Off Flavour in last 3 kits

[jyo]

I have got all the kit for a 35-40L batch of AG

I might brew one using the same methods - hose water, sanitiser and see if it tastes the same

Can I suggest taking the garden hose out of the experiment altogether, mate? It makes shit beer, trust me.

I know you used it in your first batch, but the no-rinse sanitiser you are using- does it leave a strong residual smell? Are you sure you're mixing to the right ratio?
I know it's not the same brand but I bought some kegking no-rinse sanitiser (during The Great Starsan Drought) and I refuse to use it. The odour it leaves in bottles and fermenters is strong enough for me to worry about it carrying over into the beer.

Cheers.

 

[jaypes]

Can I suggest taking the garden hose out of the experiment altogether, mate? It makes shit beer, trust me.

I know you used it in your first batch, but the no-rinse sanitiser you are using- does it leave a strong residual smell? Are you sure you're mixing to the right ratio?
I know it's not the same brand but I bought some kegking no-rinse sanitiser (during The Great Starsan Drought) and I refuse to use it. The odour it leaves in bottles and fermenters is strong enough for me to worry about it carrying over into the beer.

Cheers.

The no rinse sanitiser does not have a strong smell - mixing it with a syringe as per the label instructions

 

[slash22000]

There's only a limited number of things that produce off-flavours in beer:

• Temperature / yeast health - Check
• Sanitisation / general practice - Check
• Old extract cans - Check
• Water quality - Unknown

It seems to me like your water is your only unknown at this point. Do you have a water report for your area? It might not even be the hose, it might be that your water where you live is just generally shitty for brewing. Not likely but possible. The hose certainly wouldn't help.

Have you tried changing the brand of extract you're using? Have you been using the same extract constantly?

 

[manticle]

Various vinyl tubing has imparted bad flavours to beer made by brewers I know so add equipment to your list slash.
Also some of the best/most experienced brewers I know have been subject to wild yeast/brewhouse infections despite great sanitation regimes. Got a spate myself for a while. Loads of variables out there.

 

[slash22000]

I was including "Using a garden hose" under water quality, but you're right it might deserve its own bullet point.

 

[pk.sax]

Just for fun, sanitise with bleach next time. It's good to shock treat your equipment with something different every now and then.

 

[jaypes]

Got my LHBS to taste it today, he couldn't quite pick what the off-flavour was but he guarantees me that the hose is probably the culprit as everything else in the process is textbook

Cheers for all the replies, the only reason I use a hose is that my garden tap is about 15cms off the ground and inside there is only the laundry tap (which I only have a 2L container to fill) which makes filling ~20L a bit time consuming.

Anyway off to purchase a 5L food grade jug from somewhere tomorrow

 

[Black Devil Dog]

You should be able to buy a short length of clear PVC hose from Bunnings to use instead of the garden hose.

Just measure the outside diameter of your tap fitting. PVC hose comes in sizes from 4mm to at least 35mm, I reckon you'll be better off using that than a bucket.

edit: Mabye even use the laundry tap, I run PVC tube from mine when I'm filling with water and napisan, sit the f.v on the floor.

 

[jaypes]

I did have a look at those, unfortunately it was not stated (or could any employee) tell me if it was food grade. If its not food grade then its pretty much the same scenario with the garden hose.

 

[jaypes]

Just an update on this thread (if anyone is still watching)

Have eliminated the garden hose and used a 5L plastic Jug to fill the fermenter.

The off flavour has completely gone, which is weird since I can drink from the garden hose and notice no off flavour or odour (not going to anymore since this happened)

Beware the dreaded garden hose - it should be only used for cleaning up, hosing the plants and kids on a hot day and putting out fires

 

[slash22000]

Hallelujah.

 

[kyby]

I only use rainwater but whenever I use a coopers kits I get the home brew twang, The only coopers I have made that taste half decent are the canadian blonde with extra hops and malt and the English bitter with extra malt and hops.
If you are using the coopers yeat under the lid I would set the temp to 21deg.
I would try and do an extract brew from scratch. the difference in taste is cheese and chalk.