I'm bitter. Too bitter.

[Dom P]

I did not mention that the hot/bitter aftertaste of fusels is very predominant.

What cleaners and sanitizers are you using? Not sure if residual from cleaners would cause bitterness but anything is sometimes possible.

Starsan at the correct dilution, so don't think that would be a problem?

 

[Dom P]

Whenever I hear the complaint that a beer is too bitter, I have to wonder if the proper hop schedule was used. I'm probably barking up the wrong tree, but a common beginner mistake is adding the hops in the reverse order. It is easy to get that wrong. Don't ask how I know!!

For example, the 60 minute hop addition is added with 60 minutes left in the boil, and the 5 minute addition is added with 5 minutes left in the boil.

No, you're good, I'm adding them when I should. Again, fair question though as the instructions weren't clear and it was only through online research I realised that the minutes given was time remaining in the boil

 

[flars]

Starsan at the correct dilution, so don't think that would be a problem?

Star San is a sanitizer. Are you using the Star San as a cleaner? Any specks of gunk left after rinsing cold side equipment can harbor bacteria. Star San is only effective for sanitizing clean surfaces. It does not penetrate dried residues.

A few days ago I was getting ready to bottle my Dead Ringer after a seven day dry hop. Noticed the color of the beer was much darker. Pulled the air lock for a sniff. Very sharp non-hop aroma. Taste was very bitter. Infected. Didn't check the SG again but it had an FG of 1.007 before dry hopping. I had an infection in some piece of equipment when I brewed a porter in June of last year. Didn't notice the infection until mid December when the remaining few porters were over carbonated. SG had also dropped five points in the bottle. Didn't affect the taste though. Dumped an amber ale last week. Off aroma and very bitter but had not turned a darker color. Three other brews in the middle have no signs of an infection.

It is possible you have picked up a bacteria. It is also possible your palate may not like the IBU level and the level of citrus in the hops. Bottle the beer and taste one after warm conditioning in three weeks. Check the SG periodically after letting a sample go flat if the beer is still a fairly good drink.


I'll be brewing another Dead Ringer tomorrow after bleaching all the fermentors, boiling hard plastics and mesh bags, replacing the bottling bucket and tubing.

Will be using new yeast instead of harvested yeast this time.

 

[Dom P]

Star San is a sanitizer. Are you using the Star San as a cleaner? Any specks of gunk left after rinsing cold side equipment can harbor bacteria. Star San is only effective for sanitizing clean surfaces. It does not penetrate dried residues.

A few days ago I was getting ready to bottle my Dead Ringer after a seven day dry hop. Noticed the color of the beer was much darker. Pulled the air lock for a sniff. Very sharp non-hop aroma. Taste was very bitter. Infected. Didn't check the SG again but it had an FG of 1.007 before dry hopping. I had an infection in some piece of equipment when I brewed a porter in June of last year. Didn't notice the infection until mid December when the remaining few porters were over carbonated. SG had also dropped five points in the bottle. Didn't affect the taste though. Dumped an amber ale last week. Off aroma and very bitter but had not turned a darker color. Three other brews in the middle have no signs of an infection.

It is possible you have picked up a bacteria. It is also possible your palate may not like the IBU level and the level of citrus in the hops. Bottle the beer and taste one after warm conditioning in three weeks. Check the SG periodically after letting a sample go flat if the beer is still a fairly good drink.


I'll be brewing another Dead Ringer tomorrow after bleaching all the fermentors, boiling hard plastics and mesh bags, replacing the bottling bucket and tubing.

Will be using new yeast instead of harvested yeast this time.

I use PBW to clean, and StarSan to sanitise. I always try and make sure I've cleaned everything as much as is possible as from what I've read good brewing is 70% cleaning!

On a side note, FG of 1.007...thats a good FG! Mine finished at 1.012!