Phenolic taste

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sheffstevie

Re: Phenolic taste

Post by sheffstevie » Thu May 27, 2010 12:36 am

Hi
I've been mashing since the early eighties in various locations round Sheffield and then for 5 years in Lincoln in the late nineties and the dreaded phenolic taste was never really an issue. But since moving to Waterthorpe on the outskirts of Sheffield I have had about 50% of brews in the last couple of years affected by this problem. The supply here is different to most of Sheffield - it's noticeably harder and also more chlorinated. I used to be able to top up reduced volume boiled worts with cold tap water with no ill effects but not any more. The last couple of brews I have made sure that no untreated cold tap water has gone in and its definitely done the trick. From your post it seems that you are not doing what I used to be able to (i.e chuck untreated but sound cold tap water into a wort to bring it up to to pitching volume) but I still suspect that the water would be the first culprit. I recently made 5 gallons of wine from a fairly expensive kit (£65) and took no chances by using 5 x 5 litre plastic bottles of Sainsburys water at 90p each. No hint of tang so at less than a fiver might be worth considering for more expensive brews.

Philipek

Re: Phenolic taste

Post by Philipek » Thu May 27, 2010 11:44 am

Sheffstevie, are you replying to me or to the thread in general?

I've been brewing for a year and apart from my first three brews everything has had some phenolic action going on. I have tried everything: changing tubes, upping my sanitation changing fermenters, using bottled water, upping my sanitation, changing sanitizers, controlling fermentation, upping my sanitation, changing yeasts, and a few things that I can't think of right now. As I said, this has been going on for a year so I've had plenty of time and opportunity to try various things. The only thing that has remained constant is the fact that I brew in my kitchen so it's either that or one of my enemies has been to the voodoo withdoctor and had me cursed.

The last brew I did in the kitchen but moved cooling and transferring outside. We'll see.

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