Is there a place where I can send off a couple bottles and have them tell me what's wrong with my beer? I've made 30+ all-grain batches now and almost everyone of them has been barely drinkable. I have yet to make a beer that I would pay money for. I'm done trying to troubleshoot as I've tried just about everything(too long to list here). I've tried a few brewers locally and they couldn't tell me. I'm at wits end and am sick of dumping gallons upon gallons down the drain. Thanks for any input......Mark
Ok. I haven't read through all the responses but let's just dive into it. First, you need to be able to describe what you are tasting, what are your fermentation temps, what water are you using, what is your FG on a given beer, etc.
EQUIPMENT:
-If you have equipment with threaded fittings, I would suggest taking it all apart and giving it a good soaking in PBW or Oxyclean Free in 120 degree water or so followed by a rinse in the same water. Use the blue scotch brite pads vs. the green. They won't scratch depending on the surface. Also, repasivate the SS (many documents on that). I hope you are using as many stainless steel parts as possible. If you are using some sort of hose, get new hose.
-Ditch plastic buckets. I still prefer glass carboys. They are easy to clean by filling with warm, NOT BOILING (don't thermally shock the glass or it will break) and PBW or Oxyclean free.
-If you are using pumps, make sure to clean those out as well with the same process as above.
-If you are using a CFC, it is a good place to harbor bacteria and what not. I recently switched to an immersion chiller or get a CFC that you can verify that is clean such as a Jaded Brewing counterflow chiller.
-Make sure everything is thoroughly sanitized. I use Starsan
-Make sure your thermometers are calibrated against others
-Make sure your hydrometers are calibrated using distilled water at 60 degrees
-DO NOT crush your grains too finely. You run the risk of tannin extraction, which could explain some of your off flavors. Set your mill gap appropriately. There are also threads about spraying a bit of water on the grains before milling to keep the husk intact. It does work, but I stopped doing it.
-LEARN YOUR SYSTEM AND YOUR EFFICIENCIES. Use software like Beersmith to help dial in your system.
CLEAN AND CHEMICALS
-I mainly just use PBW or Oxyclean free for cleaning and Star San for sanitizing. I always clean immediately when I'm done to help avoid hard deposits later.
-Don't use bleach and learn how the chemicals affect different metals. John Palmer has good info in his book How To Brew on this topic.
-Do you have brass parts? You need to "pickle" them as outlined in the above book.
WATER AND MASHING
-If you are using crap water, then your beer will taste like crap. I use RO I fill at the store for $1.50 per 5 gallons.
-Whatever water you use, send it away to get tested. You can get Beer Test Kits sent to you from Ward Laboratories or others. Once you get this info, plug it into spreadsheet like Bru'n Water. This will help you get desired PH for a certain type of beer.
-To coincide with above, to help lower PH on light colored beers and accentuate bitterness, add gypsum to the mash. To help raise PH of darker beers due to the roasted acidic malts, use items like Baking Soda or Pickling Lime to raise the PH to appropriate levels.
-Make sure your mash temps are correct. Mid to high 140s for dry beers like IPA (activate beta amylase) and mid to higher 150s for sweeter beers like stouts (activate alpha amylase).
RECIPE FORMULATION
-Often times in recipes, less is more. If your IPA isn't dry enough, throw a pound of corn sugar for a 5 gallon batch. Don't use a ton of caramel malts in lighter beers.
-Use other recipes to help formulate your own or try to do a clone to see how close you can get to calibrate your brewing process.
-Take good readings after fermentation and tasting notes. If you don't know what you are tasting, how the hell can you improve it. If an IPA finished high, it could be improper PH or conversion, like of viable yeasts, poor fermentation temp, poor mash temp, etc.
FERMENTATION
-This step could be the most important. Make a yeast starter no matter the beer or how fresh the yeast. Use a program like yeastcalculator.com on how to make an appropriate yeast starter and easy calculators for you. Not enough yeast, especially on a big beer, will stress the yeast and create off flavors.
-Be able to control your fermentation temps. Let ales for the most part start in the mid 60's and let rise towards the end of primary fermentation. GIVE IT TIME to suck up their by products and do a diacetyl rest. Remember, the yeasts will produce more estery beers at the higher end of their temp range. Some beers, like saisons, that is part of the aroma and taste. For clean beers like IPAs, you typically want a "clean" yeast and hit the sweet spot of that particular strain.
-Avoid oxygen after fermentation. Don't splash the beer into a bottling bucket or keg. Oxygen becomes the enemy. Make sure your keg lids are sealing or replace all the gaskets. I buy the extra fat and spongy gaskets for the lids.
Overall, do the KISS (keep it simple stupid) method in the beginning. If your water tastes good use it. Buy healthy yeast and buy several packs for a given beer or make a yeast starter. Know your process before brew day and practice good cleaning/sanitation habits. Provide your beer with good fermentation temps as best as possible. Lastly, take good notes!
Educate yourself. Listen to podcasts like the brewing network provides. Sooo much good info on those podcasts.
Don't expect to buy a kit and dump a bag in a pot and call it beer. It doesn't have to be hard, but at least know your process, losses, and equipment.
I have 2 systems: a HERMS (tri-clover fittings and pumps) and a BIAB SS pot with no pump. I know both of them inside and out. If I want to whip out a quick 5 gallon batch, I use the simplicity of my BIAB. I have dialed it in over batches learning how much water I lose, temp loss, etc.
I hope that helped. If you explain in great detail your equipment and your process, I think we can dial it in for you. Start easy and use a tried and true recipe.