brewing probs

[doddy]

also with my woodfordes admiral reserve it tastes b***dy awful is that also normal after two weeks in the keg

[MickyD]

Bloody awful in what way?

If you can describe the taste a bit, the knowledgeable ones here might be able to give you a reason as it could be a number of things.

[prolix]

I would have to say no most beers I could drink straight from the fermenter.


rule of thumb

Sour beer - yeast infection
Vinegary - bacterial infection
tcp - cleaning fluid
fruity - brewed too warm
mouldy - mildew
cardboardy - oxidized
plasticy - non food grade plastics leaching into beer

anything else blame your taste buds and drink bigger mouthfuls

[booldawg]

Strangely enough my Fixby Gold tasted better to me during the 'warm week' Now its been out in the garage for 2 weeks its developed a much more pronounced bitter aftertaste. Maybe this will mellow in time. Its not a bad taste and as its basically a Yorkshire style bitter then I guess its meant to taste like that! TBH I cant see much of it being left when its officially ready (which seems to be the curse of home-brewers everywhere)

[doddy]

tastes very chlorine used a steriliser and cleaner granules and did as instructed on label also it is very cloudy

[Jim]

Did you rinse thouroughly after sterelising?

[doddy]

yes jim rinsed 3or 4 times with cold water swished it round barrel emptied it out through tap and through top

[SiHoltye]

I sorted my chloriney/tcp taste problem out by adding ½ crushed campden tablet to the brewing water (before use), and rinsing all stuff the cleaner was used on with a sodium metabisulphate solution (1tsp per pint hot water) it neutralizes chlorine & chloramines in any cleaner residue (works on contact - just swill it round) and no need to rinse after that 'cos at that dilution it's safe, just drip it dry a bit. The chloriney/tcp taste used to develop as a reaction during fermention, a reaction between any residual chlorine and hops or yeast I think. Someone here did explain it once. This is just my story though, I bore everyone with this when I see a chance!

[delboy]

I sorted my chloriney/tcp taste problem out by adding ½ crushed campden tablet to the brewing water (before use), and rinsing all stuff the cleaner was used on with a sodium metabisulphate solution (1tsp per pint hot water) it neutralizes chlorine & chloramines in any cleaner residue (works on contact - just swill it round) and no need to rinse after that 'cos at that dilution it's safe, just drip it dry a bit. The chloriney/tcp taste used to develop as a reaction during fermention, a reaction between any residual chlorine and hops or yeast I think. Someone here did explain it once. This is just my story though, I bore everyone with this when I see a chance!

Sound advice from SH both about the treatment of brewing water and clenaing vessels after sanistsing with chlorine based products (they can be very hard to wash away). SH's belt and braces approach above is the way to go.

[prolix]

does the chlorine in water have that great an effect on kits? I know it does on AG as you mash then boil but does fermentation alone create the TCP taste?

[doddy]

is it a matter of biting the bullet and tipping down the drain or is there any way of neutralising the taste

[Jim]

It's always worth waiting a bit to see how it goes. I've known the most unpromising brews mature into a very good pint after a month or two.