Finlandbrews
Well-Known Member
I need some help because I have some issues with my beer which always result in a phenolic/Belgian profile (sometimes totally undrinkable) and the attenuation is rather/very low, achieving 75% of the attenuation it should do, meaning 1.050 to 1.020. I use one packet of California ale safale 05 dry yeast hydrated for 4.75 gallons and my temps are controlled and I have done batch fermenting at 16 celsius, 18 and 20 celsius and I get always too much phenols, fuels alcohols and esters (mostly dusty, vomit, bubblegum, unripe apple, paint, nail polish and plastic) .
I ve been considering doing a water analysis but I haven't found any service yet on the European market which is affordable like ward lab.
I am brewing beer on an island in the Baltic sea where the water comes from the sea and is filtered by a reverse osmosis system which is 150 meters from my house. I suspect my issue to be related to the water profile because my water has a very strange taste and odor. I can't really describe it (a bit like plastic I would say and I can't drink the water anymore because I can't take the taste something I have never had with any water I ve had in Europe, at least not that taste). The annual filtered volume is 4000 cubic meters of water which is about 1 million gallons.
What I m concern is that the house where I brew is new and the tubing where water flows after being filtered are made of chrome. In my toilet where the water boiler is located I can see the chrome tubing and in the locations where the tubing makes an angle it is covered with a green color thing which has even made some coloring of the joints between the tiles. Can the taste of my water come from the chrome tubing? As well when the house was brand new there was a white foam coming out from the tap which has now disappeared.
In 2014 and 2015 there were some water testing made to the hotel and the pilot house in the island which are both 200 meters from my house and what I have noticed as compared to the water I get on the mainland is: chloride levels on the island can be very high in comparison to what we get here in mainland 190 ppm vs 5ppm, as well the Sodium levels 110 ppm vs 6ppm, and turbidity is between 0,5 to 0,1 compare to 0,09. I do not know if these can be the reason of the strange odor and taste... PH of the water is 8.9 but usually in Finland it is between 8.3 and 8.9.
If anybody can give me tip what to do I would really appreciate!
I will make a batch I with bottled water this weekend. That can help me finding out.
I ve been considering doing a water analysis but I haven't found any service yet on the European market which is affordable like ward lab.
I am brewing beer on an island in the Baltic sea where the water comes from the sea and is filtered by a reverse osmosis system which is 150 meters from my house. I suspect my issue to be related to the water profile because my water has a very strange taste and odor. I can't really describe it (a bit like plastic I would say and I can't drink the water anymore because I can't take the taste something I have never had with any water I ve had in Europe, at least not that taste). The annual filtered volume is 4000 cubic meters of water which is about 1 million gallons.
What I m concern is that the house where I brew is new and the tubing where water flows after being filtered are made of chrome. In my toilet where the water boiler is located I can see the chrome tubing and in the locations where the tubing makes an angle it is covered with a green color thing which has even made some coloring of the joints between the tiles. Can the taste of my water come from the chrome tubing? As well when the house was brand new there was a white foam coming out from the tap which has now disappeared.
In 2014 and 2015 there were some water testing made to the hotel and the pilot house in the island which are both 200 meters from my house and what I have noticed as compared to the water I get on the mainland is: chloride levels on the island can be very high in comparison to what we get here in mainland 190 ppm vs 5ppm, as well the Sodium levels 110 ppm vs 6ppm, and turbidity is between 0,5 to 0,1 compare to 0,09. I do not know if these can be the reason of the strange odor and taste... PH of the water is 8.9 but usually in Finland it is between 8.3 and 8.9.
If anybody can give me tip what to do I would really appreciate!
I will make a batch I with bottled water this weekend. That can help me finding out.