Please HBT community, help me before the SWMBO forces me to quit!

[Nyxator]

This would most def cause issues. I had assumed he steeped them and that there was no added heat.

In the second post he said this:

-Steeped Grains for 15 min as water heated up, starting at 90 Deg. F

 

[zman]

wow, lots of new posts to reply to:

1) I'll be visiting my LHBS this friday if he's open (odd hours, this guy) so maybe he can help

2) I did not use the pump on the first batch for aeration, I just poured vigerously as per "How To Brew" (I foollowed the instructions there to the letter) so I doubt that's the cause

3) LME for this latest batch was ordered direct from Northern Brewer, so it should have been fresh, right? They seem reputable.

4) Bottles: for both batches I used commercial empties. First time around I scrubbed them good with dish soap now that I recall when I first got them, but then before bottling I soaked them in one-step overnight, then rinsed them in pre-boiled hot water. Second time around I thought better of this, so after I drank a beer I would just rinse the bottles out with tapwater really well and dry them. Then before bottling I soaked them in B-Brite for an hour or so, then sprayed on some star-san with a NEW spray bottle. Two different processes, same soapy flavor.

5) I'm not dumping this batch. I'll let it age till the cows come home to see if I can save it, it just seems unlikely as i'm 6 weeks in the bottle now and it tastes worse than before... then again, it may have just been more noticible in the bottle I tasted last night and I had already eaten/drank other things.

6) I pour very slowly, down the side of the glass. I usually hold it up to a light while I do it so I can see the yeast cake and stop pouring before any gets in the glass.

This evening I may get brave and taste the yeast cake itself... that may help to determine if that's the flavor or not until I can get a second opinion.

I recommend getting a bottle brush and bottle washer adapter for your kitchen faucet ( My DW does not clean bottles to my satisfaction)) My process is to fill a Rubbermaid tub with the bottles, hot water, and Ivory soap ( no scented dish soap). I clean out every bottle with the brush and give it a blast with the Jet bottle washer adapter. I use a Vinnator to sanitize w/ my star san /H2O solution. Best $16 I ever spent.

 

[thatjoshguy]

Oh man, I've been a way for a while and wasn't getting email notifications that people had posted more replies!

I'll be back later to answer the new questions if I can. I haven't dumped the batch yet but I can add this:

Last weekend I tastes a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale for the first time (it's not easy to find in my area, only one store sells it.) It was good, I liked it, but I'll be DAMNED if I didn't taste the EXACT SAME FLAVOR that I consider "soapy"! Someone had told me that before and said it was the hops that tasted that way to my "virgin" pallette. Could this be true?!?

Have I been so desensitized by the american beer market that I simply don't like "real" beer? I got into this hobby after tasting a beer from a microbrewery out west, and I've had other home brew beers I liked, but is this a common flavor?

 

[remilard]

Did your beers have cascade hops?

 

[Synovia]

While I staunchly agree with Revvy that aging is always a good thing to do, I have to admit I'm skeptical that his problem is related to yeast. He's presumably used two different yeasts for his two batches, and I'm a chronic under-pitcher myself and never had a soapy taste problem. Couple that with the fact that this taste is always present in his beer, and I'm forced to believe the problem is elsewhere.

I dunno, the guy is moving to secondary while active fermentation is still going on, and probably bottling early. Theres a good chance hes just ending up with a ton of yeast in the bottle.

 

[thatjoshguy]

the first batch (True Brew Amber) did, but not the second batch. Pretty sure it was EK Goldings and willamette

 

[Cheaton]

Try making a very malty beer, like a brown ale, or a sweet stout.

 

[Baldy_Beer_Brewery]

Last weekend I tastes a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale for the first time (it's not easy to find in my area, only one store sells it.) It was good, I liked it, but I'll be DAMNED if I didn't taste the EXACT SAME FLAVOR that I consider "soapy"! Someone had told me that before and said it was the hops that tasted that way to my "virgin" pallette. Could this be true?!?

Have I been so desensitized by the american beer market that I simply don't like "real" beer? I got into this hobby after tasting a beer from a microbrewery out west, and I've had other home brew beers I liked, but is this a common flavor?

Two things I thought of when I read the OP...

1: Did this guy brew a style he was familiar with?
2: Is he not accustomed to hops and or ale yeast?

If there is one thing that I think new brewers need to do, it is brew something (possibly a known good clone) they have had before more than one or twice to have a benchmark to compare to.

 

[electric_beer]

I gotta say, I think Cascades are a bit...soapy or rather I just don't care for them. I'm more of a malty type as well. Make a good stout and perhaps change your mind about your home brew.

 

[thatjoshguy]

I've been wanting to try a mocha porter, but was afraid it may be too advanced for me.

Can anyone recommend a good extract recipe (specialty grains okay too) that I should try? When drinking commercial brews, I usually stick to Grolsch, Killians Irish Red, Sam Adams, or Yuengling, although I occasionally drink Newcastle. I wouldn't mind brewing a stout or porter though...

 

[thatjoshguy]

FYI: Here's the recipe I threw together for a Mocha Stout I wanted to try: Comments/suggestions?

1lb. Extra Light Dry Extract
6 lbs. Dark Liquid Extract
12oz Crystal 120L
8oz Chocolate Malt
4oz Roasted Barley
8oz Malto-Dextrine (20min)
9oz Cocoa Powder (10min)
1/2cup Espresso Coffee Beans (added to secondary)
1oz Nugget (60 min)
1oz Fuggles (5 min)
Yeast: Wyeast Labs #1028 London Ale

I may swap out cold-brewed coffee for the coffee beans, and I'm not sure about the hops anymore... Probably want to use some Irish Moss, but I never have before so I dont' know the amount/time. Any help would be appreciated, as If I'm going to try this brew I want to get it right for once!

 

[electric_beer]

I might hold off on the coco powder until the secondary. So you get maximum amount of flavor. The hops sound pretty good, I might ditch the Fuggles and replace it with Saaz for aroma because they go together well and would complement the beer nicely.

 

[thatjoshguy]

do you think the malto-dextrine will make it too sweet? I want residual sweetness, but not too much.

 

[electric_beer]

TBH you have enough crystal and chocolate malt that you probably don't need the extra malto dextrine. Both of those won't attenuate very well, keeping a bit of residual sweetness.

 

[electric_beer]

Worst come to worse you can always back sweeten a touch with some lacto.

 

[Jim Karr]

A simple but excellent recipe:

6.6 Lbs LME
1.5 oz Centennial pellet hops
1 Packet Munton's or Nottingham dry yeast
add hops at first boil, then 30 min, then 15, then flameout.

Add most of the extract very late in the boil. You will like this simple beer, and you can focus on procedure.