MrTimV
Active Member
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2019
- Messages
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I'm running out of ideas so I'm hoping someone here will be able to point me in the right direction.
I've got two brewing system, a half barrel and a 5G, so something to keep in mind is that my issue lies only with the half barrel system, I've done multiple batches during the time frame of my story in the 5G that have turned out great.
I've used my half barrel system about once a month, process always the same, transfer out, clean off large debris, run hot PBW, rinse, through CIP and spray down with Star San, let dry.
The last two batches have had an off flavour, I'd describe as kinda chemical tasting, bit of sulfur aroma.
The first batch I didn't blame fermenter, was a hefeweizen that I actually racked out half of to add fruit too and that half turned out great. Unfortunately my kegerator died so the hefe was treated as normal so I blamed the few miss steps caused by some equipment failure. It also though did a weird stratifying thing in the cans I've never had it do before, where if you didn't roll the can to essentially stir everything up, th etop half of the can poured out like a light lager. The bottom half looked like the usual cloudy hefe.
Anyways as I said, I blamed process at packaging, particularly as the fruited half turned out great.
Then I brewed a Kolsch and it had the same kinda of odours and flavours, but much more pronounced. It's also a bit hazy, despite being crashed for a few days, gelatin and sitting in th ekeg at 38F for a week before trying a glasss. Pulled a glass from another keg, same issues but slightly less pronounced. Haven't tried the 3rd keg yet.
Anyways started ripping apart the fermenter (SS Brewtech Half Barrel Chronical), they are butterfly valves but taken them apart, scrubbed out, soaked in hot PBW, rinsed, star san individually etc. actually let everything soak in heated up star san (was about 140F) for about 9 hours yesterday, hadn't mean to leave it that long but I got sidetracked and figured more time won't hurt. May not do any good, but certainly won't hurt.
Anyways all this to say, I'm comfortable with how I have my parts cleaned and sanitized, however even with everything removed, the fermenter still has an aroma, I can't quite place/don't know really how to describe. Air outs very quickly when I take the lid off. It doesn't small bad at all, I asked my wife to take a smell as well and she couldn't place it either, I'd say kind of metallic tangy.
So after all this long description, what I'm wondering, as I don't have a basis for comparison, is that simply how it smells normally and I'm chasing ghosts? Any extra steps you'd recommend? I'm boiling the valves and fittings today regardless as a precaution.
I've got two brewing system, a half barrel and a 5G, so something to keep in mind is that my issue lies only with the half barrel system, I've done multiple batches during the time frame of my story in the 5G that have turned out great.
I've used my half barrel system about once a month, process always the same, transfer out, clean off large debris, run hot PBW, rinse, through CIP and spray down with Star San, let dry.
The last two batches have had an off flavour, I'd describe as kinda chemical tasting, bit of sulfur aroma.
The first batch I didn't blame fermenter, was a hefeweizen that I actually racked out half of to add fruit too and that half turned out great. Unfortunately my kegerator died so the hefe was treated as normal so I blamed the few miss steps caused by some equipment failure. It also though did a weird stratifying thing in the cans I've never had it do before, where if you didn't roll the can to essentially stir everything up, th etop half of the can poured out like a light lager. The bottom half looked like the usual cloudy hefe.
Anyways as I said, I blamed process at packaging, particularly as the fruited half turned out great.
Then I brewed a Kolsch and it had the same kinda of odours and flavours, but much more pronounced. It's also a bit hazy, despite being crashed for a few days, gelatin and sitting in th ekeg at 38F for a week before trying a glasss. Pulled a glass from another keg, same issues but slightly less pronounced. Haven't tried the 3rd keg yet.
Anyways started ripping apart the fermenter (SS Brewtech Half Barrel Chronical), they are butterfly valves but taken them apart, scrubbed out, soaked in hot PBW, rinsed, star san individually etc. actually let everything soak in heated up star san (was about 140F) for about 9 hours yesterday, hadn't mean to leave it that long but I got sidetracked and figured more time won't hurt. May not do any good, but certainly won't hurt.
Anyways all this to say, I'm comfortable with how I have my parts cleaned and sanitized, however even with everything removed, the fermenter still has an aroma, I can't quite place/don't know really how to describe. Air outs very quickly when I take the lid off. It doesn't small bad at all, I asked my wife to take a smell as well and she couldn't place it either, I'd say kind of metallic tangy.
So after all this long description, what I'm wondering, as I don't have a basis for comparison, is that simply how it smells normally and I'm chasing ghosts? Any extra steps you'd recommend? I'm boiling the valves and fittings today regardless as a precaution.