ok, now I'm F-ing pissed!!!

[kace069]

Don't give up man. I just steped up to AG brewing in July. I think I have done about 12 brews now. About 6 dumped. I wish a cidery off taste was my problem. My beer was turning out so nasty I probably could have posined an ex KGB guy with it. The problem turned out to be my water. My last brew was killer even with homegrown hops that were packaged poorly. Your process seems fine and sterilized to the extreme.
I agree it could be a fermentation problem. How long are you letting that smack pack swell? Are you areating well?
BTW my brew buddy has had problems with the english ale yeast and has swore it off. I have been pitching Nottingham and US-56 just to keep the brews cheap until I get the process nailed down good. Both strains do a good job.
Your gonna make some great beer soon and when you taste it you are going to be so glad you didn't give up!
Brew on man!

[awalker]

Ok I am knew to all this, as you all know.

Could it be a storage issue with the yeasts?
Either before you got them or since have they been kept in the fridge
Did you get them all from the same LHBS?
Maybe they have stored near something that has effected them?
Or could be contaminated at source!

might be worth trying a different yeast from somewhere else

Just thinking aloud, stick in there.
Dont give up its all a learning process, thats what I keep telling myself

[beer_bear]

Thank you all for the encoragement and help. I really appreciate it.

This problem has only started happening since around May. I have been making beer for 14 years. I just started making beer in this new house this year. I had one of the guys that I talk to about brewing ask me if we baked any bread in the kitchen. He was asking about the poss of any other yeasts that might be left in the air that could be doing this.

I have been using Wyeast smack packs that I smack the morning of my brew day. The ones that I have been getting are pretty fresh. My HBS,and I, have been keeping them in a fridge. As for whether or not that could be a prob, I'm not sure what temp my fridge is. I just now thouht about something. Could it be that it's too cold in my fridge and causing the little bugs to throw a protien coat?

[awalker]

Not sure beer_bear I am no expert, might be checking your fridge temp.

You said new house that, could one of the previous threads be relevant
i.e. your water.
If its easy might be worth getting your water checked?

But liked I said I am no expert

Hope you get it sorted soon, I know how it can be disheartening
I used to do wine and find out 5 gallons was rubbish after six months of effort going into it.

[beer_bear]

Thanks awalker. That's something I've3 also been thinking about. I think I'm going to buy a filter today.

Also as for the wine making. I have a new found respect for wine makers. There is no way I could wait as long as they do to know if things went right or not.

I'm going to brew this weekend and try the water filter thing. I'll also check the temp and make sure it's not too low.

[NumbSkull]

I think you should pack it in there and send me all your equipment. I will give you ten bucks. What do you think? Haha! Seriously though do not give up. You will figure it out. Maybe you should try an extract batch so you can narrow it down a little?

Mort

[Lufah]

I keep thinking about this. The only thing I can think of with someone with your time in is that it has to be related to the new location. Try the water filter or bottled water. You can also have your water tested at ward labs
http://www.wardlab.com/

Travis

[DannyW]

Another water related possibility is that it is screwing with your sanitizers and giving you infections.

I know that if I make StarSan with my (really hard Florida aquifer water) it goes cloudy pretty much instantly. If I make it with R.O. water it lasts for months.