Every single beer has this off flavor and I have done everything to fix it. No matter what I have done it is always there. I just can't pinpoint what the off flavor is. Sometimes it smells like apples and other times it smells like bandaids. I'm about done with brewing if I can't fix this.
I have a RO system with a TDS reading of less than 5. I also leave all the water out overnight. I called my local water department and they said they don't use chloramine. With AG I use Bru'n Water to get my water profile and mash pH.
I brew AG BIAB full volume mash with a CFC. Everything is cleaned with homemade PBW. I take my pump and valve apart each brew.
I either shake my bucket for 4 minutes or use pure O2. I use both dry and liquid yeast. I have even switched from a bucket to a carboy back to a new bucket.
I ferment in a fridge with a STC-1000.
This last batch was Janet's Brown Ale extract kit. I did extract to see if I would get the off flavor and it is there. My OG was a few points lower than I expected which I'm ok with. My FG was also a few points lower but it fermented out. I shook my bucket for over 4 minutes but I used US-05 which doesn't need as much O2 as liquid yeast so the 4 minutes should have been plenty of time. I even used 1.5 packets which I rehydrated. I pitch under 70°. I fermented at 65° for 5 days then slowly ramped it up to 69°. I left it for 2 weeks total. I then slowly chilled it down to 32° and added gelatin. That sat for 2 days. I just kegged it tonight. I pulled a sample right from the bucket and that off flavor is there. I honestly have no clue what else to do. I feel like my process is as good as it can get. What can I be looking at?
I guess this batch could just be green but from my experience, this off flavor has never gone away in any of my other beers that had it. The only thing I find odd about my batches are I never get a visible hot break. When I was using propane, I would get a ton of foam at the start of the boil. I would need to spray it down to keep it from boiling over. And the same when adding hops. Doesn't happen at all with my electric BIAB system. Wouldn't think that would matter but felt like I needed to mention it just to make sure I'm not missing anything.
I have a RO system with a TDS reading of less than 5. I also leave all the water out overnight. I called my local water department and they said they don't use chloramine. With AG I use Bru'n Water to get my water profile and mash pH.
I brew AG BIAB full volume mash with a CFC. Everything is cleaned with homemade PBW. I take my pump and valve apart each brew.
I either shake my bucket for 4 minutes or use pure O2. I use both dry and liquid yeast. I have even switched from a bucket to a carboy back to a new bucket.
I ferment in a fridge with a STC-1000.
This last batch was Janet's Brown Ale extract kit. I did extract to see if I would get the off flavor and it is there. My OG was a few points lower than I expected which I'm ok with. My FG was also a few points lower but it fermented out. I shook my bucket for over 4 minutes but I used US-05 which doesn't need as much O2 as liquid yeast so the 4 minutes should have been plenty of time. I even used 1.5 packets which I rehydrated. I pitch under 70°. I fermented at 65° for 5 days then slowly ramped it up to 69°. I left it for 2 weeks total. I then slowly chilled it down to 32° and added gelatin. That sat for 2 days. I just kegged it tonight. I pulled a sample right from the bucket and that off flavor is there. I honestly have no clue what else to do. I feel like my process is as good as it can get. What can I be looking at?
I guess this batch could just be green but from my experience, this off flavor has never gone away in any of my other beers that had it. The only thing I find odd about my batches are I never get a visible hot break. When I was using propane, I would get a ton of foam at the start of the boil. I would need to spray it down to keep it from boiling over. And the same when adding hops. Doesn't happen at all with my electric BIAB system. Wouldn't think that would matter but felt like I needed to mention it just to make sure I'm not missing anything.