What happened to my brew?

[progmac]

Well I have concluded that the batch is ruined. I degassed and recapped all the bottles, let them sit for a week and they are WAY worse then before. This must be an infection. I had some bottle bombs before I recapped and now I have some more bottle bombs after recapping. I am going to dispose of the batch and start fresh.

Another interesting thing though. My last brew, Appalachian Pale Ale (Partial) had an off flavor in it but it was drinkable. This new beer taste awful so I won't drink it, but I did notice some of the same off flavors in this IPA as my last Pale Ale. Could this be my water? I'm on well water on the peak of a mountain.

The only consistant variable between the two was water and the same strand of yeast. Not sure why I would have the same flavors in both

I'd recommend ironing out the basics before concerning yourself with water.

Steps for making good beer:
1. Let your wort cool to 60-65 degrees before pitching yeast
2. Always rehydrate dry yeast, almost always make a starter with liquid yeast
3. Aerate well
4. Maintain fermentation temperature around 60-65 degrees for ales.
5. Sanitize with great care

I'd pitch the batch in question and start reading a lot and really think about how to make the best beer that you can.

 

[mendlerr]

I do all that though. I built wort chillers, a fermentation chamber. I maintain temperatures and I definitely sanitize everything as well as I can (probably too much).

The only thing I did not do it make a starter for the liquid yeast, but I had some pretty serious fermentation within 24 hours.

This next batch will be a 2 gallon one. Simply because I got my hands on a few 1 gallon fermentors from a friend. Should make it easier with my space constraints too

 

[TNTgill]

You said earlier back that your ferm chamber was at 68F was that air temp or wort temp and if wort temp how was it measured. Fermentation can increase the inside temp of wort by 5-10F. Just a thought.

 

[progmac]

oh, sorry. this was the situation with the jacked instructions. if you feel like other issues could be because of the water, get your water report. you may have to send it off for testing if you aren't connected to a municipal supply.

 

[mendlerr]

I just feel like the same off flavors in 2 different styles of beer must be from a common variable. the water. not much else was used in both recipes.

its probably going to take me awhile to get a water test. my house is in the middle of nowhere. we are 50 minutes away from any municipality of any kind

 

[mendlerr]

definitely infection now! May have already said that earlier but I kept a couple just to see how they progress over time, its been a few more weeks since then. The carbonation has calmed down, ALOT! which is good. I can actually pour a beer and it looks like a beer!

now the beer smells like a green beer with hints of my girlfriends nail polish remover. definitely not drinkable!