Last 3 batches BAD

[d00b]

Hi. I've made the coopers Canadian blonde kit with great success until my last 3 batches. They have kinda like a cardboard - medicinal taste and looked cloudy. Is it oxidized? How can that be? I never opened the airlock for testing since I've been making this kit the same.

I just ferment in primary for 3 weeks at 66 and then a week at 40, then keg. I know its not too young as I bottled the leftover from 1st bad batch in a 2 liter and has aged 3 more weeks and taste and looks the same.

 

[DanzigsMISFITS]

Sanitization?

 

[wfowlks]

I would say that cardboard taste comes from oxidation but you say that you never open the carboy. My next inclination would point towards sanitation, or the yeast.

 

[d00b]

I've been using the same sanitation practices routinely and have used Nottingham yeast instead of the coopers that comes with the kit.

I've mad this kit exactly the same with the exception I use to used the filtered water from the fridge and then 1/4 tab of campdem. I stop using the fridge water and just used the campden. I can't remember when I did the switch but usually I make two 5 gallon batches at a time. the first time this happened, one batch was perfect and the other sucked ****.

 

[theck]

Does it contain honey? I think some of that cardboard can be from honey, or at least what I was told once? Think that's how things go too, just as you get going and things go well the bad batches or infections sneak up on ya... about 30 batches in after I started brewing again got infections in all my beers. Never had any issues and I used to brew in college in rental places that where way nastier than my house now using crappy equipment. Maybe give it time to work it's way out? I had one that tasted about the same and let it sit a good 3-4 weeks in the keezer and it started to taste ok enough to drink.

 

[d00b]

no honey

I use the Canadian blonde extract, 700 dextrose & 500 grams dme with Nottingham yeast.

The first 4 batches I made tasted better than any commercial beer I've bought. The last 3 uggh.

As for cleaning I use saniton and then oxy san for sanitation.

 

[RachmaelBenApplebaum]

Old extract could be it, but it sounds like the water change is the culprit. Chloramines or chlorine etc from unfiltered water is likely to make it nasty. I tried using the tap water from my new place without testing at all and the beer was definitely nasty only by virtue of the water, made the same with filtered water and it was night and day. I'm not really big on KMBS for removing chlorine from the water, I just don't see it working great when chlorine might not be your only problem. Also one shining difference I see is that that recipe calls for a TON of corn sugar. Might just be that?

 

[unionrdr]

That moldy, musty old cardboard flavor & smell is Definitely oxidation. It comes from the fermented beer getting oxygenated from racking to the bottling bucket, stirring too briskly to mix in priming solution. I've also gotten it from when the bell on my wing capper wore out & the caps weren't sealing very well on some bottle lip designs. I then bought the Super Agata bench capper & problem solved. So, long story short, the beer definitely got oxygenated along the way. Review your process & you'll find the culprit...

 

[flars]

I've been using the same sanitation practices routinely and have used Nottingham yeast instead of the coopers that comes with the kit.

I've mad this kit exactly the same with the exception I use to used the filtered water from the fridge and then 1/4 tab of campdem. I stop using the fridge water and just used the campden. I can't remember when I did the switch but usually I make two 5 gallon batches at a time. the first time this happened, one batch was perfect and the other sucked ****.

The problem began here with a change in the treatment of your brewing water. Charcoal filters can remove chlorine and campden tablets (can be more effective to) remove chloramines. Perhaps your municipal water is only treated with chlorine.

The municipalities water report may solve the issue.