Bad beer made

[itry]

greetings. I dont know how but ive done it again. Ive made really undrinkable shot beer. Tcp medicinal every thing that i discribed previousley. So . If any one wants to try this and tell me what it is please message me. Not folk just wanting to try. id like to keep this to people who know what their talking about . Need help

 

[Joust]

What did you make it from?

 

[itry]

A maltmiller kit. Timothy taylor. Done it before it was excellent. Only thing indid this time diffrent was add half a campden tablet. And try water
treatment. Next fun fact . I left it in a fermzilla for two days fortpt to release the pressure. The put it on a blow off
kane in to water

 

[Slid]

This taste is typically chlorophenols. Either chlorine based steriliser or heavily chlorinated tapwater could be the source of the chlorine and the phenols are a by-product from fermentation. More phenols seem to be associated with higher brewing temperatures.

 

[nixhaz]

+1 on the chlorine. I've made a batch like that once, years ago. I would have sworn that I'd rinsed the chlorine away but apparently not enough. I mean I RINSED!! I never use chlorine based cleaners/sterilisers any more.

 

[AdeDunn]

I got the flavour you describe in some brews that got infected with wild yeasts too. The difference is, when fermenting the wild yeast gave off a smell that reminded me of tobacco, quite strongly.

Given that you keep getting it, and you are been careful to remove chlorine from your water (you're giving the campden time to work yes? Not just bunging it in and going straight to it?), I'd be eyeing up your equipment and suspecting some of it may be harbouring a source of infection. A tap, bit of hose etc...

I don't actually usually use chlorine based cleaners etc even, and those who remember my methods know I prepared my water the night before using RO water and a bit of tap treated with campden pro-rata... So in my case it was definitely infection to blame.

So I'd advise going at this 2 pronged. Rule out chlorine as the problem (easy, buy a load of cheap bottle water and brew with that. Stop using chlorine based cleaning products, switch to percarbonate or similar for cleaning, chemisan (or whatever it's called) for sanitising.). Make sure you have very very thoroughly cleaned and sanitised your equipment. If you have any taps on any of your kit, think about replacing them, they're pigs to clean. If you are using a boiler with a tap, make sure you run boiling wort through it multiple times during the boil (just put it back in to the boiler afterwards) to kill anything in it as well. If using a wort chiller, make sure you put it in 15 minutes before the end of the boil... Stuff like this.

It's a PITA when it happens, and a pig to get rid of in my experience. But wild yeasts are everywhere, so yeah, good chance it's gonna happen sooner or later (if it is this). If it's Chlorine, throw a party, you have the easy fix problem. lol

 

[itry]

I like this ! that is alot of information. i use VWP for cleaning and sterilizing.
I crushed a campden tablet and put half in the sparge and half in the mash water. then i put them on and let them get up to temp.

so were guessing that this is all by infection? im up for that and ill guess it came from the fermzilla. their ghastly things. ill really get on top of the cleaning schedule.

This taste is typically chlorophenols. Either chlorine based steriliser or heavily chlorinated tapwater could be the source of the chlorine and the phenols are a by-product from fermentation. More phenols seem to be associated with higher brewing temperatures.

if i leave a pint of water on the side at my house. the next day you can really smell the chlorine in the water.
this makes sence as ive chased down hot fermentation path before....

 

[An Ankoù]

It's a really tricky one. The smell is the same with a chlorophenol tainted beer and an infected beer. Don't know why. You seem to be doing the right thing in treating your water for chlorine and chloramine. is there any other way chlorine could be getting into the system. You use a chlorine-cleaner/sanitiser. You know, of course that it is NOT a no-rinse one and it needs to be rinsed thoroughly as it is, itself, a source of chlorine. Do you top up or adjust the temperature at any stage with untreated water.
If you're sure you've got the chlorine under control then you need to thoroughly clean all of your kit (I'd use bleach) and throw away any yeast cultures you've saved and start again. Once tainted, there's no way to get rid of this off-flavour.

 

[Cwrw666]

I crushed a campden tablet and put half in the sparge and half in the mash water. then i put them on and let them get up to temp.

I don't know nuthin' about treating tap water as I've got spring water here, but don't you have to add the campden tablet and let it stand for a while - like overnight?

 

[itry]

It's a really tricky one. The smell is the same with a chlorophenol tainted beer and an infected beer. Don't know why. You seem to be doing the right thing in treating your water for chlorine and chloramine. is there any other way chlorine could be getting into the system. You use a chlorine-cleaner/sanitiser. You know, of course that it is NOT a no-rinse one and it needs to be rinsed thoroughly as it is, itself, a source of chlorine. Do you top up or adjust the temperature at any stage with untreated water.
If you're sure you've got the chlorine under control then you need to thoroughly clean all of your kit (I'd use bleach) and throw away any yeast cultures you've saved and start again. Once tainted, there's no way to get rid of this off-flavour.

I was not aware , didnt even cross my mind vwp was chlorine. i make sure i wash it off after every clean i know its not a leave on. I dont top up or add any other water. ill start the bleaching this evening.

 

[foxbat]

I don't know nuthin' about treating tap water as I've got spring water here, but don't you have to add the campden tablet and let it stand for a while - like overnight?

It has to stand for a while but not overnight. There was a paper I can't find that ran some experiments on dechlorination of tap water including stirring, boiling and adding sodium metabisulphite (campden tablets). The sodium metabisulphite was by far the best and fastest. As I recall only a few minutes were needed. BT_Chlorine.pdf was the name of the paper but it seems to have disappeared from the internet.

Campden tablets decompose over time and have a shelf-life of 4-6 months under ideal storage conditions. I wonder how many people are still using them after they're out of date?

 

[strange-steve]

As I recall only a few minutes were needed. BT_Chlorine.pdf was the name of the paper but it seems to have disappeared from the internet.

Yep I had that article linked in one of my posts but it does seem to have disappeared. I took note that if it's well stirred in the 2 mins is all that was required for SMBS to work, depending on certain factors of course.

 

[An Ankoù]

If you have any taps on any of your kit, think about replacing them, they're pigs to clean.

Remove the taps and clean them inside and out- and the threads with an old toothbrush. If they're the kind of tap that screws into a pressure barrel without a locknut, then give the threads there a good seeing to, too. If you can't get your hands on new ones for the moment, boil them up for ten minutes. or put them in the perforated section of your veg steamer and give them a good steaming. Good some spare rubber washers for the seal as this heating will gradually harden them. But you'll be ok for a few times.

 

[nickjdavis]

Campden tablets decompose over time and have a shelf-life of 4-6 months under ideal storage conditions. I wonder how many people are still using them after they're out of date?

Interesting...my tub of Campden Tablets has a best before date of December 2030

 

[Clint]

I've had a Google...sodium metabisulfite decomposes at boiling point..