Brewing Trouble, Help needed!

[clintonforster]

I know where you buy the hoses from but from what material ate they constructed?

Not sure, Whatever G&G has given me. My problems don't involve hoses though as i only use a hose to rack to kegs and my beer is starting to go bad after 3-4 days in the fermenter.

 

[clintonforster]

Final question - is there a common hop being used to dry hop and have you tried making beer without dry hopping at all?

I haven't been dry hopping at all for these beers to try keep it simple and figure out the problem

 

[luggy]

What's your mash pH?

 

[Dan Pratt]

You seem to be doing all the right things from what Im reading, what comes to mind is the Tap/s.

Have you taken them apart and cleaned then sanitized them?

 

[clintonforster]

You seem to be doing all the right things from what Im reading, what comes to mind is the Tap/s.

Have you taken them apart and cleaned then sanitized them?

Brand new fermenters :/

 

[clintonforster]

What's your mash pH?

I'm not sure, I was going to measure it this weekend and adjust accordingly with salts though the ph of my finished beers is perfect. (4.0-4.2)

 

[Dan Pratt]

Brand new fermenters :/

hmm, fair point.

what kind of fermenter same as the old ones?

 

[clintonforster]

hmm, fair point.

what kind of fermenter same as the old ones?

standard 15L with taps. change the taps often too.

 

[manticle]

Keep as much trub out as possible.
Use clean, silicon hose.
Get the brew cold after a few days at stable, finished gravity.

 

[Spiesy]

Poor bloke - I feel for you.

Sounds like you have a decent process.

As Manticle has suggested, are there any common ingredients or additives being used in all of these brews?

 

[clintonforster]

Poor bloke - I feel for you.

Sounds like you have a decent process.

As Manticle has suggested, are there any common ingredients or additives being used in all of these brews?

I am having the problem no matter what recipe but the common ingredient would be us-05.

I was going to try a liquid yeast this weekend.

 

[clintonforster]

Keep as much trub out as possible.
Use clean, silicon hose.
Get the brew cold after a few days at stable, finished gravity.

Thanks, Will do. What's cold? 2 degrees?

 

[manticle]

Have heard of some recent issues with 05. I don't use it but found it fine when I did (few years now). Try the new yeast, change nothing else, see how you go.

 

[manticle]

Thanks, Will do. What's cold? 2 degrees?

Cold is as cold as you can - my range is 0.5-4 with colder preferable. Eliminate the yeast choice from the equation first though.

 

[clintonforster]

Have heard of some recent issues with 05. I don't use it but found it fine when I did (few years now). Try the new yeast, change nothing else, see how you go.

Thanks, will do!

 

[stakka82]

Couple of questions:

Do other people smell the problem differently?
Is the beer not clearing as well as it used to pre problems?
Do you not get a nice compact yeast cake, which is off white in color, rather get a sludgy badly defined mess that's a dark color?

 

[clintonforster]

Couple of questions:

Do other people smell the problem differently?
Is the beer not clearing as well as it used to pre problems?
Do you not get a nice compact yeast cake, which is off white in color, rather get a sludgy badly defined mess that's a dark color?

Yeah other people smell it differently but all agree it's detergent/soapy. The beer looks awesome and clear with a perfect head afterwards. All krausen and yeast activity in fermenter looks fine.

 

[bundy]

How do you transfer to your fermenter?

You mention you have a 18l stainless pot you use as your kettle.

Do you have a tap or valve on it or Do you syphon?

If you use of those have you tried sniffing the tap , or syphon. Basically anything that you use to transfer to your fermenter from your kettle give it a going over and a good whiff as there May be something lurking in your transfer process that you haven't noticed. Goes for hoses too.

Often the old nose test can pick up something not right.

Another thing you can do is ferment the same batch in a few different containers. Some mentioned using different yeast so use diff yeast in each fermenter. It might help isolate it to the hot side, or cold side of your process. If one comes up good then it's the cold side, or they all are bad then something common to all on the hot side. At least might help narrow it down a bit quicker.


Palmer says in how to brew -

Soapy flavors can caused by not washing your glass very well, but they can also be produced by the fermentation conditions. If you leave the beer in the primary fermentor for a relatively long period of time after primary fermentation is over ("long" depends on the style and other fermentation factors), soapy flavors can result from the breakdown of fatty acids in the trub. Soap is, by definition, the salt of a fatty acid; so you are literally tasting soap.


Good luck

 

[fcmcg]

yeah rinsing with hot water very well, I buy the hoses from grain and grape. This weekend i'm going to strain it while pouring into the fermenter. w

How many times are you rinsing it ?
You don't have to use hot water, to rinse it ...i don't..but i do find that the soapy "feel" can take two or three rinses to dissipate...
Your using star san , anyway to sterilise , so ..go ahead...rinse it a few times with cold water...see if that helps

 

[clintonforster]

How many times are you rinsing it ?
You don't have to use hot water, to rinse it ...i don't..but i do find that the soapy "feel" can take two or three rinses to dissipate...
Your using star san , anyway to sterilise , so ..go ahead...rinse it a few times with cold water...see if that helps

I rinse two to 3 times after using oxyper. maybe i'll go 4-5 to be sure as i know caustic cleaners can cause a soapy taste if not gotten rid of properly. cheers!