Tannins with Extract

[Eaglepilot]

I'm looking for some information regarding tannin extraction in an extract brew with specialty grains. I made a pretty basic small batch using 3# golden DME and 0.5# crystal 60 that the LHBS crushed. I steeped the crystal in 4 gallons for 30 minutes between 150-160 in a bag, removed them and boiled for 30 minutes adding hops at 15, 5, and 0 with a 15 minute stand. 3.25 gallons went into the fermenter with a large portion of the trub. Pitched a 1L starter of 1272 after cooling. The next day it smelled like a hop field and was very active. I pulled a sample last night to test the gravity as I am dry hopping it and it has a very strong husky/grainy aftertaste. My guess is tannins but if so, where did I go wrong?

I just moved it to a secondary, despite not wanting too, to remove it from the yeast cake and trub hoping that it will drop out. The grain looked like it was crushed fairly fine thinking back.

 

[Yooper]

I'm looking for some information regarding tannin extraction in an extract brew with specialty grains. I made a pretty basic small batch using 3# golden DME and 0.5# crystal 60 that the LHBS crushed. I steeped the crystal in 4 gallons for 30 minutes between 150-160 in a bag, removed them and boiled for 30 minutes adding hops at 15, 5, and 0 with a 15 minute stand. 3.25 gallons went into the fermenter with a large portion of the trub. Pitched a 1L starter of 1272 after cooling. The next day it smelled like a hop field and was very active. I pulled a sample last night to test the gravity as I am dry hopping it and it has a very strong husky/grainy aftertaste. My guess is tannins but if so, where did I go wrong?

I just moved it to a secondary, despite not wanting too, to remove it from the yeast cake and trub hoping that it will drop out. The grain looked like it was crushed fairly fine thinking back.

When did you add the extract? Was this a three gallon batch? How many hops did you add?

There are two things I can think of that can cause astringency. One is from the hops, and some hops have a strong 'harsh' drying taste when boiled in just water so I wanted to ask if you added any extract during the boil. The next thing is water. My tap water causes some harsh astringent flavors in lighter colored heavily hopped beers, due to the alkalinity of it. Those are hop polyphenol flavors, and not 'grainy' in nature but still astringent (like sucking on a tea bag).

 

[Eaglepilot]

When did you add the extract? Was this a three gallon batch? How many hops did you add?

There are two things I can think of that can cause astringency. One is from the hops, and some hops have a strong 'harsh' drying taste when boiled in just water so I wanted to ask if you added any extract during the boil. The next thing is water. My tap water causes some harsh astringent flavors in lighter colored heavily hopped beers, due to the alkalinity of it. Those are hop polyphenol flavors, and not 'grainy' in nature but still astringent (like sucking on a tea bag).

I added the DME at the start of the boil. All centennial hops: 1 oz 15 min., .6 oz 5 min., .5 oz flameout. I was trying to get a 2.5 gallon but I didn't boil off as much as I thought I would.

I may need to check my water as my last pale ale (all grain) was a little off but a vanilla porter with a single hop addition I made came out great.

 

[mabrungard]

If your tap water has high alkalinity, that will keep the pH of your steeping wort high and that can extract tannins and silicate. Both are rough flavors.

Even with extract brewing, water chemistry can still bite you!

 

[Eaglepilot]

If your tap water has high alkalinity, that will keep the pH of your steeping wort high and that can extract tannins and silicate. Both are rough flavors.

Even with extract brewing, water chemistry can still bite you!

Thanks! Seems like that's probably it. My brewmate is planning an IPA so I'll be sure to tell him to try some RO water instead of our tap.

 

[mabrungard]

If you can find out what is in the tap water, its possible that just a little acidification is all that is needed and moving to RO water may not be necessary. Your call.