I get as far as bottling day. I take my sample to get a final gravity reading ... then I drink my sample ... and I'm usually quite happy with the results. I then prime my bottles, fill my bottles, seal my bottles, store my bottles in a dark place at room temp for a couple of weeks. Then when I crack one open to try it, the flavour is off from the sample I tried. It's driving me nuts because I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong.
I'll lay out my process step-by-step, in case anyone is remotely interested enough to help me out here.
Bottling Day:
I use recycled flip-top Grolsch bottles (450mL)
OK, so perhaps the spoon I use to scoop the corn sugar or the plastic wrap are causing some adverse reaction? But I always figured I was safe because it's going into boiling water. However it's the only thing I can think of. Basically, I try the sample ... have this wonderful hoppy flavour and aroma ... typically the flavour profile I was aiming for in my recipes ... then I try a bottle after conditioning and all of that is gone. Barely any aroma at all and a totally blah flavour. I'm gettin' seriously ticked here.
Anybody care to help me out?
Much thanks!
M.
I'll lay out my process step-by-step, in case anyone is remotely interested enough to help me out here.
Bottling Day:
I use recycled flip-top Grolsch bottles (450mL)
- I soak all of my bottles in a PBW solution for a couple of hours, then rinse thoroughly.
- I prepare a priming solution of corn sugar and boiled water ... cover and set aside to let it cool to room temp.
- The Pyrex measuring cup I use to mix this solution is first dunked into a StarSan solution. However the spoon I grab out of the utensil drawer to scoop the corn sugar and stir the solution generally is not. Nor is the plastic wrap I use to cover the Pyrex cup.
- The bottles are all rinsed in the StarSan solution and placed on the bottle tree to drip dry. I spray the bottle tree with StarSan before I place the bottles on it.
- My bottling wand is rinsed inside and out with StarSan solution.
- The spigot on my fermenting bucket is sprayed inside and out with StarSan solution.
- I attach the bottling wand and open the spigot.
- I use a measuring spoon and funnel (both dunked in the StarSan) to put the priming solution into each bottle.
- I then fill the bottles and seal them as per usual with this type of flip-top seal.
- The bottles go into milk crates (16 fit perfectly) and the crate is then covered with a black garbage bag as an added buffer against light.
- The crates are then placed in a corner of my basement (typically around 18C/64F) and left untouched for 2 weeks.
OK, so perhaps the spoon I use to scoop the corn sugar or the plastic wrap are causing some adverse reaction? But I always figured I was safe because it's going into boiling water. However it's the only thing I can think of. Basically, I try the sample ... have this wonderful hoppy flavour and aroma ... typically the flavour profile I was aiming for in my recipes ... then I try a bottle after conditioning and all of that is gone. Barely any aroma at all and a totally blah flavour. I'm gettin' seriously ticked here.
Anybody care to help me out?
Much thanks!
M.