Horrible off flavor.

[Horseshoot]

Hello all. I was about to enter my first competition, and it is an unusual competition in that the people attending the brew fest vote on the beers. As apposed to actual judges.
I just moved to this town in Vermont, and thought it would be fun to brew my Kentucky Common Beer. I figured nobody else here would brew that style.
I only found out about the competition about 6 weeks prior, so this beer is also a good choice, as it is served fresh.
I brewed the beer as usual. It has always turned out fantastic. I used US-05 yeast, like I always do with this brew. I pitched at proper temp. I have a fermentation chamber, and kept the fermentation temp at 64F, like I always do. I used meticulous hygiene, as always. I filtered the brewing water with an activated charcoal filter, as always. In short: I did everything the exact way I always do. The only variable: this is the first time I have brewed with this water.
The fermentation took off well, as always. I kegged, carbonated. When I finally tasted the beer: it is horrible. A sharp, medicinal taste. Is this the "band-aid" off flavor I have read of?
I have no idea what went wrong. I can post the grain bill, if that would help.

 

[BaylessBrewer]

Do you know what the mineral concentrations in the water are? If you've brewed this beer before and liked it but changed the water this time then that is where I would start looking.
Compare new water profile to old water profile and go from there.

 

[SnakeRidge]

Sounds like chlorophenol which is most commonly from using chlorinated water for brewing. Did you use municipal tap water and if so did you filter or use something like campden tablets?

Good article,
http://beer-geeking.blogspot.com/2011/05/water-chlorine-chloramine-and.html

 

[btbnl]

Sounds like it could be chloramine in the water producing chlorophenols in the beer.

Charcoal filters won't remove chloramine - you'll need to add a campden tablet to the water. Sadly I don't think there's any way to salvage this batch though.

 

[chickypad]

Sounds like it could be chloramine in the water producing chlorophenols in the beer.

Charcoal filters won't remove chloramine - you'll need to add a campden tablet to the water. Sadly I don't think there's any way to salvage this batch though.

Sounds like your answer right here. Lost 2 batches myself this way when I moved to my new house 7 yrs ago. Campden saved my beers and I can still use my tap water which is otherwise awesome for brewing.

 

[reuliss]

+1

 

[IslandLizard]

Just for the record, charcoal filters are a joke to remove chlorine for brewing as it can only trickle, while it won't remove cloramines at all.

1/4 Campden tablet per 5 gallons (or an equivalent amount of potassium meta), crushed and mixed well into water by a good stir removes both within minutes. You can smell and taste the difference right there. It's amazingly effective.

Now there maybe other minerals in your water that can cause problems. If it's municipal water contact the authority for a report on the minerals we brewers are interested in.

 

[Horseshoot]

Thanks, all of you, for the responses. I know nothing about this local water, as I just moved here.
I went to the competition today (great beers!!!) and talked to many local home brewers. They tell me that the local supply is somewhat unreliable, re: chlorine. Apparently, the chlorine level goes up and down. Their advice? Filter (charcoal), boil AND campden tablets!

You live and you learn, eh? I just hate learning on a brew planned for a competition. Ah well.

 

[Horseshoot]

One good thing: I signed up to join a local Homebrew club!!!

 

[Yooper]

Thanks, all of you, for the responses. I know nothing about this local water, as I just moved here.
I went to the competition today (great beers!!!) and talked to many local home brewers. They tell me that the local supply is somewhat unreliable, re: chlorine. Apparently, the chlorine level goes up and down. Their advice? Filter (charcoal), boil AND campden tablets!

You live and you learn, eh? I just hate learning on a brew planned for a competition. Ah well.

You don't have to filter (unless you have sediment in the water), and you don't have to boil (as it does drive off chloramines anyway, if that is what your water company is using), but you definitely need campden tablets.

I have great tasting water, but it's high in alkalinity so the only beer I can make right out of the tap that tastes good is my oatmeal stout. But with some work, I can make any style of beer and you definitely can too once you know what you are dealing with!

 

[Horseshoot]

Sorry for the long delay in responding. The demands of this new job.... OK, seriously, they aren't much. It is a super cush job.... along with managing two other homes in Maine (one to be sold soon! Closing in February.... have kept me from the internet.

That particular beer was a dump. My elderly neighbor introduced me to two local springs. He says the local water in our homes is simply too chlorinated. The springs have been fantastic, and all my beers since have been great!

I am brewing the Kentucky Common Ale, again, today.

Mike

 

[Horseshoot]

Since we started using the local spring water, all beers have been great! It seems to favor dark brews. Our recent Sweet oatmeal stout was incredible! We are going to check out the other local spring. See what it likes.

Mike

 

[marshallb]

I can't speak to your water, but since I quit using tap water and started using local bottled spring water my brews taste night and day different.

 

[CatalinaWineMixer]

I bite the bullet and always use spring water and add minerals per the style I am brewing. It's s few bucks more, but the consistency is a bit more predictable. Also my wife gets horrible headaches from sulfites which I believe is a residual of using Campden tabs (???)

 

[Dirt_McGirt]

I bite the bullet and always use spring water and add minerals per the style I am brewing. It's s few bucks more, but the consistency is a bit more predictable. Also my wife gets horrible headaches from sulfites which I believe is a residual of using Campden tabs (???)

My wife is sensitive to sulfites, so has to limit her wine consumption. That means I can't ever use campden tabs. It's not as bad as her skin sensitivity to sulfate ingredients in most soaps and detergents, though.

As to water, I drive about 10 or 12 miles north to a local spring for water when I want to brew. The tap water by me is ok, but the sources vary constantly, and I have no idea what I'm getting. Also the spring water tastes great and even has a chemical profile posted on Brewer's Friend, which makes mineral adjustment easy as pie.