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Author Topic: Two Bad Brews....Help!  (Read 1849 times)

Offline denny

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Re: Two Bad Brews....Help!
« Reply #15 on: August 22, 2020, 08:26:42 am »
I like the Fuggles hypothesis. Try brewing the same recipe replacing the Fuggles and see what you think.

Also, if you can, try waiting to mill your grain until just before you brew vs. a week prior. I’m not sure if it makes a huge difference or not but it can’t hurt to wait.

The theory goes when you crack the kernel oxygen starts getting to the endosperm and it begins to oxidize which could result in musty flavors.

I like to mill as my water is heating to strike temp. Most probably mill the night before.


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In my experience crushing early doesn't matter.  An experiment we did for the podcast found the same.  Briess has said that their pre crushed malt has a 2 year life.
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Online BrewBama

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Re: Two Bad Brews....Help!
« Reply #16 on: August 22, 2020, 09:27:53 am »
I like the Fuggles hypothesis. Try brewing the same recipe replacing the Fuggles and see what you think.

Also, if you can, try waiting to mill your grain until just before you brew vs. a week prior. I’m not sure if it makes a huge difference or not but it can’t hurt to wait.

The theory goes when you crack the kernel oxygen starts getting to the endosperm and it begins to oxidize which could result in musty flavors.

I like to mill as my water is heating to strike temp. Most probably mill the night before.


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In my experience crushing early doesn't matter.  An experiment we did for the podcast found the same.  Briess has said that their pre crushed malt has a 2 year life.
I don’t disagree.  ...just offering a theory I’ve read about. Again, not sure it makes a huge difference.

Along with weighing out mineral additions, milling while the water heats up gives me something to fill the time.


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Offline denny

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Re: Two Bad Brews....Help!
« Reply #17 on: August 22, 2020, 09:31:11 am »
I like the Fuggles hypothesis. Try brewing the same recipe replacing the Fuggles and see what you think.

Also, if you can, try waiting to mill your grain until just before you brew vs. a week prior. I’m not sure if it makes a huge difference or not but it can’t hurt to wait.

The theory goes when you crack the kernel oxygen starts getting to the endosperm and it begins to oxidize which could result in musty flavors.

I like to mill as my water is heating to strike temp. Most probably mill the night before.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

In my experience crushing early doesn't matter.  An experiment we did for the podcast found the same.  Briess has said that their pre crushed malt has a 2 year life.
I don’t disagree.  ...just offering a theory I’ve read about. Again, not sure it makes a huge difference.

Along with weighing out mineral additions, milling while the water heats up gives me something to fill the time.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

It's all about what works for each of us.  I set my water to preheat, so I mill my grain the day before so I can just walk into the garage and get started.  But I've had to wait 5 months after milling before brewing due to medical issues.  Still made a killer pils.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline Troy Walker

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Re: Two Bad Brews....Help!
« Reply #18 on: August 22, 2020, 10:45:59 am »
Thanks everyone.  One thought I had on this overnight.  When I cold crash, does the fermenter suck air in the reverse direction through the air lock?  Could that be an issue?

Offline denny

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Re: Two Bad Brews....Help!
« Reply #19 on: August 22, 2020, 10:49:17 am »
Thanks everyone.  One thought I had on this overnight.  When I cold crash, does the fermenter suck air in the reverse direction through the air lock?  Could that be an issue?

Yes, and possible but doubtful
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

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The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Online BrewBama

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Two Bad Brews....Help!
« Reply #20 on: August 22, 2020, 11:07:16 am »
Thanks everyone.  One thought I had on this overnight.  When I cold crash, does the fermenter suck air in the reverse direction through the air lock?  Could that be an issue?
If you have a way to add CO2 while you cold crash that would be good.

According to Dr C. Bamforth, O2 and heat are the worst things for beer longevity post fermentation. So... if you keg do it via closed transfer if possible. If you bottle consider this: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2785/6868/t/3/assets/AdvancedBottleConditioning-1526854886240.pdf

Also, it’s recommended you not open your fermenter after yeast activity has stopped if you can help it. If you open during yeast activity, Dr Bamforth says the yeast can consume any potential O2 inadvertently added.  Many have adopted dry hopping during the last days of active fermentation for this reason.


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« Last Edit: August 22, 2020, 11:36:48 am by BrewBama »

Offline Kevin

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Re: Two Bad Brews....Help!
« Reply #21 on: August 22, 2020, 11:30:44 am »
I am reminded of the old Spam sketch from Monty Python... I'll have your Fuggles. I love them.
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Offline jrobe

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Re: Two Bad Brews....Help!
« Reply #22 on: August 22, 2020, 11:38:35 am »
You shouldn't get an "undrinkable beer" because you used fuggle hops.  If it is someone else's recipe, they must have made a good beer with it.

I would vote for oxidation as the problem if there wasn't an infection (which also seems possible).  There was a lot of oxygen exposure from what you are describing.
« Last Edit: August 22, 2020, 11:41:14 am by jrobe »

Offline denny

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Re: Two Bad Brews....Help!
« Reply #23 on: August 22, 2020, 11:53:54 am »
You shouldn't get an "undrinkable beer" because you used fuggle hops.  If it is someone else's recipe, they must have made a good beer with it.

I would vote for oxidation as the problem if there wasn't an infection (which also seems possible).  There was a lot of oxygen exposure from what you are describing.

I'm not as sanguine about it being a good recipe. I've run across too many published recipes that have never been brewed, let alone well written.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline TANSTAAFB

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Re: Two Bad Brews....Help!
« Reply #24 on: August 22, 2020, 12:47:20 pm »
Not looking to start a low oxygen brewing debate here. However, I and many many others have made many many beers that get a little exposure to oxygen through the cold side process w/o creating a bad beer. I minimize exposure as much as possible now, but I still dry hop and I still rack into a CO2 flushed keg w/o doing a closed transfer.

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Offline denny

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Re: Two Bad Brews....Help!
« Reply #25 on: August 22, 2020, 01:11:08 pm »
Not looking to start a low oxygen brewing debate here. However, I and many many others have made many many beers that get a little exposure to oxygen through the cold side process w/o creating a bad beer. I minimize exposure as much as possible now, but I still dry hop and I still rack into a CO2 flushed keg w/o doing a closed transfer.

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Exactly.  Couldn't agree with you more.
Life begins at 60.....1.060, that is!

www.dennybrew.com

The best, sharpest, funniest, weirdest and most knowledgable minds in home brewing contribute on the AHA forum. - Alewyfe

"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." - Bertrand Russell

Offline Troy Walker

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Re: Two Bad Brews....Help!
« Reply #26 on: August 23, 2020, 11:24:24 am »
Thanks again everyone.  I took a couple of bottles to my friend Dan at Brew Your Own Brew in Gilbert AZ - my local homebrew store.  He has kindly offered to taste test both and see what he can tell from his experience.

If anyone is in the Phoenix area, these are great helpful guys.  Really helping on the journey.

I will follow up with you all on what he has to say.