Irish Moss Problems?

[MattxShinn]

so, my last two brews have turned out with a foul odor, and almost tasteless, i do extract brewing on a standard beginner brewing setup. I have quite a few great brews under my belt, and the only thing I've done differently is the addition of Irish Moss in the last 15 minutes of the boil. has anyone else had any similar problems?

 

[jester5120]

what kind of smell are you getting?

 

[duboman]

I use Irish Moss in all my brews, generally 1/2 tsp for each 6.25 gallon batch added at the last 10 minutes of boil, never had any issues. Describe the smell or foul odor, could be sanitizing issue, infection, bad extract etc.

Irish moss adds no flavor or anything to the wort, just helps coagulate the proteins in the wort to aid in clarification of the beer

 

[cperry7467]

You sure that's all you did different? What about the water, was it tap or bottled?

 

[MattxShinn]

I use bottled spring water, and I have had the Sam sanitation habits all along. The smell; I can't really descibe accuratley... The first one, I felt like I left it on the yeast cake too long, because I recall it smelling like the dregs. And the first bad batch I used dry yeast, the second I used liquid yeast. One was fermented in glass, the other in plastic... So its definitley my method, or an ingredient/equipment I've used with both.

 

[JLem]

I've used Irish moss on all my brews and have never had an issue. Your description sounds like either a water or sanitation issue.

What types of beers were/are these? Recipes? Process? (especially duration of fermentation/aging and temps)

 

[cperry7467]

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I use bottled spring water, and I have had the Sam sanitation habits all along. The smell; I can't really descibe accuratley... The first one, I felt like I left it on the yeast cake too long, because I recall it smelling like the dregs. And the first bad batch I used dry yeast, the second I used liquid yeast. One was fermented in glass, the other in plastic... So its definitley my method, or an ingredient/equipment I've used with both.

At what stage does it have the odor? Primary, secondary, bottling, drinking?

 

[cperry7467]

Just reading another thread and made me wonder, are you possibly smelling sulfur? Kind of a rotten egg smell?

 

[plainbrad]

Did you use different yeasts? Yeast can change so much in smell and after taste.

 

[cperry7467]

Did you use different yeasts? Yeast can change so much in smell and after taste.

Yea that's what i'm thinking too. I've had some beers smell super funky in the fermenter and later in the bottle smell and taste normal. Kind of like the yeast ate on some white castle before fermenting my beer.

 

[MattxShinn]

two separate yeasts, I'm a beginner, so I do it by the book... the smell happened in secondary, continued into bottling, and then into glass.

 

[cperry7467]

To the extent that it ruined your beer? What about taste or was it too funky to try? The only sources i can think of are
A. Sanitation - doubtful
B. Water quality - used bottled water so not it
C. Funky yeast - my prime suspect