My experiment has gone tits up.....

[umpa]

Not sure where to start,

So I bought 3 Tom Claxtons Best Bitter Kits.
I have 3 identical Youngs Fermenters & Airlocks, So I made 3 identical batches of beer, all made with the same water which was 50% RO and 50% tap water all at the same time, the only difference was that one was made with brew sugar, one with beer enhancer and the other with pure xtra spray malt.

The first to ferment out was the BS followed by the BE then the SM, the BS had a bit a bit of a HB twang but was OK, the BE had much less of a HB twang but it was there (they are young tho lol)

OK the SM - wow man what can I say ------ it tasted - HORRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!
It tasted like cough candy twists.............................

1 week in to bottle, and as according to my test - I have tried one of each - the only one I cant sup is the one made from SM, why ?

regards

Ump

[CyberPaddy66]

1st thing is that RO water does not really have the right stuff in it for brewing and tap water contains Chlorine and Chloramine (depending on your supplier) so that's where your twang comes from, treat your tap water with 1/2 a crushed camden tablet in 5 gallons next time, it really does make a huge difference in my brews!

2nd this is that all your brews will need about 4 weeks to mature properly before you notice any serious improvements in flavour.

Other than that I applaud your efforts

[umpa]

Hi,

Thanx for the reply, what I am wondering is why did the Spray Malt batch taste bad, whilst the Brew Sugar and Beer Enhancer were ok.

For what’s its worth I have made all extract worts with my untreated tap water and they have been fine. I am thinking that the spray malt was infected, and that’s why I have off flavours in that batch. I did not boil any of the ingredients in any of these Tom Claxtons kits as they are all non boil kits. I guess the brew sugar and beer enhancer were good and the spray malt needed to be boiled ?

It cant be the water else ALL the batches would be the same ?

Regards

Ump,,

[Jim]

Have you perhaps had an infection in the spraymalt brew?

[umpa]

Yes I am thinking that too, but from memory I think it must have been in the spray malt powder ?

Every thing was sanatised at the same time, thats the thing i'm having a problem with, everything was clean - I was very careful about that, so I'm thnking the spraymalt was infected and I should have boiled it in water ?

This cough candy twist taste, do you think it will mature out ?

regars

Ump..

[sparky Paul]

Mmmm... cough candy... could it have been a tcp-like taste? That could have been caused by steriliser residue. Also, if it was an infection, it's perfectly possible that only one of your brews was infected, perhaps by something airborne.

I've never boiled spraymalt, and I've never had a problem. Well, not a problem caused by the spraymalt, anyway...

[umpa]

in your experiance, do these tastes mature out, or is it better off down the drain ?

[sparky Paul]

I'm not sure about the tcp taste. I've never had one go like that, so I would bow to anyone else's experience... but I doubt it will diminish with age.

If it's an infection, forget it... it will only get worse.

[umpa]

oh dear,

I'll leave it untill I need the bottles. Then if it's no better tip it.

Cheers

Ump....