Recent content by Catnip_X07

This topic appears to get an annual rejuvenation this time of year. I have a yard full of dandelions. I don't like dandelions but my wife does. So we compromised thus I have a yard full of dandelions. Thought I'd make these things useful for a wine. If I follow all the posts correctly, after...

no worries on old thread. meant to respond a few months ago and never got motivated until now. I disassembled everything on my equipment, including the ball valves. ball valve on my kettle had severe, soft gunk inside. anything metal, I baked in the oven to sterilize. I bleached, sanitized...

I am not using a plate chiller. I am using an immersion chiller. I've been out of town and haven't gotten a chance to check in on the fermenters of T-58. I did an IPA batch before I left...and used US05. We'll see what I come home to. I took apart valves and thoroughly cleaned all parts...

You know...that's not that bad of an assessment. Aside from the Oktoberfest having an issue, all other batches were on US05. I did a 5 gallon batch of Belgian Pale using T-58 yeast, and split into two different fermenters. Each split touched different equipment. I'm going to check on them...

I thought about the cleaning agents too - it was oxyclean clear (or something like that which didn't have any scents) when I had the three batches go "bad". After the three batches, i then switched to PBW and ensured everything was rinsed on the equipment before brewing. For this batch with...

I am adding salts when I do AG - mainly calcium chloride. Its nuts - whether I do all-grain or partial mash kits (RO with no salts added), the off-flavors come out. I haven't done an all extract recipe however so not sure if this off-flavor comes thru on that too.

Very true on the bottling. Yet I had this same issue on my past 3 beers when sampling from the fermenters.

You're thinking of chlorine/chloramine in the water? With RO, i would tend to think it is limited, but i won't reject anything at this point. Honestly i can't really describe the taste. i like to call it sterile since it is awfully bland and all beers have tasted the same, but yes, it could...

Mash pH was 5.3

A few months ago I posted my issues with three of my batches having off-flavors of being stale/clove/with a hint of sourness. In a way, it’s like the beer had a very sterile taste. The taste appeared in the fermenter where I hoped time would solve the taste after it was bottled and kegged. It...

Took apart the valve and it was in definite need of cleaning. As I was going thru every piece of equipment that the beer touched, the one item that may have been duplicated in these past three brews vs the others was the use of a nylon strainer bag for the hops. Very possible i reused it in...

No significant changes in water per our water reports that I send off twice a year. I've been using RO water exclusively since last summer and adding salts. The Oktoberfest was fermented in a 6 gallon better bottle so headspace was limited; the pale ale was fermented in a 6.5 gallon bucket...

I thought of oxidation too due to the sherry and stale like qualities, yet how would oxidation occur from kettle to fermenter? I'm open to any possibilities.

Well, I don’t know where to begin or how to explain it. I had a great run of brewing pretty awesome beers this past fall/winter. But now I’ve brewed three beers this summer and they have all ended up with the same issue – Taste hint of sour upfront (reminds me of bret), turns to clove-like...

Background: Recently moved to a new house where we have well water running thru a water softener. The well water fluctuates between high nitrates and "normal" level of nitrates at the tap, so I've been shying away from brewing solely with this water. Mineral content is unknown. I've been...