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Author Topic: batch sparge question  (Read 7401 times)

Offline melferburque

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Re: batch sparge question
« Reply #15 on: February 17, 2012, 11:19:11 am »
Seattle water is great.  Don't use 5.2, you've got that covered.  It might not be astringency, as Denny pointed out.  Hmmm . . . Where do you get your grains milled?  Are you sure your thermometer is accurate?  High temp would explain some of your problems, as well as high pH.  Low efficiency + astringency indicates a chemistry problem to me, rather than a procedural problem.

I haven't calibrated my thermometers, but I use three different ones with the same results.  I had been milling my grains at either cellar home brew in north seattle or sound hombrew in south seattle, but I now have my own barley crusher I'll try out this weekend.  I'll stick with the factory default setting at first (I think 0.039"?) and see what happens.  fwiw, I was getting better results from sound than I was from cellar.
weirdo in a weird land.

Offline tschmidlin

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Re: batch sparge question
« Reply #16 on: February 17, 2012, 12:12:08 pm »
Yeah, I've heard Cellar's is loose.

What beers have you made that gave you the astringency problems, what was the grist?
Tom Schmidlin

Offline bluesman

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Re: batch sparge question
« Reply #17 on: February 17, 2012, 12:37:42 pm »
Maybe I missed it but do you filter your water? I assume it's chlorinated coming from any municipality.

Also, I recommend at the very least getting some ph strips to quantify your mash ph. Avoid using 5.2. Try making a small test batch with your public water (filtered) or dechlorinated. I would start out with a pale ale type recipe as it's middle of the road.
Ron Price

Offline melferburque

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Re: batch sparge question
« Reply #18 on: February 17, 2012, 12:57:50 pm »
Yeah, I've heard Cellar's is loose.

What beers have you made that gave you the astringency problems, what was the grist?

it's my IPAs that were flagged as slightly astringent.  I still need to get a couple of those bottled and to you to get your opinion.  the guy at sound did say cellar is likely loose to avoid stuck mash complaints from newer brewers.  most people I need in there are brewing extract anyway.  I haven't looked terribly closely, but did notice the grist from sound looked better.

Maybe I missed it but do you filter your water? I assume it's chlorinated coming from any municipality.

Also, I recommend at the very least getting some ph strips to quantify your mash ph. Avoid using 5.2. Try making a small test batch with your public water (filtered) or dechlorinated. I would start out with a pale ale type recipe as it's middle of the road.

I don't filter my water, it's actually coming straight from the garden hose even.  doesn't boiling the water dissipate the chlorine? worst case scenario, I could always fill my kettle the night before.  that would take care of the chlorine as well.
weirdo in a weird land.

Offline denny

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Re: batch sparge question
« Reply #19 on: February 17, 2012, 01:04:44 pm »
I don't filter my water, it's actually coming straight from the garden hose even.  doesn't boiling the water dissipate the chlorine? worst case scenario, I could always fill my kettle the night before.  that would take care of the chlorine as well.

If it's chlorine and not chloramine, boiling before use will remove it.  If it's chloramine, it won't.  Also you have to boil before use.  If you use the water and count on the wort boil to drive off chlorine, it's too late...the damage has already been done.  Another thought is that if it's IPAs that get flagged as astringent, it could just be the bitterness of the hops being misidentified.  I've seen that happen many times.
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Offline melferburque

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Re: batch sparge question
« Reply #20 on: February 17, 2012, 01:17:31 pm »

If it's chlorine and not chloramine, boiling before use will remove it.  If it's chloramine, it won't.  Also you have to boil before use.  If you use the water and count on the wort boil to drive off chlorine, it's too late...the damage has already been done.  Another thought is that if it's IPAs that get flagged as astringent, it could just be the bitterness of the hops being misidentified.  I've seen that happen many times.

I don't see any mention of chlorine or chloramine in the water report posted above.  how would I determine that?

http://www.seattle.gov/util/groups/public/@spu/@water/documents/webcontent/02_015257.pdf
weirdo in a weird land.

Offline Hokerer

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Re: batch sparge question
« Reply #21 on: February 17, 2012, 01:45:44 pm »
I don't filter my water, it's actually coming straight from the garden hose even.

Whoa!!  Garden hose?  bad idea (unless it a "potable water" RV type hose).
Joe

Offline hamiltont

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Re: batch sparge question
« Reply #22 on: February 17, 2012, 01:49:56 pm »

If it's chlorine and not chloramine, boiling before use will remove it.  If it's chloramine, it won't.  Also you have to boil before use.  If you use the water and count on the wort boil to drive off chlorine, it's too late...the damage has already been done.  Another thought is that if it's IPAs that get flagged as astringent, it could just be the bitterness of the hops being misidentified.  I've seen that happen many times.

I don't see any mention of chlorine or chloramine in the water report posted above.  how would I determine that?

http://www.seattle.gov/util/groups/public/@spu/@water/documents/webcontent/02_015257.pdf

'Bout half way down the page. Search for Chlorine.

http://www.seattle.gov/util/about_spu/water_system/water_sources_&_treatment/cedar_river_watershed/watersupplytreatment/
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Offline melferburque

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Re: batch sparge question
« Reply #23 on: February 17, 2012, 02:22:10 pm »
I don't filter my water, it's actually coming straight from the garden hose even.

Whoa!!  Garden hose?  bad idea (unless it a "potable water" RV type hose).

this is what I use: http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100064124/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=garden%20hose&storeId=10051

haven't had any problems so far.
weirdo in a weird land.

Offline Pinski

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Re: batch sparge question
« Reply #24 on: February 17, 2012, 02:52:22 pm »
I don't filter my water, it's actually coming straight from the garden hose even.

Whoa!!  Garden hose?  bad idea (unless it a "potable water" RV type hose).

this is what I use: http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-100064124/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=garden%20hose&storeId=10051

haven't had any problems so far.
You might want to try one of these; Potable Water Hose, they're not very spendy at HD
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Offline tschmidlin

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Re: batch sparge question
« Reply #25 on: February 18, 2012, 12:37:34 am »
Seattle uses chlorine (not chloramine), but you should get some campden tablets to treat your water.  I'd probably swap out the hose too - you say it hasn't caused problems, but it could be subtle enough to give an off flavor without being strong enough to identify.
Tom Schmidlin