my gut tells me its the softened water so let us know what happens with the store water. I’m sure with all this help we will figure it out.
Thanks again to everyone. I will post results of the next batch.
I don’t see anything wrong with what you are describing and if the “bitterness” doesn’t get worse with age it doesn’t sound like an infection either. I guess we’re back to the water. :oops:
When you buy your water, go with distilled. There is no mineral content so you will just be using the minerals in your extract.
Fermentation temperature is important, but as RC said it wouldn’t cause bitterness. If you notice buttery or sharp alcohol flavors, it would be a culprit. If you can keep your actual beer temps (not the room temp) at 67 or 68 that is ideal for most styles. Keep in mind your yeast activity will be creating heat, so beer in a 68 degree room may be 73-75. The ideal situation is to keep your fermentation temperature steady with no highs and lows or have it slowly rise. Upping the temp a couple degrees after activity slows down helps clean up some off flavors.
If you don’t have a way to control the temps, try chilling your wort down to 62 degrees or so before pitching.
Good luck!
hades is right on with his advise. i’ll be waiting to see what happens. last year I went though water problems and it took 5 or 6 brews to figure out, so just hang in there.
[quote=“Hades”]I don’t see anything wrong with what you are describing and if the “bitterness” doesn’t get worse with age it doesn’t sound like an infection either. I guess we’re back to the water. :oops:
When you buy your water, go with distilled. There is no mineral content so you will just be using the minerals in your extract.
Fermentation temperature is important, but as RC said it wouldn’t cause bitterness. If you notice buttery or sharp alcohol flavors, it would be a culprit. If you can keep your actual beer temps (not the room temp) at 67 or 68 that is ideal for most styles. Keep in mind your yeast activity will be creating heat, so beer in a 68 degree room may be 73-75. The ideal situation is to keep your fermentation temperature steady with no highs and lows or have it slowly rise. Upping the temp a couple degrees after activity slows down helps clean up some off flavors.
If you don’t have a way to control the temps, try chilling your wort down to 62 degrees or so before pitching.
Good luck![/quote]
Thanks
I use a stick on thermometer on the glass big mouth bubblers they read 68, the current batch in the primary is the first that I used a starter on. I did see the temp near 70 for a day or two at the height of activity.
I can get the prep itching temp down to 64 with my copper chiller. At least for now with the ground water still pretty chilly.
Picking up water tonight, try, try again. Too much invested to bail out now:) besides I do want this to work. It is loads of fun brewing with friends.
Can’t win, tonight while sanitizing my 5 gal big mouth glass bubbler I bumped the fiberglass deep sink. The bubbler broke in half with me holding the upper half and neck while the lower half and 5 gal sanitizer hit the concrete floor. While I do not like plastic with food items, I guess I need to go with the plastic version. I am on blood thinners and don’t need the risk. I’ve got to get some drinkable beer so I can drown my sorrows. 
Sorry KR, I agree glass is dangerous. I have plenty of glass I invested in, but recently switched back to plastic after reading too many horror stories. Started back with a large bucket but I now have the plastic BMB you were talking about, will be using it soon. Right now I’m building a keezer. Like you said, in too deep to turn back! Keep at it!
Ouch that’s rough. Glad you were uninjured. I dropped a glass carboy while sanitizing it as well. They are just too heavy and the sanitizer makes them too slippery to handle safely. In my case it only fell about 6 inches onto linoleum and it didn’t actually break, but that was enough to convince me to stick with plastic. If you want to use glass, carboy slings and handles should be considered mandatory, but I wouldn’t take the risk either way. I just got a plastic big mouth bubbler, it I have to say it is great, although honestly a bucket works just fine too. Plastic buckets are the cheapest thing to replace if they get scratched up and actually have handles.
You were lucky; you should read some of the horror stories that have been posted about broken glass carboys.
I switched to using only plastic buckets (and PET water jugs if I want longer term aging) about 6 years ago. I can honestly say that it has made my life easier, safer and the quality of the beer is just as good.
I am still trying to locate a reasonably priced water source.the link below is for the city water at my work.
Sulfates still seem high and it also shows that the range depending on sample date has wide swings.
Purchasing 10 gallons of water at $1.40 per gallon makes long term brewing cost prohibited. I am going to visit my local craft brewery and see if they can shed some light on the water issues if indeed there is one.
The NB Honey Brown ale that is in my fermenter at 20 days was tested for SG. I tasted the sample after measuring and it did not appear to have the bitterness. I will know in a few more weeks.
You should definitely be able to get water cheaper than that. I can get distilled water for $1/gallon in 2.5 gal jugs at the supermarket, and this is in southern california where everything is expensive. If your supermarket too expensive, there are other places to check. I hear walmart often has RO water relatively cheaply (< $1/gal). If you have a foofy overpriced grocery store like whole foods they often have bulk water water that is actually cheap. You can also visit your local Culligan/soft water shop, they may have bulk distilled/RO water for sale as well. Keep an eye out for bring-your-own vessel dispensers. They tend to be a lot cheaper than disposable jugs (around here $.50/gal or less is typical). I have heard questionable things about them – some are really good, some are just softened city water with the chlorine removed, and even the good ones depend on the owner changing the filters regularly, so I would send a sample out or get a TDS meter, but they are cheap enough to be worth the effort.
Any of your friends have good water? Bring some bottles over and fill them. Cost $0.00
Most supermarkets have RO water. It’s likely not quite true RO given the volume that is dispensed, it should be close. You could go for a wards lab test or just assume that it is close to RO and add accordingly, but remember that extract has all the minerals you typically need for most styles. Check into Brunwater’s spreadsheet. Consider trying to go all grain and good luck to you! :cheers:
Found RO at HyVee here in Liberty, .39 per gal.
I spoke with my local craft brewery here in Liberty, Rock n Run. The use regular city water with chemical to remove chlorine.
I will use my RO water to brew my next batch. I have wait to receive my order from NB, replacement fermenters for broken glass one. I had them wait to ship until Monday so the yeast would not be sitting on UPS dock over the weekend.
Once I brew the two extract kits I have I will need to figure out what to do with all grain kits I have coming.
brew. with. a. friend.
or with a club. or at your LHBS.
Hello all
Time for update. Just opened first bottle of carefully process brew with unsoftened city water. Taste great and not bitter! I have another batch in the secondary to be bottled next week with RO water only. After discussing my problem with all of you and several local brewers I believe the major issue was the softener with secondary problem of excessive chlorination for short period of time from the city. I also found out that Liberty had been flushing lines for a period during the problem.
Thanks for everyone’s input. I am brewing another batch tomorrow with unsoftened water and a tab to remove chlorine. I thinks things are looking up again.
:cheers:
Glad to hear things are looking up. Brew on. :cheers:
glad to hear you have good beer. people say if your water tastes good brew with it but I think when water is the main ingredient its a little more important then just the taste of the water. good in, good out, is a practice that works. well I think its time for a home brew. the first ones for kartracer and the fact he did not give up.
Thanks for the toast grainy. Back at you!
Yet another follow up!
I have now brewed and tasted 3 different batches. Al taste great. A REMINDER TO NEW BREWERS, JUST BECAUSE THE WATER TASTE OK , DIES NOT MEAN THE BREW WILL BE GOOD.
Glad things worked out. I am thrilled with my results after fixing the water problem.
Thanks again to everyone for your input!
