[rabeb25]

Are you actually taking pH readings or going off Brunwater?

[blatz]

2 things:

1). I like to mix up my sparge water additions in about a quart or two of 170df water before adding to the mash during sparging - the CaCl doesn't seem to dissolve well.

2). if i remember, you serve your beers lower carbed, right?  I found when my carb levels were too high on maltier beers, some of the carbonation 'hid' the maltiness.

[beersk]

rabeb25 - I'm not actually measuring and going off of Bru'n water. I know that's a bit of a crutch, but it's worked in the past...I suppose it's not bullet proof.

Paul - I don't serve super low carb...it's in the 2.4 volume range. I think serving as cold as I do might be part of it. The beer is in the 35-37F range out of the tap usually. I'll let some warm up tonight and see what I think.

[rabeb25]

I would get a ph meter and check... you have a TDS meter on the RO?

[Wort-H.O.G.]

managing PH (taking readings) is good practice, however IMO that's not your issue-otherwise I would have expected to hear a list of problems related to mash PH.

i wont take PH readings on familiar brews based upon my experiences. whenever i make variations or do something new, im taking a reading.

[beersk]

A pH meter is one of those pieces of equipment I'm trying to avoid... just too much maintenance on those things, and they're kinda pricey.
I don't have a TDS meter, but I've been meaning to get one to check my RO filters.

[erockrph]

Actually, I have a pack of 1450 in my fridge for my next series of beers. Haven't brewed with it in a couple years, looking forward to it.

Give WY2633 a try if you brew the BCS Maerzen again.

[Wort-H.O.G.]

A pH meter is one of those pieces of equipment I'm trying to avoid... just too much maintenance on those things, and they're kinda pricey.
I don't have a TDS meter, but I've been meaning to get one to check my RO filters.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VTQM70/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

cheap and works well. my readings are always between 10-13ppm, and my filters get changed out every 6 months.

and if you decide to get into PH, great meter: http://www.amazon.com/Hanna-Instruments-98128W-Temperature-Solutions/dp/B003IKNJIE/ref=sr_1_5?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1418236650&sr=1-5&keywords=hanna+ph+meter

cleaning with cleaning solution and using storage solution keep it running problem free.

[HoosierBrew]

A pH meter is one of those pieces of equipment I'm trying to avoid... just too much maintenance on those things, and they're kinda pricey.
I don't have a TDS meter, but I've been meaning to get one to check my RO filters.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VTQM70/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

cheap and works well. my readings are always between 10-13ppm, and my filters get changed out every 6 months.

and if you decide to get into PH, great meter: http://www.amazon.com/Hanna-Instruments-98128W-Temperature-Solutions/dp/B003IKNJIE/ref=sr_1_5?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1418236650&sr=1-5&keywords=hanna+ph+meter

cleaning with cleaning solution and using storage solution keep it running problem free.

Love my TDS. Takes out the worry about the stores' RO filters.

[rabeb25]

Speaking from experience (water issues, ph issues, etc). It could certainly be pH due to the membrane of the RO nearing its end. Your water will be harder so you would need more acid to bring it into check. If you are like myself and have the RO off softened water, this would be driving sodium levels up as well.

Have you noticed a longer than average lag time on yeast?
What are your FG's?

Also pricey is a relative term.. how pricey have the beers you made and are not enjoying? I have this pH meter that works pretty well. I still use my nice Milwaukee but I bought this one to play around with and it does good. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CH3QZSE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Maybe I am crazy, but I would never use a spread sheet that is as critical to brewing as Brunwater with out the proper indicators telling me I am in check.. Namely a ward labs report, a TDS meter, and a pH meter. To me that is insurance, how do I know what I am doing if I don't know where I started? I am not ragging on you, I have been down this rabbit hole before. I am trying to help!

[Wort-H.O.G.]

Speaking from experience (water issues, ph issues, etc). It could certainly be pH due to the membrane of the RO nearing its end. Your water will be harder so you would need more acid to bring it into check. If you are like myself and have the RO off softened water, this would be driving sodium levels up as well.

Have you noticed a longer than average lag time on yeast?
What are your FG's?

Also pricey is a relative term.. how pricey have the beers you made and are not enjoying? I have this pH meter that works pretty well. I still use my nice Milwaukee but I bought this one to play around with and it does good. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CH3QZSE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Maybe I am crazy, but I would never use a spread sheet that is as critical to brewing as Brunwater with out the proper indicators telling me I am in check.. Namely a ward labs report, a TDS meter, and a pH meter. To me that is insurance, how do I know what I am doing if I don't know where I started? I am not ragging on you, I have been down this rabbit hole before. I am trying to help!

don't disagree about PH and importance-just saying based upon what im reading, i'd focus on the mash temp, yeast and chloride.

[rabeb25]

For sure, thats why I also asked about Fg's.

[HoosierBrew]

I agree with all these things, but I think that switching off of 34/70 and a higher mash temp for Ofest probably fixes the problem.

[beersk]

Speaking from experience (water issues, ph issues, etc). It could certainly be pH due to the membrane of the RO nearing its end. Your water will be harder so you would need more acid to bring it into check. If you are like myself and have the RO off softened water, this would be driving sodium levels up as well.

Have you noticed a longer than average lag time on yeast?
What are your FG's?

Also pricey is a relative term.. how pricey have the beers you made and are not enjoying? I have this pH meter that works pretty well. I still use my nice Milwaukee but I bought this one to play around with and it does good. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CH3QZSE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Maybe I am crazy, but I would never use a spread sheet that is as critical to brewing as Brunwater with out the proper indicators telling me I am in check.. Namely a ward labs report, a TDS meter, and a pH meter. To me that is insurance, how do I know what I am doing if I don't know where I started? I am not ragging on you, I have been down this rabbit hole before. I am trying to help!

All valid concerns. The water tastes very clean, but a TDS meter would verify it for sure. Lag times and final gravities have all been in the normal ranges, nothing out of the ordinary.

However, I did brew an IPA with my tap water, now that I remember, and that beer seems to have no malt character either. The grain bill for 7 gallons was something like 8lbs UK Pearl, 5 1/2lbs Vienna, and 8oz Carastan.
So this point me to: the yeast (wy1335) and serving too cold. But this is why I'm asking for everyone's expert opinions. The water was adjusted mostly with gypsum, something like 4-5g for 5 gallons of mash and the same for sparge. The sparge water was acidified with 85% phosphoric, somewhere around 1mL.
Iowa City water is pretty good, so the RO filter isn't filtering softened water or anything.

[hopfenundmalz]

Jut a WAG, but I think it's the yeast.

Yes, my guess to.

Use less O2 before pitching, try to cut the pitch rate down. A local brewpub that uses the WLP-022 Essex Ale strain will make a pretty clean ale by using more O2 and doubling their normal pitch rate.

I have stopped using O2 on British ales and just pump over with the valve open which gives lots of splashing and foam. That helped, the next is to cut the pitch rate.

Procedures for lagers will help make clean ales, too clean for British styles IMO.