Strange Taste In Every Brew

[Darren]

Hey Inge,

Looking back it could be any number of problems. Your OG's are in the range requiring excellent yeast health. There is quite a bit of colour in the recipe you posted so some funky crystal could also cause an unusual flavour.

As for sanitation, don't skimp-out with the sanitiser. In particular, sanitise the bejeezus out of your no-chill cube and also your fermeters. Use 10-1000x recommended levels and rinse thoroughly.

Remove and clean your taps and around the rubber seals in your lids. If possible, buy some new transfer lines.

Good luck.

cheers

Darren

 

[Inge]

Hey Inge,

Looking back it could be any number of problems. Your OG's are in the range requiring excellent yeast health. There is quite a bit of colour in the recipe you posted so some funky crystal could also cause an unusual flavour.

As for sanitation, don't skimp-out with the sanitiser. In particular, sanitise the bejeezus out of your no-chill cube and also your fermeters. Use 10-1000x recommended levels and rinse thoroughly.

Remove and clean your taps and around the rubber seals in your lids. If possible, buy some new transfer lines.

Good luck.

cheers

Darren

10x-100x

Nochill, 3 fermenters and fermenter, kettle taps are being soaked in caustic. I don't use lids, glad wrap always worked well for me

Would it be worth washing the inside of my ferm fridge with ethanol?

 

[jonw]

Use 10-1000x recommended levels and rinse thoroughly.

I recall reading somewhere that Iodophor becomes _less_ effective when used at higher concentrations.

 

[microbe]

I recall reading somewhere that Iodophor becomes _less_ effective when used at higher concentrations.

It certainly wouldn't be no-rinse anymore, would it?

Cheers,

microbe

 

[lou]

my perspective on cleaning plastic fermentors

once you have a bug in them they are basically not worth using again

the plastic is porous and bugs can lurk in there whatever you throw at them.

plastic fermentors are imho basically disposable items

you can try using them again but the risk just ain't worth the wasted ingredients.

unfortunately fermentors are way over priced so I have moved to plastic buckets and want to upgrade to glass

I have ditched a number of fermentors over the years and a new one has simply solved my infection problems on more than one occaision - and I have a vigourous sanitation regime.

they are always good for storing grain and carrying water etc even when no longer good for fermenting


lou

 

[Darren]

I recall reading somewhere that Iodophor becomes _less_ effective when used at higher concentrations.

I doubt it Jon,

Thats like saying chlorine is less effective at higher concentrations. I have never seen a surgeon dilute betadine either.

cheers

Darren

 

[pint of lager]

I remeber reading the same as Jon-w, that iodine in higher concentrations is less effective. It may be in one of Fix's books.

Darren, we are not talking about full strength stuff you tip around in an operating theatre. That takes lots of rinsing!

 

[Darren]

Ethanol in high concentrations is less effective. I suspect that iodine in betadine is the same as in iodophor. (Iodophor also contains phosphoric acid which would add to the sanitising efficacy)

cheers

Darren

 

[Inge]

Ok, several caustic burns later, everything is soaking.

I'm still not convinced that it's an infection, but doesn't hurt to cover all bases. If it still lingers, I'll take your advice and ditch the fermenters.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Stuster]

So the first beer you made that had this taste was a k+k. Did you boil all the water for that one?

One more guess on the flavour. Could you describe it as solvent-like? Thinner? Would be helpful to have a good description of the flavour.

Overall, the best thing might be to take it to a local experienced brewer or judge who could give you some feedback on it.

 

[Darren]

It certainly wouldn't be no-rinse anymore, would it?

Cheers,

microbe

Microbe,

No it wouldn't. The idea that you can effectively use a no rinse sanitiser is just plain silly. "Bugs" become resistant to all sanitisers (like antibiotics). If you use just enough to kill the weak ones, the strong ones will survive and come back to bite you on the butt.

I have always rinsed after sanitation. It takes a few minutes extra (and a boiled kettle) but is good insurance IMHO.


cheers

Darren

 

[Inge]

So the first beer you made that had this taste was a k+k. Did you boil all the water for that one?

One more guess on the flavour. Could you describe it as solvent-like? Thinner? Would be helpful to have a good description of the flavour.

Overall, the best thing might be to take it to a local experienced brewer or judge who could give you some feedback on it.

Definitely not. It's hard for me to describe the flavour, but it's not a harsh paint stripper taste. Might do just that and head down the the LHBS, see what he can make of it.

Cheers for all the input guys!

 

[amita]

Definitely not. It's hard for me to describe the flavour, but it's not a harsh paint stripper taste. Might do just that and head down the the LHBS, see what he can make of it.

Cheers for all the input guys!

inge , I have a word document that could help you to indentify and describe different tastes and flavours, I will try to attach it, if it doesnt work, pm me with your email adress and I will send it,
good luck with it all,

cheers amita

View attachment Flavors_In_Beer.doc

 

[Dicko ACT]

Sorry to broaden your scope... BUT what are you drinking it from?

If it is from a keg it could be be an infected regulator, disconnect, o rings, line, tap... etc

 

[Inge]

inge , I have a word document that could help you to indentify and describe different tastes and flavours, I will try to attach it, if it doesnt work, pm me with your email adress and I will send it,
good luck with it all,

cheers amita

Of all of them, actually, solvent fits it closest.

Dicko, this is straight from the primary fermenter tap (!)

 

[Darren]

Inge,

You need to wait at least a week before being too critical.

cheers

Darren

 

[mickoz]

You guys every tried Star San? I use 1ml in 500ml of demineralised water in a spray bottle - this amount covers sanitising everything for one brew session and more.
Never had any problems with off flavours.

Mick

 

[Trent]

Inge
For mine, it sounds like an infection, but I am often wrong, so dont take my word for it, and it sounds like you are fairly sure it isnt that. My only real input would be that you say the closest description for the taste is solvent, and that says to me that the ferment temp may have been too high? Nobody has asked that question yet, are you fermenting at 22C or higher, or using a heat belt and letting it run? I was going to suggest possible chlorophenol influence, but being on tankwater it is unlikely (unless you use some chlorine in the tank to kill bugs and stuff?).
Look at your pitching and ferment temp, and also tankwater, but if it is neither of them, then buggered if I know!
All the best
Trent

 

[Inge]

Inge
For mine, it sounds like an infection, but I am often wrong, so dont take my word for it, and it sounds like you are fairly sure it isnt that. My only real input would be that you say the closest description for the taste is solvent, and that says to me that the ferment temp may have been too high? Nobody has asked that question yet, are you fermenting at 22C or higher, or using a heat belt and letting it run? I was going to suggest possible chlorophenol influence, but being on tankwater it is unlikely (unless you use some chlorine in the tank to kill bugs and stuff?).
Look at your pitching and ferment temp, and also tankwater, but if it is neither of them, then buggered if I know!
All the best
Trent

No chlorine in the tank but you do pose a good question.

4-5 days is a bit quick for US 05 at 18 degrees, no? I ferment in a small temperature controlled fridge but we have been getting constant power outages due to roadworks around the suburb...

Would explain a lot. Vigourous fermentation in a switched off fridge = heat.

 

[andreic]

Hi Inge,

I had an infection issue a couple of years ago and started my own thread of woe at the time... got lots of good advice and suggestions, PMs, and spoke to a few brewers on the phone. I have always been fairly thorough (anal) with sanitation so the thought that it was an infection didn't seem possible to me. Well... it was! From time to time you will see threads from experienced brewers getting infections - it happens! Could be some environmental issue (time of year, winds)... could be taps, fermenters, who knows?

From my experience here is my advice:
1. take some suspect beers to experienced brewers and/or your local home brew shop for a taste test. When I did this my lhbs said "definitely an infection". I had some other brewers confirm this as well.
2. Keep it simple until you have eliminated or located the problem. e.g. do a few K+K brews or fresh wort kit brews. Once OK, do a simple AG. Personally, I wouldn't be spending 4-6 hours on a brewday until the simple issues are eliminated.
3. If you're still having problems with the simple brews - buy new fermenters, taps, hoses.... move your brew and/or fermentation location... clean the crap out of your brew and fermenting areas... get some help!

For my problem I suspected environmental issues and/or fermenter. I bought a new fermenter and retired the suspect one. I then completely cleaned out the area in which I fermented beer (a storage area in which I used to keep surf boards, fishing gear, etc), then sprayed around a bleach solution, then did a few K+K brews before doing an AG one. I've since moved but its all good now (other than one brew I tipped out a few months ago - my no chill jerrycan leaked and sucked in air - the other half of the same batch was fine).

In the depths of my despair I really thought I had lost 7 brews in a row! It was really depressing. In the end, 4 of the suspect brews were fine... don't just keep brewing without help and a methodical approach to address the problem or you will soon become very discouraged.

Good luck!

Andrei