Off flavour

Jabo1428 · May 29, 2017

I sometimes get an off flavour with my brews, which usually affects pale ales and bitters (stout doesn't seem to be affected). It's always the same, sometimes stronger than others, and could be described as clinical, chemical and metallic. Everything is clean when I brew and always rinsed with boiling water to remove any residue of sterilising solution. Wondering if the hops could be reacting with chlorine in the water (I use tap water) so might try bottled spring water (cheap from big supermarkets). Some brews have been affected more than others, some not at all. Any ideas or suggestions anyone?

Sadfield · May 29, 2017

Use a Campden tablet to remove the Chlorine from your water.

foxbat · May 29, 2017

If it was your tap water then I'd expect every brew to be affected but it's a good idea to try bottled water anyway as a process of elimination.

What are you cleaning your kit with and how do you rinse? If your cleaner is chlorine-based then switch to something else - one of the 'oxy' cleaners can be used instead and StarSan can be used to sanitise.

Sadfield · May 29, 2017

I wouldn't go down the spring water route as it may not be a chlorine problem, given that your dark beers are not a problem. Treat your tap water with a campden tablet (sodium metabisulphite), and work from there. Yes, it is a process of elimination, but eliminating all possibilities by switch water will not highlight the problem. You could end up using spring water for every brew, which is unnecessary, costly and a PITA.

Are we talking Kits, Extract or All Grain brewing?

terrym · May 29, 2017

I assume by tap water you mean direct mains water not from your internal water system. I never use water from my house system for brewing.
The simplest way of detecting chlorine is to use two of your five senses, taste and smell. If your water tastes and/or smells of chlorine then a campden tablet might help.
Personally I would do that first before spending money on bottled water.

chub1 · May 29, 2017

As above really. I have really hard water but use it for all my beers,never had a problem.Tried a beer with bottled water and to be honest couldn't say it made any difference!.
Pretty sure the breweries wouldn't faff about with their water.

DoctorMick · May 29, 2017

chub1 said:
As above really. I have really hard water but use it for all my beers,never had a problem.Tried a beer with bottled water and to be honest couldn't say it made any difference!.
Pretty sure the breweries wouldn't faff about with their water.

I think you'd be surprised.

chub1 · May 29, 2017

DoctorMick said:
I think you'd be surprised.

Please tell:thumb:

DoctorMick · May 30, 2017

chub1 said:
Please tell:thumb:

Loads of breweries treat their water.

Sadfield · May 30, 2017

DoctorMick said:
Loads of breweries treat their water.

This. Water treatment goes beyond taste and has a massive influence on brewing from the mash through to stability and shelf life of the final product.

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chub1 · May 30, 2017

DoctorMick said:
Loads of breweries treat their water.

Any idea of which ones please? And are we talking about the major breweries or the smaller ones.

DoctorMick · May 30, 2017

chub1 said:
Any idea of which ones please? And are we talking about the major breweries or the smaller ones.

Stone and Brewdog do, they're pretty major. I know a guy who leases a small brewery and he doesn't but I'm sure others will. Magic rock do and they're probably somewhere in the middle in terms of size. I'd hazard a guess that more do than don't.

Jabo1428 · May 30, 2017

Sadfield said:
Use a Campden tablet to remove the Chlorine from your water.

Thanks, I'll try that next time.

Fore · May 30, 2017

If I go to the trouble to treat my water, you can be pretty sure breweries do. I watch a lot of brewery tours on YT and they pretty much always treat their water. Stouts were brewed in Dublin and Pils in Czech Republic for a reason. Now we understand why those brews worked in those regions, we can adjust any water profile to suit.

In this case, I agree with the call for a Campden tablet, at least as an initial eliminator. From the explanation, it seems the most likely culprit.

fuggled · Jun 2, 2017

I emailed a local microbrewery near me and to see what additives they used for the water, as they are about 2mins down the road from me. They said they just used good old Severn Trent water (in the midlands) and that they don't add anything.

To be honest my water from the tap does have a slightly chlorine smell, maybe I'll get some campden just so see if it makes any difference. So would you add it to your mash water before adding anything else, and your sparge water before sparging?

Tanzanite · Jun 2, 2017

fuggled said:
I emailed a local microbrewery near me and to see what additives they used for the water, as they are about 2mins down the road from me. They said they just used good old Severn Trent water (in the midlands) and that they don't add anything.

To be honest my water from the tap does have a slightly chlorine smell, maybe I'll get some campden just so see if it makes any difference. So would you add it to your mash water before adding anything else, and your sparge water before sparging?

I am on Severn -Trent water in Nottingham, I am also a fish Keeper . The Severn Trent water is slightly acidic, and does smell slightly of chlorine. I have had no troubles using it for Brewing , Shipstones brewery used to use it , but things could have changed since then, but it seems fine used direct from the tap.

chewie · Jun 2, 2017

chub1 said:
Any idea of which ones please? And are we talking about the major breweries or the smaller ones.

Not sure about there treatment but Guinness piped there water in underground from a stream in the Wicklow mountains maybe 10 miles or so away, thats a lot of bother to ensure a clean water.

chub1 · Jun 2, 2017

chewie said:
Not sure about there treatment but Guinness piped there water in underground from a stream in the Wicklow mountains maybe 10 miles or so away, thats a lot of bother to ensure a clean water.

Ok,maybee so but did they then treat it!
Pretty sure that Young's,when in Wandsworth wouldn't have done so.The beers were known for the 'Wandsworth ' water by which they were brewed. Would be interesting to try and find out if they altered the makeup in any way.

stigman · Jun 2, 2017

I've always treated my water with half a campden tab to remove any chlorine it's so cheap and easy to do why not?
I was surprised recently though when I did a brewday with blackjack they don't bother. Then last week I did a tour at cloudwater and they don't either. Both obviously treat there water chemistry to suit the beer style being brewed that day,

dps51 · Jun 2, 2017

I am going to start to use RO water
its ÃÂ£3 for 5 gallons from my local tropical fish shop
and ÃÂ£1 extra for delivered

Off flavour

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