49 replies to this topic

[MtnBrewer]

My first assumption when this happened was that the bleach cleaning regiment finally crept up on me...

Color me impressed if you have a full regiment to do your cleaning for you. I'm lucky if I can just get a friend to help.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

Color me impressed if you have a full regiment to do your cleaning for you. I'm lucky if I can just get a friend to help.

*rim shot*

[ranagel99]

I am guessing that campten tablets only work before/during mashing. I probably can't drop the correct portion into my secondary to save 3 batches of beer (I still haven't been able to pour out my APA and AAA).

[MtnBrewer]

I am guessing that campden tablets only work before/during mashing. I probably can't drop the correct portion into my secondary to save 3 batches of beer (I still haven't been able to pour out my APA and AAA).

Before. Treat your water before doing anything else.

[ranagel99]

Before. Treat your water before doing anything else.

So I can't save the beer sitting in secondary?

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

So I can't save the beer sitting in secondary?

my guess is it's only hope is to age it for a long time and maybe the taste will go away. if that doesn't work you are probably SOL

[3rd party JKor]

This cropped up all of the sudden. I have been all grain for two years and had about a dozen batches under my belt before this. This was my third brewing of the same wheat recipe, my fourth & fitth brewing of the porter recipe, second brewing of the APA, and second brewing of the AAA.My first assumption when this happened was that the bleach cleaing regiment finally crept up on me and my second thought was that I had gone too long without replacing my siphon hose.

Seems like an odd thing to crop up suddenly, unless it's an infection that you're having trouble kicking. You said you replaced all the plastic, but you're fermenting in glass. You could have something caught in a scratch in your carboy that isn't getting cleaned out. Maybe try picking up a new Ale Pail for your next batch?

[ChefLamont]

If it cropped up all of a sudden and was consistent after the fact, then it could be a change in the way your water system treats your water. Just an idea.I am not sure that aging would help the chloro-polyphenols that are formed and have that taste. I recall reading somewhere that they dont age out well or at all.

[3rd party JKor]

If it cropped up all of a sudden and was consistent after the fact, then it could be a change in the way your water system treats your water. Just an idea.I am not sure that aging would help the chloro-polyphenols that are formed and have that taste. I recall reading somewhere that they dont age out well or at all.

He mentioned he's on a well, so I think it would be weird if all of a sudden his water changed significantly. Although it is a community well, so maybe there is some treatment going on.

[ranagel99]

Seems like an odd thing to crop up suddenly, unless it's an infection that you're having trouble kicking. You said you replaced all the plastic, but you're fermenting in glass. You could have something caught in a scratch in your carboy that isn't getting cleaned out. Maybe try picking up a new Ale Pail for your next batch?

I wondered that too. I have four different carboys though that have all now had the off flavor.

[ranagel99]

He mentioned he's on a well, so I think it would be weird if all of a sudden his water changed significantly. Although it is a community well, so maybe there is some treatment going on.

It is a treated community well. I am working on getting the details to see if they changed things about six months ago & to see if they are using chloramine.

[harryfrog]

Is the vinyl hose a new addition? - I ruined 3 batches by switching hoses without even thinking about it. That and the chlorine water from the City made for undrinkable batches.

[ranagel99]

Is the vinyl hose a new addition? - I ruined 3 batches by switching hoses without even thinking about it. That and the chlorine water from the City made for undrinkable batches.

I assumed vinyl. It is the standard hose that Midwest Supplies Sells. I had been using the same kind all the way up to my first batch that showed the band-aid taste. I then bought brand new, same kind, for the following four batches that have all had the off flavor.

[Iceman]

I feel your pain. About 5 years ago, I had the exact problem, though it took me several batches and much research to finger the culprit. Chloramines. They're a bugger to remove - I'm guessing this is your problem, or an outside possibility is that you didn't rinse very well after the bleach sanitation - a bit of this will cause the same off flavors. Chloramines don't just dissapate like chlorine does - it's very stable, so boiling does little as well. You have to use campden tablets (or sodium / potassium metabisulfite) on your water before brewing. Also, letting your ruined beer age only intensifies the nasty flavor if anything. I've heard that local municipalities often switch up there chemicals during certain parts of the year such as spring when there is a lot of run off due to spring rains. I've had some trouble just calling them up as well, even though you explain that you're trying to make beer, they look at you like an eco-terrorist. My town switched from chlorine to chloramine, which many more locations are doing cause the stuff is a lot more stable - which is causing your problems. One last possibility is a local bug that you have in your system. If none of these recommendations above work, I'd suspect that, which means possibly getting rid of all plastic in your system. You should be able to find potassium metabisulfite in a wine friendly homebrew shop, I've had good luck and heard/read that the sodium metabisulfite can leave excess sodium behind, causing lesser but identifiable problems. You don't need much - something like 1/8 tsp per 15 - 20 gal. Regular carbon filters don't always get it all either, only the better quality ones that filter less than a gal per minute. Below a link from BYO.https://www.byo.com/stories/wizard/article/section/121-mr-wizard/475-clearing-chloramine-a-historical-hopping-mr-wizardGood luck, and keep us posted.Ice

[MolBasser]

I have a hard time thinking that water chloromine would make the beer undrinkable unless the tap water itself was undrinkable.More likely, in my mind, is an effed up fermentation and or abused yeast in the fermentation vessle.What temp did you ferment at? What yeast strain?MolBasser

[ChefLamont]

I have a hard time thinking that water chloromine would make the beer undrinkable unless the tap water itself was undrinkable.MolBasser

I dont know. The taste threshold for the chlorinated polyphenols is REALLY low, like in the low PPB range. It would not take a lot to become overwhelming.Back in my younger brewing days, I used to use bleach. I was meticulous about rinsing, and I have a somewhat sensitive pallet to the chlorinated polyphenols. I had a beer that I didn't taste them in. I had a buddy who is not a brewer and would not know anything about this or the lingo of brewing taste the beer and asked me if I had been soaking band-aids in it. I dont think he finished it. All of that to say that if you are even somewhat sensitive, I believe it could ruin it for you.

[3rd party JKor]

pallet:palate:

[ChefLamont]

I am a chemical engineer not a spelling engineer.

Edited by ChefLamont, 04 November 2009 - 08:42 AM.

[Jimmy James]

I have a hard time thinking that water chloromine would make the beer undrinkable unless the tap water itself was undrinkable.

You wouldn't taste the chloramine in tap water because it hasn't been hopped.

[ranagel99]

What temp did you ferment at? What yeast strain?

About 70. I am not temp controlled. I am in a finished basement. I used 1056 on the wheat and porter and 1272 on the APA and AAA.

It is a treated community well. I am working on getting the details to see if they changed things about six months ago & to see if they are using chloramine.

I just talked to my water guy. It is an UNTREATED community well (about 100 houses). He also said it surrounded by limestone. They test monthly but not for mineral content. So, chloramines aren't my issue I guess. It must be wild yeast. I already changed my plastic so I guess it is in my carboys or I have a whole in my new cleaning process too. Damn it. Could I have a wild yeast outside getting me? I didn't have trouble the same time last year.