Porter Probs

[bill402]

Not real sure where I should put this, but it was a BIAB batch, so I'll start here.

My porter tastes like plastic. That's the best way to describe it. Here's the grain bill, if you're curious:

6# English Marris Otter
.625# Weyermann Pale
.625# English Chocolate
.375# English Black
.375# English Dark Crystal

I brewed 6 weeks ago. Brewing was largely uneventful. Wort was deep, dark, and sticky. Was totally excited. Did almost 2 weeks in primary and then transferred to a secondary that featured bourbon soaked oak cubes and a couple of tablespoons of vanilla. Did 2 weeks here. Bottled (will be two weeks on Sunday) and tasted a flat sample. It tasted...plastic-y. Not awfully so, but just, like a band-aid. I primed and bottled and then did a first Friday taste 5 days later. Same. Just did a second Friday test on a bottle that chilled for 7 days. A little less plastic-y, but it was definitely still there. Carbed up nicely, but there is little to no head on this beard. I even did a slightly aggressive pour into the glass, and there is absolutely no retention. What was there fizzled out quickly.

Now, I will admit that I did not take gravity readings, but mostly because it was only my second batch. I have since acquired a hydrometer, yada yada.

A long with the plastic taste, it felt a bit weak, too. I don't know. I want to think that the flavor mellowed out since last Friday, but I feel like that could be me projecting that desire onto the beer. It was a 4+ gallon batch, and I netted about 42 bottles.

Is this batch doomed, or should I just forget about it?

The only off-flavor suggestion I can see matching is chlorophenols, but I am polishing off a phenomenal IPA brewed with the same water just two weeks prior. I don't think that's the case. Thoughts?!

 

[macaronijones]

Did you boil with the lid on?

 

[JimRausch]

What you haven't mentioned yet is your water source and prep.
Water problems, especially chloramine are the most common reason for the plastic flavor.

 

[TexasWine]

What you haven't mentioned yet is your water source and prep.
Water problems, especially chloramine are the most common reason for the plastic flavor.

This would be my bet too. Did you use untreated tap water provided by a local municipality?

 

[bill402]

Did you boil with the lid on?

I did not.

 

[bill402]

This would be my bet too. Did you use untreated tap water provided by a local municipality?

I did, but like I said, the IPA that I did only two weeks prior came right out of the same tap. It is amazing.

The water here is really spot on. It's really clean, and the quality report always shows little in the way of issue. I don't have it on me, or I'd report more in depth.

I wonder if this is worth looking into. What could they have put into the water supply that would have caused issues?

 

[bill402]

Also, just moments ago, when I was checking on the Kolsch in my ferm freezer, it occurred to me that the smell of CO2 building up inside there from the fermentation smells just like the porter tastes. Is it possible that the yeast just didn't finish doing their job?

 

[Yooper]

Also, just moments ago, when I was checking on the Kolsch in my ferm freezer, it occurred to me that the smell of CO2 building up inside there from the fermentation smells just like the porter tastes. Is it possible that the yeast just didn't finish doing their job?

No. "Plastic" taste comes from one of two things- chlorine in the brewing water (commonly added in the spring to many water supplies in larger amounts), or infection. Those really are the only two possibilities.

My one and only "plastic Band-Aid" beer came from an infected yeast starter. I did a 10 gallon batch, and 5 gallons with one yeast and 5 gallons with another. 5 gallons used an "iffy" yeast starter that I was worried about, but thought it was still ok- that was a major Band-aid beer.

The other cause is chlorophenols, and is from chlorine in the brewing water combined with malt to make a distinct plastic taste.

It's either one or the other, but I'd look at the water again since it did just happen that there was a lot of spring flooding and run off in a lot of places and many places dosed heavily with chlorine/chloramines as a result, as seasonally occurs.

 

[bill402]

So is this batch just dead?

 

[JimRausch]

So is this batch just dead?

Read Revvy's lengthy thread on "Never Dumping a Batch", but if it is chlorophenol because there was chlorine/chloramine in the prep water, then that flavor won't go away. Sorry......

 

[bill402]

Ok, so after 1 month in the bottle, it's getting better. I've made it through half a pint so far. There may be hope yet.

 

[bill402]

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