Okay... I've got a question for the pros☺

[N0mad]

Over the last few months I've watched a lot of YouTube videos and I keep hearing this reference made to a "Band Aid" taste from some of the more seasoned brewers, which seems to be a reference for beer that was fermented at an improper temperature... to be honest I've never licked a band aid but I assume they're refereeing to a plastic off flavor?

1) If it's so subtle how would a novice brewer recognize something like that?
2) How does one avoid their home brew acquiring this off flavor?

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

if you clean with bleach and don't rise it well enough it can cause that flavor, the only use for bleach for me any way is if you have an infection in your equipment or very old residue to remove

 

[GFHomebrew]

Phenolic? My IPA had high phenolic flavour as flaw in last brew comp. discriptors on form say - Spicey (clove, pepper), Smokey, plastic, plastic adhesive strip, and or medicinal (chlorophenolic).

I think the chlorophinolic is maybe from chlorine in water....

Anyhow oh and i's aint no pro so take with grain of dme.

 

[jmcnamara]

I agree with trialben about the chlorinated water, i'm thinking a Camden tablet might be the easiest fix, but here's a few more causes

https://www.google.com/amp/s/beerandbrewing.com/amp/off-flavor-phenolic

 

[J A]

Think disinfectant, medicinal.
It's not all that subtle if you have it, totally dependent on whether the style is one that covers up off flavors.
Avoid chlorine (tap water, cleaners, etc) and keep sanitation up and temps down.
I've gotten very distinct medicinal on a couple of batches from an infected bucket. Definitely not chlorine related but Brett/wild yeast fermentation where it's accompanied by subtle spice/tobacco/bacon - interesting stuff. I've let it age out and other flavors develop and the light medicinal flavor fades. A beer that's got chlorine contamination is a real problem, but a light Brett funk beer can be aged or soured and not only saved but improved.

 

[Nosybear]

Chloraseptic throat spray is another example. A few batches back I started dechlorinating all my water with a Campden tablet (potassium metabisulfite, a tab with filler is about 0.6g). The resultant beers are smoother, they lack a distinct harsh bitterness. The actual "medicinal" flavor only came out when I was making a beer high in natural phenols like a Belgian style or a Hefeweizen. And no, I don't lick bandaids, the description is how you would imagine a band-aid to taste from the smell.

 

[Yooper]

Yep, they nailed it.

Phenols can be yeast driven (like the clove flavor in hefeweizen) or malt driven (the smoky flavor in rauchbier) and desirable in those cases, but the volatile phenols that we don't want are the ones we're talking about here. That "Band-aid", is sort of like plasticy medicinal, and chlorophenols come from the combination of malt and chlorinated water, which give a smell/flavor very similiar to chloroseptic throat spray.

I once made 10 gallons of Band-aid beer from an infected yeast starter, so often sanitation and good chlorine free water will be enough to avoid the problem.

 

[N0mad]

Currently I use Ozarka spring water so no chlorine or chloramine in play... I brewed my fourth all grain batch last week so far no big issues... I'm reading and learning but still so clueless about so many things... I would like to thank everyone that actively participates on this forum and helps out us new guys without being condescending... it's refreshing for sure

 

[J A]

I would like to thank everyone that actively participates on this forum and helps out us new guys without being condescending...

Oh, just wait til you start talking peanut butter-chocolate-coconut-cherry milk stout...I'll condescend then!!!

 

[Hawkbox]

As an award winning home brewer... (I've won 3 bronzes this year, it's my first year) I would take some of the observations with a grain of salt. I am looking at the judging sheets from Vancouver and a beer I nearly got best of show in a different competition with got torn to shreds by these guys.

Some judges are looking to find a fault and will make one up if they can't find one. Not saying that is the case, but don't panic if one judge comes back and says it's shit. Let at least a half dozen judges tell you it's shit first.

Like seriously it's weird, a beer I made to experiment with yeast and I didn't like did better than the ones I was actually proud of in the competition.

 

[jeffpn]

Like seriously it's weird, a beer I made to experiment with yeast and I didn't like did better than the ones I was actually proud of in the competition.

Ever go to a bar just to have a cold one with a friend? That’s when you get hit on by the girls!!

 

[Hawkbox]

You mean every time I go to the bar?

But yeah it's damned weird and it's ahrd to build out a plan around it.

 

[J A]

got torn to shreds by these guys.

???
I seldom see a lot of negativity on this forum. Are you saying you've gotten bad advice here?

 

[Hawkbox]

What? Oh no, the judges in the competition tore me to shreds over a beer I had killed it with in 2 previous competitions.

 

[J A]

I misread...you were talking specific feedback from a competition. That makes more sense. I couldn't figure out how it tied into the OPs remark about not condescending go newbies.

 

[HighVoltageMan!]

What? Oh no, the judges in the competition tore me to shreds over a beer I had killed it with in 2 previous competitions.

I compete a lot too. After a while I have learned to ignore some of the criticism and almost all their advice. I compete for the fun and I compete against a lot of judges, they don’t always do well in comps. But, it does make you a better brewer. Keep it up, eventually you’ll be telling everyone you got 100 medals and working on 200.

 

[Hawkbox]

Hell I'm already calling myself an award winning brewer.

 

[HighVoltageMan!]

Hell I'm already calling myself an award winning brewer.

Biching!

 

[The Brew Mentor]

Well, that got off track!

 

[N0mad]

No doubt...