Plastic or Band Aid flavor

[WestsideSteve]

Hi all.
I've seen some threads on this but just registered and logged in.
I've made a 2.5 gal batch.
Sparkling AMBER lme and peat smopked barley Warrior Amarillo Kent Golding and Cascade as a dry hop.
American Ale style dry yeast.

In a Mr Beer fermenter. Fermented about 11 or 12 days and bottled
Used Cooper fermentation drops.
Set up fine but upon opening there's a band aid smell.
Tastes good though.
Smell dissaopates if I pour and wait......
I've read that it's using chlorine bleach as disenfectant but I use the one step easy cleaner. And rinse. Bottled spring water.

I'm letting it age for a while to see if it helps.
Any ideas?
Thank you!
WSS

 

[WestsideSteve]

Bump

 

[unionrdr]

Could've been the one step. I remember when I first got my Cooper's micro brew kit,I'd bought an extra hydrometer & that lil bottle of cleaner/sanitizer they sell. In solution,it smells just like chlorine bleach,but cleaner. Took a lot of hot water rinsing to get the smell out of everything. But that kinf of stuff can cause the band aid flavor. The spring water is a good idea,no worries there.
Try switching to PBW & starsan. That will take care of it,as they're both made for what we need them for.

 

[weirdboy]

It is either an infection, or too much chlorine in the water. The chlorine doesn't have to come from bleach; most municipal water supplies contain chlorine or chloramine, which in sufficient quantities can cause the same issue. It doesn't take much chlorophenol to start developing the aroma/flavor, either. The minimum taste threshold is on the order of something like 2-3 parts per billion.


I have no idea what is in the one-step cleaner, but it could still have some kind of chlorine compound in it. I dunno. It is more likely your water source or an infection, IMO.

 

[unionrdr]

He said he used bottled spring water. No chlorine there. The only thing I could think of is if onestep is like that lil bottle of Cooper's stuff. It smells of bleach.

 

[WestsideSteve]

He said he used bottled spring water. No chlorine there. The only thing I could think of is if onestep is like that lil bottle of Cooper's stuff. It smells of bleach.

Yep. And the One Step cleaner is a white powder I buy at the brew store. You mix it with warm water soak your stuff and supposedly don't have to rinse, though I do. No chlorine involved.
Possibly infection could be the problem as there's no chlorine around anywhere.
I've refrigerated it for a few weeks and we'll give it a little more time to see if it goes away.
Thank you gentlemen.
WSS

 

[helibrewer]

From MoreBeer's website:

Medicinal
• Tastes/Smells Like: Cough syrup, mouthwash, BandAid™
, smoke, clove-like (spicy)
• Possible Causes: A variety of different phenols are almost always the cause for medicinal flavors in beer. Phenols can cause solvent, astringent, plastic and medicinal flavors. Medicinal-tasting phenols are usually brought out during mashing and/or sparging and are caused by incorrect pH levels, water amounts and temperatures. Using chlorine or iodine-based sanitizers improperly can bring out Chlorophenols. Yeast also produces phenols, and a clove-like characteristic is deliberate in some ale, especially Hefeweizen and other wheat beers.

 

[freisste]

If you want to rule out chlorine anywhere (I don't know if it is in one step or not, though I kind of doubt it), add a little ascorbic acid. It takes care of chlorine and chloramines. And I do mean a little (1/2 tsp per 5 gallons).

You should be able to get it anywhere, including the LHBS. Shouldn't be more than a couple dollars for the smallest amount they have, and at 1/2 tsp per 5 gallons, it will last a while.

Even if you aren't worried about chlorine or chloramines, I have heard it helps to prevent oxidation.

 

[Walking_Target]

If you're using glassware or even most plastic, a strong solution of sodium or potassium metabisulfate works well as a sanitizer; you can use it with pretty much any metal too (from what I recall) the only issue is that it doesn't dissolve organics like PBW (pink or powdered brew wash, chlorine based, not ok for Stainless steel, plastic and glass only) or alkali brew san (the white alkali cleaner, OK for stainless and all of the above IME)

The only reason I no longer use metabisulfates for sanitizing is that several of my friends have a sensitivity to sulfite compounds; which is something to be aware of if you're using it on anything that can't be rinsed thoroughly.

I always recommend rinsing even if using a supposed 1-step cleaner, even though they break down in the wort, do you really want to be drinking extra junk?

 

[unionrdr]

You mean 1 step sanitizer,not cleaner. It's right on the starsan bottle. & the five star guy said it on a podcast. How much more proof do you need? Starsan is safe,PBW cleans real well but must be rinsed. Anything else to me is worthless.

 

[BridgewaterBrewer]

What temp did you ferment at? I doubt One Step is the problem since so many people use it without issues (as far as I know).

 

[HopHeadGrady]

Ok, IMO try another brew without the coopers carb tabs. I did 4 brews with them and they ALL had that weird taste. I have since done 50 + batches without this flavor ever coming back, using the same tap water, by either using c02 or dextrose to carb. Also you may want to ferment a little longer and let the yeast clean up the off flavors now. That taste is referred to as phenolic. Dissolve a coopers tab in water and take a sip... yum... I'm thinking it may be a combo of a short ferment and coopers tabs.