My IPAs are...meh.

[electrobank]

So you're saying you're hitting your OG? Are you using muslin bags or do you just toss the hops in? Assuming kettle lid off too? Just grasping here... only a missed OG would really cause your issue out of these.

I do hit my OG, and no muslin bags, the hops just go in; lid off as well.

Instead of "experimenting" with custom recipes, do a solid kit which has known results like deadringer ale from NB (Bells two hearted clone). Also, if you haven't done it, why not just try double pitching some US-05 just in case there may be an issue with the starters?

Funny you mention this, I recently thought about maybe going the kit route "just to see". In addition, I was thinking of pitching multiple packs of yeast and skipping the starter to see if it was suspect. Adding this to the list of new moves. I do wash yeast, but I've had the same issue with new packs as well. Also, my mash temp is generally 153*.

You doing any water chemistry? I went back to basics on that and my brew has improved a lot.

for the next batch or two don't bother with the RO water and instead use regular spring water from the store

For my last 3 batches, I ditched the gypsum altogether and just used straight RO (not ideal, I know). I tried straight Zephyrhills once and it made no difference, but I may revisit that. The Glacier machine is on my list of suspects, wondering if it's really dispensing non-chlorinated RO.

What are you mashing at?
I mash my IIPAs at 143.

Under 150 seems low, especially 143. Most recipes I see are all ~150-155. I'll check this out, though. I changed my (batch) sparge water temp to 170* because I thought 190* may have been extracting tannins, but no change there.

How is your sanitization? Your beer may be infected and you don't know it. You mentioned hot alcohol flavours.
Are they overcarbing too, even though it may take long for them to overcarb?

^This. You may be on to something here. However, my beer tastes "off" before it ever goes in the bottles; it doesn't get better, it doesn't get worse. So I'm not necessarily blaming the bottles as the source of infection. And they do overcarb, all of them (I suspected spices acting as nucleation sites, but my IPAs do it as well sometimes). The beers are fine, and then about 2 month after bottling, they're all gushers. Also, I never make "light" or "amber" beers, they're all flavored in some way (stout/fruit/spice), so if there was a subtle infection tainting their taste, I may not be detecting it due to the strong flavors.

So if it's not in my bottles, I'd have to suspect the fermenter buckets/racking cane. I use bleach, then Star San...maybe I need to scrub them a bit more? And the bottles generally get a soak (oxy clean), then a rinse, and then a vinator of Star San before bottling...do they need a brush as well? They're completely clear, no cloud or film (certainly no gunk).

Good comments so far, thanks.

 

[Bamsdealer]

Ignore the ibus on anything over 7% and go with at least 2 oz of high aa hop. I stay away from hops specifically designed for bittering. Use something or a combination of something you might use late in the boil like chinook Columbus or simcoe. It won't be too bitter.

A nice ballpark is another 5oz finishing hops with at least half of those at flameout. Immediately chill to 170ish and let your wort stand at least 10minutes before continuing to chill.

Yeast can be important. Cali ale won't disappoint.

And the absolute most important thing. Keg hop. 2 or more ounces. It's made the biggest impact on my IPAs. I just couldn't get what I was looking for when bottling. Kegging changed the game for my IPAs. Keeps your IPA fresh bright and hoppy. It also allows you to get your beer chilled for maximum freshness as soon as fermentation is complete.

As an alternative, bottle condition with a couple whole cones in the bottle in addition to a dry hop. I've had pretty good success w this.

 

[Bamsdealer]

^This. You may be on to something here. However, my beer tastes "off" before it ever goes in the bottles; it doesn't get better, it doesn't get worse. So I'm not necessarily blaming the bottles as the source of infection. And they do overcarb, all of them (I suspected spices acting as nucleation sites, but my IPAs do it as well sometimes). The beers are fine, and then about 2 month after bottling, they're all gushers. Also, I never make "light" or "amber" beers, they're all flavored in some way (stout/fruit/spice), so if there was a subtle infection tainting their taste, I may not be detecting it due to the strong flavors.

So if it's not in my bottles, I'd have to suspect the fermenter buckets/racking cane. I use bleach, then Star San...maybe I need to scrub them a bit more? And the bottles generally get a soak (oxy clean), then a rinse, and then a vinator of Star San before bottling...do they need a brush as well? They're completely clear, no cloud or film (certainly no gunk).

Good comments so far, thanks.

After reading this thread this is almost certainly your problem. I've never had an infected batch... Just a bottle here or there and it's very much what you're describing. Don't try to clean anything... Just replace your bucket siphon and tubing. Should be cheaper than a kit and you're guaranteed to knock out the problem

 

[ballsy]

If u get gushers after 1-2 mths in a bottle then u definitely have a infection issue going. I have Belgian tripel in bottle for a year now and acts no different when opened now vs 10 mths ago. Is a slow developing infection the cause for your taste issues? Idk. BUT if I was in your shoes I would use this a the perfect excuse to move to kegging!!! Hahaha. Seriously, do the deadringer kit, use US-05 double pitched (NO STARTER), and use either tap water or spring water and see what happens!

 

[Conan]

Pushers on every batch, every bottle is nearly certainly an infection. Once poured is the head made of visible clear bubbles and quickly dissipating? Does the beer have a sharp tang to it? Are you fermenting in buckets, and if so how old are they? Kyle

 

[electrobank]

Once poured is the head made of visible clear bubbles and quickly dissipating? Does the beer have a sharp tang to it? Are you fermenting in buckets, and if so how old are they?

1. Yes
2. Yes
3. Buckets are just over a year old

I'm with you guys on infection being the culprit. I had a "full blown" pellicle infection maybe 2 months ago (first one ever), and it was due to me trying to harvest yeast from cans for a starter (absolutely pitched an infected starter). I currently have a wild yeast pellicle happening in a wheat beer, and it started before I ever pitched (spontaneous fermentation). This points to the bucket, because when the boil is finished, I put the kettle in an ice bath and work the copper chiller for about 20 min, then it gets poured in the bucket and sealed with a non-grommeted lid, so in theory it should be airtight and nothing should have been able to get in.

So here's what I'm thinking: the beer tastes bad before it ever goes in the bottles, so the problem has to either be the fermenters or the starter; I could believe both. Reading this thread (and others) leads me to believe that replacing plastic isn't necessary, and that I can simply bleach bomb. While buckets aren't that expensive, I'd have to buy 3, and another siphon, so I'm gonna be out ~$50. If I can bleach them and do a bit more scrubbing, I'd rather not go spend the money. The reality is, I could probably do a much better job cleaning these buckets.

Right now I'm considering the bleach bomb strategy, and moving to a 1 gal batch with my existing recipe, changing only the yeast to dry packs of 05. This will isolate whether the starter is to blame.

If I still have a problem, I'll do a 1 gal batch with my existing recipe but use a new fermeter bucket (isolates existing fermeter as the problem).

If I still have a problem, I'll do a 1 gal batch with a kit from NB (isolates recipe as the problem).

Why not just replace the buckets first? Because if I do, I'm still going to pitch 2 packs of dry yeast, so if the beer is a success, I won't know if it was the starter or the buckets, and I'll have to believe it was either or. Then in the future, whenever anything goes wrong again, I'll immediately blame the buckets and probably be buying new buckets bi-annually; that's not the life I want to live

 

[Bamsdealer]

Bleach should take care of it. Just rinse very well, dry and rinse again. Before you bleach get some PBw or oxy and clean with a sponge or rag. Anything else can create small scratches and harbor places for bacteria to live.

I'm three years in with many many brews and have yet to replace even tubing or a siphon. I'm careful, but not overly so. Hot water and a sponge is usually sufficient as long as i clean on brew or bottle day.

 

[jrgtr42]

Lots of good ideas here.
I think you really need to go back to the beginning. Brew a known recipe / kit. If you are using extract, make sure that it's as fresh as can be. If you brew all-grain, make sure it's milled just before brewing, and that it hasn't been sitting too long either.
I would maybe get a new pail; they're pretty cheap.
Go with straight spring water from the store (I normally use tap water with no issues, but YMMV)
Look at your mash temp, you hold temps, mashout, sparge and so forth.
Look at your hop additions.
Look at your yeast. Most will perform better if you do a starter; I do a quart starter a couple days before brew and have had good results.
fermentation temps and conditions (dark, stable etc)
packaging - are your bottles extra clean and sanitized, you priming sugar / drops on the mark.
Good luck.

 

[GCPHomebrew]

My all grain biab sucked until I started step mashing. Get a good thermometer. 110f 135f 145f , 150f, mashout165. Iodine test and hydrometer/ refractometer a lot. squeeze the bag. 66f under 40minutes. Oxygenate your wort. .2 packs of hydrated dry . Hop bitter or FWH 1oz anything 1-3oz 20minutes. 4oz hopstand 160degrees F 20-30min. Swamp cooler. Ferment 3 weeks. Cold crash 3 days. Back to room temp 24 hrs dry hop 3 oz three days. Cold crash. Keg or botttle ASAP. Young fresh delicious. Buy the water in jugs to make sure it's not the stores filter.


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[VonAle]

My IPA's were meh.... about 10 batches ago.
After I started using 100% RO, with Gypsum and CaCl additions, they are OK.

Adding more Hops, hop stand, etc. helped, but still just OK

Pitch (2) packs of rehydrated dry yeast, significantly better than OK !

Now:
I stopped cold crashing.
I used to primary for 2 weeks, not 3.
I Dry hop on day 5 or 6 and then bottle on day 14 or so.
Bottles (all of them) into the fridge on day 8 or 9, and start drinking on day 11.

My beers are more fresh in Aroma and flavor, than ever before.
Now I think my IPA's are Great !

 

[GCPHomebrew]

Agree with vonale I buy RO and add CaCl, gypsum and phosphoric acid.


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