National Homebrew Club Ireland

Have noticed phenolic flavour and aromas in my bottled beers recently. Have ruled out infection so the only possible cause I can think of is that I'm not rinsing my bottles enough after soaking in Milton. Probably will switch to Starsan. Anyone had a similar problem with chlorine sanitisers?

Quote from: eoghanr on March 30, 2016, 09:26:32 PM
Have noticed phenolic flavour and aromas in my bottled beers recently. Have ruled out infection so the only possible cause I can think of is that I'm not rinsing my bottles enough after soaking in Milton. Probably will switch to Starsan. Anyone had a similar problem with chlorine sanitisers?

Are you sure its the chlorine in the cleaner? Could it be your yeast, your fermentation temperature or your sparge water temperature. See http://www.winning-homebrew.com/phenolic-flavors.html for details.

Shanna

It could be your water too . As well as Campden in your water day before, you can also put 1/2 tablet in a bottling bucket solution with starsan. Also check mash p.h not high for tannins. I have same problems and I use Milton then clean then rinse with boiling water and then starsan with Campden! 

It's happened with different yeasts. I have temperature control in operation and I do no-sparge BIAB. I use bottled water. Does that need to be de-chlorinated? I didn't think it did. Usually get pH in the  5.4 range. The Milton is the only culprit left as far as I can see!

Quote from: eoghanr on March 31, 2016, 07:00:25 AM
It's happened with different yeasts. I have temperature control in operation and I do no-sparge BIAB. I use bottled water. Does that need to be de-chlorinated? I didn't think it did. Usually get pH in the  5.4 range. The Milton is the only culprit left as far as I can see!

How do you chill when your brewing? Are you getting down below 20C before you pitch your yeast? It could well be the Milton but I would make sure that your thermometers are calibrated and if you have temperature control in operation is it accurate? Many people (myself included) experience a few degrees higher fermentation temperatures until they installed a thermowell. I would confirm the temperature before switching from the Milton.

Shanna

Have you fried a sample before bottling and confirmed if it's the bottling stage or earlier? Since your using bottled water, we can rule out chloramine, so your looking at yeast health, pitch rates and temperature in your ferment.
Maybe go over a batch that had the issue with these in mind and something might jump out.

Have tasted samples after 3 weeks in FV and they taste great, but a few weeks after bottling they all taste like hefes. I'm convinced it's the Milton in the bottles. I don't rinse them that well for fear of contaminating them with the tap water. I really just wanted to check here if anyone had noticed the same Milton issue. I'm due to bottle an American Amber next week. I'll ditch the Milton and see what happens.

I'd suggest you also do a few bottles with your usual process and then compare after 3 weeks. That way you can pinpoint the Milton as you'll have a control.

Quote from: molc on March 31, 2016, 05:40:36 PM
I'd suggest you also do a few bottles with your usual process and then compare after 3 weeks. That way you can pinpoint the Milton as you'll have a control.

That's a good idea alright. Thanks for that.

Quote from: molc on March 31, 2016, 05:40:36 PM
I'd suggest you also do a few bottles with your usual process and then compare after 3 weeks. That way you can pinpoint the Milton as you'll have a control.

Might not be a bad idea to do it blind either so that your not introducing bias. E.g. get somebody else to pour you beers from the two different bottles & see can you spot the difference if any.

Shanna

Chlorine and beer is a disaster, unless you run a good acid over it afterwards. You will notice tangs and tastes.

Link that claims to have a response from Milton that Milton is fine for brewing sterilisation but it recommends to wash out afterwards :)

http://homebrewonline.vanillaforums.com/discussion/427/milton-yes-or-no

It's active ingredients are salt (sodium chloride) and NaClO (sodium hypochlorite) which is the same active ingredient as in domestic bleach. I would check your concentrations to make sure your not overdoing it.

I assume you also use some other form of cleaner for sanitation.
Shanna

Update: bottled most recent batch last weekend. Switched to Starsan and it seems to have done the trick! The usual tang I was experiencing in many of my beers seems to be gone! It's only a week in the bottle so it's too early to judge definitively, but so far so good.

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Starsan rules!

For the amount you get out of it like fairy a little goes a long way and it's very cheap considering what it guarantees.
My first kit brew in the late 80's as a student in U.K. was so rank, we did try and drink after 5 days mind, sanitation, what's sanitation?

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