea!

 

[beersydoesit]

Also look at the new brewing environment. Is this and older house or apartment? Is there more dust, dander, something in the brew environment? Are you using fans in a different way than you used to. Did you get a dog? a cat?

At this point it seems curious enough to look at the outlandish stuff too.

 

[beersydoesit]

Try increasing the pressure on the tubing by closing the output tube to see if you spring a visible leak.

 

[BalticBrewer]

I would switch to spring water for your next batch. Yeast need minerals in the water to do their job.

I agree with previous posters, it doesn't sound like a bacterial infection/sanitization problem, more like a process issue.

 

[BubbaK]

You don't need distilled water with an extract kit... Most people don't use it. Spring water is fine.. I've switched to RO and Deionized water and the clarity is much better than my tap, but I don't notice much of a taste difference. I used to use my tap (well) and the beer tasted fine as well.

 

[Jawbox0]

What about testing a new approach since you're stuck? Pick up one of those aqua-tainer and do a 'no chill' brew. This would eliminate the variables of your existing Primary, Secondary, and Transfer equipment. There are many threads here on no chill brewing.

http://www.rei.com/product/618168?p...-FB85-DE11-B7F3-0019B9C043EB&mr:referralID=NA

 

[melortz]

Hi all:

Thank you for all the prompt responses. I did a test with my chiller and appears there is a leak on the output tube causing water from the hose to run into my beer. I am hoping to try to solder connections on (as I am using hose clips now) and try to brew soon. My fingers are crossed that this is the answer. Thanks again.