New Brewer With Sour Problems

[atm82]

Hello, I am a new brewer from Arizona. I have been brewing some beer and every batch has been sour. I thought it may have been a bad plastic bucket, so I upgraded to glass. I keep it within good temperature no around 65-69 degrees Fahrenheit. I have sanitized all of my tools, bottles, etc., everything that touches the beer has been sanitized. I last brewed an IPA with IBU of about 62 and it was not bitter at all, it had some sour notes to it though. I never open the beer, while fermenting, for it to get air contamination. Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[Pappers_]

Replacing the fermenter was a good idea - if you use tubing you might do the same with those, replace them.

I have another thought, though, and want to gently ask if its possible that your perceptions, or at least the words you ascribe to your perceptions, might be a little off? When you say you brewed a beer that should have had 62 IBUs of bitterness but that you didn't think it was bitter, its possible that the beer wasn't bitter, but its also possible that you haven't quite got your tastebuds and vocabulary calibrated or aligned. Which leads me to wonder if what you are tasting is what we usually mean when we say 'sour' or if its something else, like tart or astringent. I would share it with some other more experienced brewers or enter it in a contest for unbiased feedback and see if others are also tasting sour or if its something else, perhaps.

 

[aiptasia]

Agreed. It might just have a tart twang to it and not truly be in the same league as a sour beer (as a beer style). Riddle me this caped crusader, are you using liquid malt extracts out of a can? Earlier on in my brewing experience, I used canned LME a lot in my recipes. I found that LME lends a detectable tart twang to my beers (best way I can describe it) and I really didn't enjoy it at all. If this is the case, try switching to dried malt extract in your beers. I think you'll find the flavors taste a little less twangy.

 

[Chalfrune]

Riddle me this caped crusader, are you using liquid malt extracts out of a can? Earlier on in my brewing experience, I used canned LME a lot in my recipes. I found that LME lends a detectable tart twang to my beers (best way I can describe it) and I really didn't enjoy it at all. If this is the case, try switching to dried malt extract in your beers. I think you'll find the flavors taste a little less twangy.

^^^^^^

What he said, when I started brewing I used canned LME because I thought it was "easier". I was never satisfied with my beers because they all had something "off".

Only once I let a more experienced brewer taste my product did he agree and point out that it was a metallic taste from the canned LME. If you got the cash, I'd say change out your hoses, and switch to dry malt.... You should have amazing beer after that!!!

 

[atm82]

I used DME out of a bag. It isn't my tastebuds at all. I am a fan of IPA's and drink a lot of them. It isn't a hoppy bitter taste at all. It is a soury taste. Not quite like a sour dish sponge, but it has some of those sour notes to it.

 

[solbes]

Try a little Shock and Awe on your equipment and then brew again. 1 Tablespoon of bleach per 1 gallon of cold water. Soak all equipment that touches your beer post boil in it for 20 minutes. Thoroughly rinse in hot water. Then sanitize.

How do you sanitize? Starsan, Iodophor?

 

[Pappers_]

I used DME out of a bag. It isn't my tastebuds at all. I am a fan of IPA's and drink a lot of them. It isn't a hoppy bitter taste at all. It is a soury taste. Not quite like a sour dish sponge, but it has some of those sour notes to it.

If you think it's a sour taste from an infection, I'd consider tossing any plastic you used and nuclear bombing the rest with bleach. Toss the bottles into recycling (don't reuse them).

 

[Chalfrune]

Not quite like a sour dish sponge, but it has some of those sour notes to it.

One question... Why/how do u know what a sour dish sponge tastes like???