[Troy Walker]

I was looking forward today to try two of my recent all grain efforts.  One a British Bitter the other A British Golden Ale.

Tried them both today.  Both have a musty, dry flavor on the back of the pallette.  One is really not drinkable, the other partially.  Today is not a good day.

I followed the directions with both (did them a day apart).  Sanitized well I thought, as I have before, and fermented two weeks on primary temp controlled.  Using plastic brew buckets for both.  Here's where I think I may have made mistakes.

It was my first time to cold crash.  I was worried that I had gone too low in temp and partially frozen the beer.  I'd been spooked by failures of the inkbird temp controller.  So I, quickly, opened the fermenter up and checked it before closing the lid again on the British Bitter.

For the Golden Ale, I did my first dry hop.  Again, opened the lid to dry hop.  This one is better but the musty flavor is unmistakeable.

Rest assured, I'm in this for the long haul, but my confidence (after a few decent all grain brews) has been dented.

Giants, I'm looking for your shoulders to stand on.  Advice?

[allenhuerta]

I'm curious about the grain storage or how long you've had it based on what you posted. Then maybe your fermentation space and the bottles? that you used/how they were stored. Others will chime in I'm sure.

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[Troy Walker]

I bought the grain a week before, milled, and stored it.  Fermentation space in the bucket ...I was at about 5 1/4 gallons or so.  The bottles were much as I've done them before.  A bit of variability but I don't leave much more than a couple of inches, often less.

[TANSTAAFB]

What were the recipes? Yeast used?  I very much doubt that a quick open of the lid was the culprit

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[Troy Walker]

British ale yeasts.  Both Whitelab.

Best Bitter was 8lbs Marris Otter.
12 oz crystal 80
4 oz pale chocolate
Fuggle and East Kent Golding Hops

Golden Ale was
5.5 lb Marris Otter
4.5 lb 2 row
1.2 lb wheat
Fuggle and Uk target hops.

[allenhuerta]

I bought the grain a week before, milled, and stored it.  Fermentation space in the bucket ...I was at about 5 1/4 gallons or so.  The bottles were much as I've done them before.  A bit of variability but I don't leave much more than a couple of inches, often less.

I should have been a little more clear. I meant where do you ferment. Like, where do you keep your buckets? And for the bottles were they stored clean and dry before use?

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[Troy Walker]

Fermented in a temp controlled freezer.  I clean the buckets after and then store in the garage.  Then I clean again and sanitize prior to using them.

Bottles stored at room temp (well a bit hotter because I live in Phoenix) for 2 weeks.

[TANSTAAFB]

I knew it! I almost wrote "lemme guess, Fuggles?" but deleted it! There's your culprit. Denny, thoughts?

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[Troy Walker]

So fuggles hops give an off taste generally or do they go off easily or what do you think?

I took the recipe from the homebrew challenge guy on youtube (love that channel). 

[TANSTAAFB]

In my humble opinion, Fuggles just tastes musty. Muddy. Not appealing at all. I haven't brewed with them in about a decade. Much like yourself I tried a couple of recipes with them early in my AG brewing adventure and thought I'd done something wrong. Obsessed over what part of my brewing process I had screwed up. Stopped using Fuggles in my beer and haven't had that particular off flavor since. I just don't like them. I know Denny Conn hates em. I wish I had a couple of his quotes re: that particular hop variety on hand for just such an occasion. Guess we'll have to wait for the man himself to give us his thoughts

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[Troy Walker]

I really appreciate your opinion.  Thanks.  I'd love to think it was an ingredient - but I worry I've messed something up.

[ynotbrusum]

Could be a mold issue - it doesn’t take much for that to affect the beer.  But Fuggles has an earthiness that some folks detect readily and is off putting for them.  Try the same recipe with East Kent Goldings and see if there is improvement.

[allenhuerta]

Could be a mold issue - it doesn’t take much for that to affect the beer.  But Fuggles has an earthiness that some folks detect readily and is off putting for them.  Try the same recipe with East Kent Goldings and see if there is improvement.

Yeah, that's what I was trying to determine but sounds like a clean space.. assuming anyway

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[BrewBama]

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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[denny]

I knew it! I almost wrote "lemme guess, Fuggles?" but deleted it! There's your culprit. Denny, thoughts?

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From my point if view, entirely possible.  So is astringency from high pH. So are several other things.  Trying  to diagnose beer without a full description and tasting isn't easy.