Can Anyone Help Me? 12months Of Crap Beer!

[Milky11111]

Do you keep log sheets of your brews? If you do look at the variable differences between the brews you thought were good and bad, also the dates of the brews (were the better beers around cooler months? etc.)

 

[carlton747]

agree with BribieG every bit of advice he has offered to me has been invaluable , he knows , if I were you I would go back to basics sanatization etc . Do a couple of coopers kits just the basic deal and see how they turn out . Even my fist couple of brews I put down , and were worried about turned out great . But if its a water problem thats another story , keep your chin up and start at the basics . good luck

 

[colonel]

I've brewed hundreds of K&K beers, and have never been happy with the pale coloured brews (sour).
Luckily, I prefer the dark styles, which I've never had a problem with.
I'm more inclined to think temperature is your problem, as I hardly sanitise anything.
I'm going to have another crack at pale beer in the winter, when I can keep the temp right down.
It maybe wild yeasts, that the bigger beers can handle? Does anyone think that may be a valid point?
Good Luck!

 

[jyo]

I've brewed hundreds of K&K beers, and have never been happy with the pale coloured brews (sour).
Luckily, I prefer the dark styles, which I've never had a problem with.
I'm more inclined to think temperature is your problem, as I hardly sanitise anything.
I'm going to have another crack at pale beer in the winter, when I can keep the temp right down.
It maybe wild yeasts, that the bigger beers can handle? Does anyone think that may be a valid point?
Good Luck!

You mention sourness in your KnK beers and also that you hardly sanitise anything...Wild yeasts shouldn't have time to get hold of your beer if your yeast is healthy and active and your sanitation regime is sound.

Cheers, John.

 

[katzke]

I've brewed hundreds of K&K beers, and have never been happy with the pale coloured brews (sour).
Luckily, I prefer the dark styles, which I've never had a problem with.
I'm more inclined to think temperature is your problem, as I hardly sanitise anything.
I'm going to have another crack at pale beer in the winter, when I can keep the temp right down.
It maybe wild yeasts, that the bigger beers can handle? Does anyone think that may be a valid point?
Good Luck!

Your joking right?

 

[colonel]

Your joking right?

No, katzke, no jokes here!

The point I was trying to make was that if I make a light beer that tastes sour, then a dark beer that tastes great, (using the same process), does that mean that the supposed "infection" is not bad enough to affect the taste of the dark beer?

Of course, after a "dud" batch, I've tried nuking the whole lot with sanitizer, but that doesn't seem to make any difference.

What do you think?

As I said previously, I like my dark beers, so there's no problem, just wondering.

Oh, also, I'm not suggesting that people shouldn't sanitize, just that some people may live in areas that don't have as many nasty yeasts around, so don't have to be so pedantic.

Cheers!

 

[Charst]

No, katzke, no jokes here!

The point I was trying to make was that if I make a light beer that tastes sour, then a dark beer that tastes great, (using the same process), does that mean that the supposed "infection" is not bad enough to affect the taste of the dark beer?

Of course, after a "dud" batch, I've tried nuking the whole lot with sanitizer, but that doesn't seem to make any difference.

What do you think?

As I said previously, I like my dark beers, so there's no problem, just wondering.

Oh, also, I'm not suggesting that people shouldn't sanitize, just that some people may live in areas that don't have as many nasty yeasts around, so don't have to be so pedantic.

Cheers!

Cant see why you'd go to all the effort to make a Beer, the Brewing, the temp controlling, the bottling, the waiting and not spend an extra 20 minutes making sure everything is spotless. but having said that Dark beers might hide the infection or issue your having but in no way does it mean that that same infection issue doesn't occur in your dark beer.
You just may not be able to taste it due to the Roasty, chocolate, Caramel Flavours.

Mmm Roasty, chocolaty, caramelly.

 

[michael_aussie]

I'm more inclined to think temperature is your problem, as I hardly sanitise anything.
.

.
Oh, also, I'm not suggesting that people shouldn't sanitize, just that some people may live in areas that don't have as many nasty yeasts around, so don't have to be so pedantic.

I commend colonel for his honest reply.

I dont think anyone should knock him for posting.

Maybe you disagree with colonel for not sanitising (I do) and sensitively suggest that he should actually sanitise (colonel you really should sanitise), but what he does is what he does.

This forum (like all internet forums) is a collection of people with some sort of common interest, but different opinions and ideas. The world would be boring if we all did everything the same and were all yes men.

However, sometimes individuals or groups of people, think that if someone thinks or does something different to them they need to out how wrong they are.

Personally, I havent taken a SG reading in 12 months. I know that most here would disagree with that. But does it make me wrong? I know my brewing process; know that fermentation is long finished before I CC and then keg.. My point is we all do things a little different .. so dont be too hard on the non-conformists. Sometimes the alternative views are what prompts healthy discussion.

This would be a pretty boring forum is everyone knew and did the same as everyone else.

Btw colonel for that sake of and extra 10 minutes per brew I think you SHOULD sanitise your fermenter, odds and ends, and bottles and/or kegs . .but thats just my 2c. You do whatever floats your boat.

 

[katzke]

Sour beer, not sanitizing, and temperature.

The reason why I asked if Colonel was joking was because the post left so much to question.

Just about everyone agrees dark beers are much more forgiving then pale beers. The post inferred that dark beers can be brewed with out temp control. "I'm going to have another crack at pale beer in the winter, when I can keep the temp right down."

The fact that some can get away with not sanitizing says more to how they clean and how lucky they are. If you think ingredients are pure I give you a challenge. Mix up a cup of water and 1/4 cup table sugar. Cover and let it set out on your counter. See how long it takes to turn cloudy. Do the same thing but after mixing put it in the microwave to heat it up to kill any bugs and then cover and let it set. Any guesses as to what mixture will stay freash longer?

In brewing there is much more to worry about then wild yeast. Yeast are not the only thing that grows in warm sweet wort.

If you are not sanitizing and making sour beer, you may be brewing a nice Lambic or farmhouse ale and not even knowing it.

There are reasons why basic brewing practices are recommended. Cleaning, sanitizing, and temperature control are recommended for very good reasons. Temperature can change the very character of a beer. Yeast can, and do, produce very different flavor profiles at different temperatures.

So any brewer that says they do not sanitize and implies that temperature control is only important for pale beers will get a are you joking from me. If I misunderstood you about the temperature control I give you only half credit for the joke about not sanitizing. I am sure that has something to do with your sour beer.

 

[felten]

If your darker beers are higher in alcohol and bittering that might have something to do with it, lacto hates high alcohol and hops are somewhat antibacterial.