beerbeer95648
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Nov 21, 2012
- Messages
- 127
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- 12
I am struggling lately with a lack of character in my beers. I am starting to think that it is either a pitch issue or a O2 issue. My last beer was a Northern Brown ale based on the Brewing Classic Styles recipe. It started at 1.050 and finished at 1.014. Fermented with wlp007 after a 155 degree mash. My water is very soft, so I bring the calcium up to 100ppm and the chloride and sulfate to roughly 130 and 90 respectively. Mash pH was 5.5 and I acidified the boil to 5.2 using lactic. the pH measurements are taken after the sample is cooled to 25C degrees using an omega meter (http://www.omega.com/pptst/PHH-7000.html). All my brews are 11.8 gallon. I then pitch either a harvested slurry or new gen smack pack using mr. malty. I have been aerating using pure O2 with a medical regulator set to 0.5L/minute for 2-2.5 minutes through a 0.5 micron stone. I have noticed that when I re-harvest I am getting more yeast recovered than I think I should. And most importantly I am having a hard time nailing my bitterness (usually low, excess yeast?) and the beer always lacks malt character. And what malt flavor there is finishes very early. There is also a slight sour like note that is not infection related. I am going to start counting my pitch and high krausen counts next, but does this 02 rate or problem in general seem familiar to anyone?