What beer can't you get just right?

[andvari7]

I've been brewing for over a year and a half, and I still haven't gotten a batch right.

 

[Glynn]

My double IPA. The first two batches were way low on OG. The next two were were way over carbonated.

 

[Omahawk]

I sent a water sample to Ward Labs and my water did not match what MUD reports (at least in the link earlier in this post). I think some of my abrasiveness may come from an excessively high level of sulfates. For the last couple of batches I have diluted with about 55% RO water from HyVee so we'll see how they turn out. I live in west Omaha and here's what I got back from Ward Labs:

pH 9.2

Sodium, Na 60
Potassium, K 6
Calcium, Ca 36
Magnesium, Mg 19
Total Hardness, CaCO3 169
Nitrate, NO3-N 0.8 (SAFE)
Sulfate, SO4-S 70
Chloride, Cl 21
Carbonate, CO3 12
Bicarbonate, HCO3 60
Total Alkalinity, CaCO3 69

Thanks. I had heard from other homebrewers that there were at least 2 different water zones in the city. We live out by Elkhorn, so I'm guessing mine is similar to yours.

I went back and reread the Mash pH chapter in How to Brew and started listening to the Brew Strong water-ganza podcasts and it's been helpful in understanding the basics. I think I need to spin through each a few times to get all of the details down.

Based on my 1 day of research into this topic , right away I notice that the Cl:SO4 ratio in West O looks really low. Palmer was recommending something along the lines of 1:1 or 1.5:1 if I recall (I need to go back and listen again).

Other than experimenting with some RO water, are you adding anything to your West O water? For my lighter beers, I've been using about 50% tap, 50% distilled Hy-Vee water. For Pale Ales, it's been mostly tap water (some filtered, some unfiltered) since it tastes pretty clean. I've never added anything to the water other than campden tablets.

Edit: by the way, from reading through the water reports of other cities, pH of 9.2 is off the charts alkaline.

Also, our Calcium levels are low according to what Palmer was talking about in the first water podcast.

 

[Grossy]

I just cant seem to nail down a good stout. A stout with coffee and chocolate notes, creamy.

 

[beowulf]

Other than experimenting with some RO water, are you adding anything to your West O water? For my lighter beers, I've been using about 50% tap, 50% distilled Hy-Vee water. For Pale Ales, it's been mostly tap water (some filtered, some unfiltered) since it tastes pretty clean. I've never added anything to the water other than campden tablets.

My first brew was all RO with no additions. Since then it's been all tap water with some additions here and there. My last 2 brews (batch #'s 64 and 65) I used about 55% RO in each. To the IPA I added some gypsum and CaCl. To the stout I added CaCl and baking soda. We'll see how they turn out. The stout will be bottled today and the IPA is soon to be dry hopped.

 

[Omahawk]

The stout will be bottled today and the IPA is soon to be dry hopped.

Let me know how they turn out. We're 2-3 weeks from brewing.

 

[dryboroughbrewing]

For me it's a good ordinary bitter. Next time I make one I'll probably go the no sparge route which has really been working out nicely for me on low gravity beers.

 

[davekippen]

Saison. Every time I make one, I've reformulated the recipe completely because I wasn't happy with the previous version. And of course it doesn't help that the only saison yeast that I really, really like is Dupont.

This. I love Saison's but cant seem to ever make a good one. I thought it was a forgiving style to brew, I couldnt be more wrong.

 

[corwin3083]

For me it's a good ordinary bitter. Next time I make one I'll probably go the no sparge route which has really been working out nicely for me on low gravity beers.

I'm intrigued by this. Would you mind saying a little more about your process here? I've been trying to dial in an ordinary bitter myself, but am definitely still looking for good ideas to try out.

 

[daksin]

For me it's a good ordinary bitter. Next time I make one I'll probably go the no sparge route which has really been working out nicely for me on low gravity beers.

That's a great idea. I wonder if my not-quite-right OB could be improved the same way. Maybe something to try next time!

 

[dryboroughbrewing]

I'm intrigued by this. Would you mind saying a little more about your process here? I've been trying to dial in an ordinary bitter myself, but am definitely still looking for good ideas to try out.

Sorry I'm bad about replying to my quotes, but it's a pretty simple process, you just collect the first runnings from the mash without sparging.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/No_sparge_method

It's a bit less efficient and therefore uses more malt, but it seems to give a 'fuller' malt taste (great description I know).

 

[corwin3083]

Sorry I'm bad about replying to my quotes, but it's a pretty simple process, you just collect the first runnings from the mash without sparging.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/wiki/index.php/No_sparge_method

It's a bit less efficient and therefore uses more malt, but it seems to give a 'fuller' malt taste (great description I know).

So you're just collecting your first runnings, then adding water to reach your boil volume? Or using enough mash water to reach your boil volume?

 

[dryboroughbrewing]

I fill with all the volume I'll need, mash, drain, start the boil.

 

[daksin]

Well, all the volume you need, plus grain absorption.