I am worried I have a bad batch

[nbrack]

I brewed an "Amber Ale" that I put together on Beersmith a few weeks ago. Just kegged it Sunday and today I decided to draw a small sample just to see how it was coming along. The taste is absolutely awful. It seems extremely bitter/astringent? I am really not very good at describing flavors so this is the best I can do at this point.

My question is to see if anyone might be able to spot the cause for this. It may be recipe related (which I will post below), or .... when I kegged on Sunday, there was about 1 1/2" of headspace at the top. I hooked up the gas at 20 psi and turned the keg on its side and rolled it back and forth a few times before realizing I forgot to purge the keg of oxygen.

Would that amount ruin my beer that quickly? Or is it maybe recipe related? I hit my targets within a degree with mashing and SG/OG readings came out just about right. This is my 9th all-grain brew and I am still learning the ropes! I know that beers are not ready this quickly and seem to taste better given time, which I have experienced on most batches in the past, but this batch seems especially bad (dare I say maybe dump it down the drain?).


Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 7.24 gal
Post Boil Volume: 6.24 gal
Batch Size (fermenter): 5.00 gal
Bottling Volume: 5.45 gal
Estimated OG: 1.064 SG
Estimated Color: 12.7 SRM
Estimated IBU: 27.9 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 70.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 84.0 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU
11 lbs Pale Malt, Maris Otter (3.0 SRM) Grain 1 90.7 %
1 lbs Caramel/Crystal Malt - 60L (60.0 SRM) Grain 2 8.2 %
2.0 oz Chocolate Malt (350.0 SRM) Grain 3 1.0 %
0.50 oz Centennial [9.20 %] - Boil 60.0 min Hop 4 14.2 IBUs
0.50 oz Centennial [9.20 %] - Boil 30.0 min Hop 5 10.9 IBUs
0.50 oz Ahtanum [5.20 %] - Boil 10.0 min Hop 6 2.9 IBUs
0.50 oz Ahtanum [5.20 %] - Boil 0.0 min Hop 7 0.0 IBUs
1.0 pkg American Ale (Wyeast Labs #1056) [124.21 Yeast 8 -


Mash Schedule: Single Infusion, Medium Body, Batch Sparge
Total Grain Weight: 12 lbs 2.0 oz
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperatur Step Time
Mash In Add 15.16 qt of water at 163.7 F 152.0 F 60 min

Sparge: Batch sparge with 2 steps (1.54gal, 3.87gal) of 168.0 F water
Notes:
------
kegged 3/10/13

 

[jcam91]

What kind of water did you use?

 

[nbrack]

I used my tap water. It may have high alkilinity I am not sure, but I have used the same water for every batch in the past as well.

 

[WestCoastBrewmonkey]

I used my tap water. It may have high alkilinity I am not sure, but I have used the same water for every batch in the past as well.

I may be mislead but I have read that a pH that is high (6.0 or above) may lead to a bitter almost sour taste. Do you know your mash pH?

 

[nbrack]

I do not. I should get some test strips to find out. I am just perplexed because every other batch I have made with this water has tasted fine at this point. Would a sanitation mishap cause this type of off flavor?

 

[nbrack]

ok. I just realized I had some hot tub test strips and tested my water. I do not know how accurate these things are but just my tap water appears to be over 7. That may be the cause huh? If so, would it be possible that the ph has changed since the prior batches. Its city water, I do not really know how all that works.

 

[WestCoastBrewmonkey]

Well the pH of your water and your mash pH will vary depending on your grain bill. However in rough estimates seeing as how your water was already out of the preferred range that may have an effect on the taste. As for what you can do with your currently kegged beer I have no idea. Sorry I wish I did but am looking forward to what others have to say.

 

[Revvy]

Before we get all technical and looking for boogeymen, realize that the op JUST KEGGED IT ON SUNDAY. Only 2 days ago.

There's probably NOTHING wrong with the beer, just that he's impatient and drinking green, un carbed beer with raw co2 not even in solution probably giving him that bitter, astringent flavor. Which almost everyone who's come on here thinking his beer was bitter, sour or astringent has usually been one tasting their beer early and exhibiting carbolic tang.

Despite what folks who keg may think, your beer won't CONDITION any faster be it in a bottle or a keg. Green beer is green beer regardless of whether it's in a bottle or a keg. It STILL takes about three weeks to condition, for the flavors to balance out. Which if you use the set and forget method to carb, rather than shake and burst, takes around the SAME amount of time as bottle carbing and conditioning. THREE WEEKS.

Give your beer the time it needs. Quit sneaking some or WHEN IT'S REALLY READY, you'll have all that less beer that is actually ready to enjoy.

 

[WestCoastBrewmonkey]

I never even considered that. Very good point indeed.

 

[Revvy]

It's ALWAYS important to look at the obvious, and the clues are usually right in the original post (or if not ask) BEFORE we start bringing out our pet theories that might have been something in our own beers. Its usually the simplest, most obvious thing that's the issue. And 99% of these threads are about patience and nothing else. And secondly you HAVE to pass a window of greeness before you can even know if your issue is green beer or a REAL problem...and again that means waiting at least 3 weeks before worrying, sometimes even more.....

 

[Friedclutch]

I have experienced what revvy is saying a few times now. Every time I try freshly kegged beer its always dissapointing. Having the c02 fully absorbed made a huge difference on my recent falconers flight pale ale. After 3. Weeks it is finally really carbed and tastes great. Way different than that 2 day trial sip.

 

[nbrack]

I too have experienced that on every batch so far, but I only posted because this one is extremely awful.