New to home brewing and need some pointers

[Photofrogger]

I am new to brewing and looking for a little bit of advice. Currently, I just brew from 1 gallon kits which makes about 9 bottles. I have brewed several of these in the past, but recently my last 2 brews came out horrible. All the other brews I made, when fermenting, I kept them in a different location, Ex: a dark closet. These past 2 brews were stored in a darker room with skylights, but I kept them covered with a dark towel. There clearly is a consistency with these 2 brews and their location, but I want to know if others had similar situations and what was the resolve. I didn't use the closet the last 2 brews because during the winter months, its borderline freezing. The room I used was about 68 degrees.

 

[m2kraus]

When you say horrible, what do you mean?

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

"Horrible" covers too wide a possibility.

What specifically was it that was horrible about them and, did you use an unfamiliar ingredient?

 

[flars]

You may have a problem with the fermentation being to hot. Yeast produces heat as the fermentation progresses. A description of horrible would help, and also your timeline from pitching yeast to tasting.

 

[Photofrogger]

It had the taste similar to the smell of melted plastic, or the smell of the inside of a new cooler (best way I can describe). Oddly enough, I ferment in glass carboys. It also had a flat taste to it, yet it was still carbonated. I use the chemical EZ Clean which was purchased from a home brew website. As far as unfamiliar ingredients goes, I was just using the kit ingredients, But is there such a thing as adding too much yeast? Kit calls for half the pack provided and I do so. Thank you in advance.

 

[kev211]

It had the taste similar to the smell of melted plastic, or the smell of the inside of a new cooler (best way I can describe). Oddly enough, I ferment in glass carboys. It also had a flat taste to it, yet it was still carbonated. I use the chemical EZ Clean which was purchased from a home brew website. As far as unfamiliar ingredients goes, I was just using the kit ingredients, But is there such a thing as adding too much yeast? Kit calls for half the pack provided and I do so. Thank you in advance.

Yes there is, but you have to way over pitch to produce any off flavors. I think (like everyone else is saying) that your ferm temps are too high. If you can control those temps you'll be much better off. It could potentially be oxidation, but it sounds like things are getting too warm for the yeasties

 

[TheCADJockey]

It had the taste similar to the smell of melted plastic, or the smell of the inside of a new cooler (best way I can describe). Oddly enough, I ferment in glass carboys. It also had a flat taste to it, yet it was still carbonated. I use the chemical EZ Clean which was purchased from a home brew website. As far as unfamiliar ingredients goes, I was just using the kit ingredients, But is there such a thing as adding too much yeast? Kit calls for half the pack provided and I do so. Thank you in advance.

I have a friend who produces beer with a similar taste to what you're describing. It would be easier if we knew what recipe/yeast you used. A great way to improve your end product would be to control fermentation temperature. This can be done very easily by filling a cheap rubbermaid tote with water and putting your fermentation vessel in that, covered with a towel or tshirt and keeping the water at a temperature that will make the yeast happy.

This is a solution that you can likely achieve with little to know expense. Google whatever yeast you use, most have a spec sheet online that will tell you how to care for it and what temp to store/ferment.

 

[kh54s10]

I would look to keeping the fermentation temperature cooler. Mid sixties of the wort itself during the fermentation, it creates it's own heat, not the temperature of the room. Look up "swamp cooler".

I would also get a true sanitizer. Clean everything with your EZ Clean, rinse well. Then anything that touches the beer after the boil, sanitize with Starsan or Iodaphor.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Do you use chlorinated water?

The plastic reference makes me think band aids, thus chlorophenols.

 

[Psylocide]

I'd almost bet my paycheck on un-treated tap water.

 

[TasunkaWitko]

I didn't use the closet the last 2 brews because during the winter months, its borderline freezing. The room I used was about 68 degrees.

My closet is very similar to yours (almost freezing in winter months). A space heater with a thermostat and a thermometer to monitor temperatures at the level of the fermenters takes care of the problem very well.

 

[TasunkaWitko]

Do you use chlorinated water?

The plastic reference makes me think band aids, thus chlorophenols.

Is there anything else that might cause a "plasticky" quality? I've gotten it once before in an "oatmeal raisin cookie" stout. I used excellent spring water, like I use for all my other brews, but the stout had a slight after-taste that could be described he same way that the OP describes.

The good news is that it's diminished qute a bit on its own over time, leaving behind a very good stout.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Is there anything else that might cause a "plasticky" uality? I've gotten it once before in an "Oatmeal raisi cookie" stout. used excellent spring water, like I use for all m oher brews, but the stout had a slight after-taste that could be described he same way that the OP describes.

The good news is that it's diminished qute a bit on its own oer time, leaving behind a very good stout.

Well, yeast derived phenols are the usual culprit and when medicinal / plastic / bandaid flavors are present they are usually resolved by eliminating chlorinated water sources. But, iodine can bind with phenols for a medicinal flavor as well as bromine.

 

[ElJefeBrews]

Sounds like you're getting chlorophenols. Like others have said, the most likely source is chlorinated water, but some residue hanging around from cleaning chemicals can also do it. Trying carbon filtering your water or using RO water. If that doesn't do it, then rinse your equipment better after cleaning

 

[Photofrogger]

I'd almost bet my paycheck on un-treated tap water.

I was exercising that idea as well, but than i remembered the other batches I made from the same tap were fine. I did brew these 2 batches in the winter too, could cold weather effect the tap water treatment?

 

[Photofrogger]

Do you use chlorinated water?

The plastic reference makes me think band aids, thus chlorophenols.

I am not sure. I just rent the apartment and dont know to much about it. could this be found in a water softener?

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

I am not sure. I just rent the apartment and dont know to much about it. could this be found in a water softener?

If you are using city water (no well, no bottled, etc...) then you either have chlorinated water or a water treated with chloramines.

A water softner might lower some of the levels but it will not eliminate them without some sort of internal or external filtration (carbon type).

Campden tablets can help as well.

This could be a situation where either the yeast phenol production is higher than what you had before, or could be the chlorine/chloramine levels are higher, or it could be that you brewed a style that has less in the way of "hiding" the phenolic character.

Or, it could be something else entirely. Based on what we have so far, my best guess is chlorophenols.

 

[flars]

I use straight well water, so never investigated water run through a softener. Could the increased sodium levels of softened water be part of the problem.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

I use straight well water, so never investigated water run through a softener. Could the increased sodium levels of softened water be part of the problem.

I suppose anything is possible, but given my limited knowledge I'd suspect it's not likely. While elevated sodium can flavor a beer it generally effects the sweetness/bitterness perception.