Riddle me this brewman...

[JamieT]

So on 9/8/2009 I brewed a pretty simple 10g batch of pale ale..

15lbs 2-Row
2lbs Crystal 40L
1/2lb Munich
2 oz Centennial
2 oz Cascade
2ea. WLP001

OG was 1.051
Gravity going into secondary after 1 week primary at 68f was 1.015
Couple of weeks in secondary and it finished at 1.011..

Tasting it going into secondary I knew something was off during the mash cuz there was a distinct astringency like dish soap.. I did not pay much attention to the mash PH because I have never missed it before, just hit it with a little 5.2 and dint think about it.

So I kegged half of the batch and let it carb for a few days just to give it a shot.. Still terrible, getting worse.. Most awful aftertaste you can imagine..

So as I typically do when the odd batch doesn't quite fit my designs I yanked it off the tap.. Hit it with a little extra CO2 and slipped it to the back of the serving fridge where it will stay with it's nose in a corner for a few months to think about the way it has behaved..

So here is the weird part.. The other 5g of this batch has been just hanging out in the fermentation fridge, no obvious signs of fermentation activity and the fg is holding firm so I am dead sure this thing is done. I decide I'm gonna play with it to see if I can fix it..

I decide to rack to a new carboy and hit it with some gelatin then crash cool.. Did this yesterday evening.. Stuck the carboy in the serving fridge at 34f... This morning I go take a look at it and the freaking air lock is bubbling away.. The beer is crystal clear, zero sediment on the bottom of the carboy, but something is going on in there... I expected cooling process to suck my airlock dry of it's charge of vodka but it doesn't look like a drop is gone, and she's just a bubbling away at 34f.. Go figure..

I have no idea what is going on with this beer at this point and I am sure I couldn't replicate it if I tried but I am just gonna watch and wait and see what happens..

Anyone have a clue what this thing is doing?

 

[Denny]

a distinct astringency like dish soap..

That doesn't sound at all like astringency.

 

[JamieT]

That doesn't sound at all like astringency.

Ever had powder dish soap in your mouth?

 

[jds]

Soapy and astringent describe two different sensations. Soapy flavors taste just like that: Soap.

Astringency is more of a mouth-puckering dryness. Want to understand astringency? Suck on a fresh tea bag for a few seconds. The puckering, powdery, dry sensation is astringency. The two aren't the same, and have different causes.

 

[Bobby_M]

I'm going to say either infection or mash pH too high. Are you doing anything for chlorine or chloramine?

 

[JamieT]

Ok.. I will concede that I likely am poorly apt at describing the particular putridity that has stricken this beer.. To me, based on Denny and JDS's clarification on astringency, we definitely have that going on for sure.. But there is also a soapy aftertaste.. The start is watery, middle is slightly malty, little or no hop presence at all, finish is like chewing a mouthful of chalk and powdered dish soap..

Regarding the chlorine / chloramines.. I am not doing anything specifically to address either component. I never have and haven't had an issue until now.. That doesn't mean that there hasn't been a change in the chlorine / chloramine levels recently in my water supply.. Contacted the water district on Friday and they sent me a pdf of the water report but it is from '06.. They say they only pull samples every 4 to 6 years.. I have not detected a chlorine smell or taste to the water, but that doesn't mean anything.. I'm usually a bit to deep into the homebrew by shower time to be at full sensory prowess..

I am aggravated because this is gonna interrupt the supply line in 3-4 weeks... Between my neighbors and I we typically kill 10 gallons a week, which is fine because I enjoy to brew and they cover the cost of ingredients.. We typically have 5-6 guys over nearly every evening for the dart game.. Any way you guys are aware of to salvage this vile swill..

 

[Denny]

I'm goin' with Bobby and saying infection....

 

[Vermonter]

Your water system operator is required by law to provide you with a water quality report every year. Giving you a 2006 report is not okay, it's not complying with the law. Call them and ask them what they're using for disinfection. It's also bizarre that they say they only pull samples every 4 to 6 years. That's not legal, either. If you're in Houston, it's probably chloramine, which will definitely result in chemical changes to your brew. Some systems flush their systems annually because chloramine is an inferior disinfectant, and they go back to chlorine for about a month. During the changeover, all kinds of nasty chemical reactions can occur. You need to find out what's in your water, and get some straight answers from the water system operator.

 

[jds]

If it's truly vile, infection is always a possibility. Vermonter has it nailed. The utility operator is legally required to make an annual report to customers on water quality. Don't talk to the customer service people. You need somebody in engineering to get you the information you need.

I'd recommend adding 1/2 a Campden tablet to all your brew water, and 5.2 pH buffer in your mash, at least until you get real data back from your water utility. Also, if you suspect an infection, go "scorched earth" on your brewing equipment, and clean and sanitize the hell out of every single piece of equipment.