Troubleshooting IPA - Grainy flavor

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by Drel, Jan 8, 2017.

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  1. GreenKrusty101

    GreenKrusty101 Initiate (0) Dec 4, 2008 Nevada

    Mash pH indirectly will/could affect final kettle pH, hop utilization/flavor, and sparge tannin extraction (although there are other larger factors also)
     
    #21 GreenKrusty101, Jan 8, 2017
  2. GreenKrusty101

    GreenKrusty101 Initiate (0) Dec 4, 2008 Nevada

    How did that turn out? Same grainy finish?
     
    #22 GreenKrusty101, Jan 8, 2017
  3. Drel

    Drel Zealot (690) Nov 14, 2014 Massachusetts
    Trader

    Ha. No. It was an expired can of red ale extract. Tasted super malty. Maybe I should add that to my next AG IPA batch. :rolling_eyes:
     
    #23 Drel, Jan 8, 2017
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  4. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    I was curious about a 5.0 pH for any drinking water (very low), so I looked up Poland Springs water report here. They report 6.6-7.1 for their "Natural" Spring Water" and 4.6 for their "Sparkling" Spring Water, i.e. carbonated water.
     
    #24 VikeMan, Jan 8, 2017
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  5. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    I am still hoping that Mark (@utahbeerdude) will provide some input to this discussion.

    As Neil Diamond would sing: Hello, again. :slight_smile:

    Cheers!
     
    #25 JackHorzempa, Jan 9, 2017
  6. SFACRKnight

    SFACRKnight Grand Pooh-Bah (3,348) Jan 20, 2012 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Ditch the maris otter and use pils, problem.solved. :rolling_eyes:
     
    #26 SFACRKnight, Jan 9, 2017
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  7. utahbeerdude

    utahbeerdude Maven (1,374) May 2, 2006 Utah

    I've read through the thread. It not clear to me that the off-flavor, much less the culprit, has been identified. If I were the OP, I'd have several experienced homebrewers try the beer in order to help identify the problem.

    Cheers!
     
    #27 utahbeerdude, Jan 9, 2017
    JackHorzempa, SFACRKnight and VikeMan like this.
  8. Drel

    Drel Zealot (690) Nov 14, 2014 Massachusetts
    Trader

    My last recipe was 2-row with flaked oat / bit of honey malt with same result.

    If anyone is in northern MA, come on by. All the hydrometer samples you can handle! I can mail out a bottle post fermentation as well if anyone feels like critiquing.
     
    #28 Drel, Jan 9, 2017
  9. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    I'd be willing to receive a bottle or two, share with other locals, and provide feedback. You'll probably get several volunteers. I'd recommend spreading the samples around to get independent evaluations.

    Even better, I'd recommend entering your beers in competitions to see what the BJCP judges pick up. If judges in multiple comps (or in different flights of one comp) note the same thing(s), that will provide clues.
     
    #29 VikeMan, Jan 9, 2017
  10. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    Maybe. How clear are your beers when you drink them?
     
    #30 VikeMan, Jan 9, 2017
  11. Hogue2112

    Hogue2112 Initiate (0) Apr 7, 2016 Ohio

    Whoa. This is a thing?
     
    #31 Hogue2112, Jan 9, 2017
  12. Drel

    Drel Zealot (690) Nov 14, 2014 Massachusetts
    Trader

    Yikes. I'm worried enough about what you guys are going to say, nevermind entering it into a legitimate competition haha. But I will send you some after if you'd be willing.

    Not very clear but that has been purposeful as a result of the process. I was following the AP NEIPA recipe (oats / 1318/ dry hop during fermentation) and know that it isn't supposed to drop clear.
     
    #32 Drel, Jan 9, 2017
  13. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    PM me for the address.

    Were all 5 batches NEIPAs? If not, how was the clarity of those that weren't?
     
    #33 VikeMan, Jan 9, 2017
  14. JrGtr

    JrGtr Pooh-Bah (1,775) Apr 13, 2006 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah

    this is kinda what I was thinking. I did read the thread and I wasn't quite clear if the "graininess" was a flavor thing or more of a mouthfeel, and exactly what was going on.
    Personally I like a bit of cracker / bready / biscuit thing at the end, and if that's what the OP is thinking, maybe just switch the base from the MO to either straight 2-row or pils malt may make the difference. It also may have something to do with the wheat malt.

    OP: where in Massachusetts are you?
     
    #34 JrGtr, Jan 9, 2017
  15. Drel

    Drel Zealot (690) Nov 14, 2014 Massachusetts
    Trader

    Yes they were. I am firmly seated on the bandwagon. My first couple were abysmal due to working out how AG brewing actually works. :flushed: (Trial and error! Lots, and lots, of error!) I am really trying to get one solid recipe that I can brew regularly and then I will be moving on. I actually have a stout planned for this weekend. Wish me luck.

    MA/NH border around the 495/93 junction.
     
    #35 Drel, Jan 9, 2017
  16. GreenKrusty101

    GreenKrusty101 Initiate (0) Dec 4, 2008 Nevada

    I am always careful to not oversparge or overheat the grain bed...still remember that one sample from the off-flavor test kit...almost as bad as the butyric sample (not quite :slight_smile:)

    "How to Brew" pg 255-257
     
    #36 GreenKrusty101, Jan 9, 2017
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  17. Hogue2112

    Hogue2112 Initiate (0) Apr 7, 2016 Ohio

    I really need to get in with a group that is doing one of these samplings. I have never tasted them isolated.
     
    #37 Hogue2112, Jan 10, 2017
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  18. BRT2018

    BRT2018 Initiate (0) Feb 27, 2018 Brazil


    I am having the same issue here. 2-row, white wheat, London III (1059/1015), simcoe and mosaic. Grainy dominates in aroma and flavor. Have you found a way to fix this @Drel ? I'll try higher gravities.
     
    #38 BRT2018, Feb 27, 2018
  19. BRT2018

    BRT2018 Initiate (0) Feb 27, 2018 Brazil

    Water was 167ppm Chloride : 82ppm Sulfate
     
    #39 BRT2018, Feb 27, 2018
  20. Drel

    Drel Zealot (690) Nov 14, 2014 Massachusetts
    Trader

    Man, I had completely forgotten about this post until I got the alert. I will say that I have gotten significantly better at brewing IPAs in the past year and it wasn't due to increasing gravities.

    I start with a base of Poland Springs water, which based on their water reports is pretty much a clean slate for all intents and purposes. I will also use mineral additions similar to what you mentioned.

    Make sure that you are using fresh ingredients! I suspect some of my issue was due to age and poor storage quality of the malts and hops that I was buying locally. I still use a local HB store....just not THAT one.

    Depending on what I am brewing I will add a small amount of crystal malt for a bit of sweetness. I also increased my hop rates on many of my IPAs.

    I know this has been a bit of a controversial topic in the past but I also find that my flavors and aroma come through far more pronounced when I keg my IPAs vs bottle condition. I will still bottle condition my more malt forward, darker, beers but I keg all of my light stuff now.

    And don't forget to cold crash your beers in the fermenter for at least 24 hours before packaging!

    If I think of anything else I will update but those were a lot of the big changes that I made in the past year.
     
    #40 Drel, Feb 28, 2018
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