Tarty Kolsch

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Gday Brewers. Was hoping someone might be able to help me troubleshoot reasons why my kolsch is coming across too tart/Acidic.
Is this a kolsch thing?
I'm guessing not but it's obviously a flaw in my brewing of this recipe- https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/717899/k97-kolsch .
Now that to me is too much lactic Acid? Too low final PH (but that should be negligible as yeast play their part in dropping PH). I used 3ml of lactic acid to hit the brew calculators PH of 5.3.
My only other explanation and I'm leaning heavily toward this too high carbonation resulting in high carbonic acid taste in beer almost a bighty back of the throat kind. I've found letting the kolsch sit and warm up some brings out the malt more and lessens the bite
I think I'm up for a new regulator...
The preassure climbs sometimes ever since purging beer through it :confused::rolleyes:! New dighapram who knows maybe youse do...?
Heres the beer in question :) cheers for any help!
20181114_170410.jpg
 
What's the final pH of your beer? It should settle somewhere between 4.0 and 4.4. But if it's settling into the low end of the range and you're carbonating it fairly aggressively, it should be a bit tart. Add to that, there's not much in the form of malt flavor to cover anything.... I actually like my beers a bit tart.
 
What's the final pH of your beer? It should settle somewhere between 4.0 and 4.4. But if it's settling into the low end of the range and you're carbonating it fairly aggressively, it should be a bit tart. Add to that, there's not much in the form of malt flavor to cover anything.... I actually like my beers a bit tart.
I've got to get a new PH meter so I can keep a track of these things. So cant check PH. But tasting it straight out the tap its Tart but if I give it 5 minutes in the glass to warm up a calm down it's a lot more balanced out.
 
I'm not saying this is the problem but too much lactic acid can cause tartness that's why I use phosphoric
 
I'm not saying this is the problem but too much lactic acid can cause tartness that's why I use phosphoric
3ml of 88% in this brew from memory this is about as heavy as I go in my beers. You might be onto something but there Oz. If ever I get through this bottle of lactic I'll get some phosphoric acid for sure.
 
3ml of 88% in this brew from memory this is about as heavy as I go in my beers. You might be onto something but there Oz. If ever I get through this bottle of lactic I'll get some phosphoric acid for sure.
Shouldn't be an issue - we're talking about 3 ml acid in 20,000 ml of beer. I've used both lactic and phosphoric acid and really can't tell the difference. If the beer's losing the tartness over time, it may be carbonation, as you mentioned above. Or your palate might just be getting used to the tartness. Either way, it's a better problem to have than having the beer's pH too high - that gets flat, lifeless and dull very quickly!
 
Shouldn't be an issue - we're talking about 3 ml acid in 20,000 ml of beer. I've used both lactic and phosphoric acid and really can't tell the difference. If the beer's losing the tartness over time, it may be carbonation, as you mentioned above. Or your palate might just be getting used to the tartness. Either way, it's a better problem to have than having the beer's pH too high - that gets flat, lifeless and dull very quickly!
Yep good to get a second opinion. thankyou. I think its time I shelled out some coin for a new regulator.
 
The flavor threshold for lactic acid is about 10 ml. in 5 gallons. I doubt it's that.
I started with lactic and still use it. I see no reason to change.
It sounds to me like it excessive CO2. I'd vent the keg overnight and try it then.
Cheers,
Brian
 
Y
The flavor threshold for lactic acid is about 10 ml. in 5 gallons. I doubt it's that.
I started with lactic and still use it. I see no reason to change.
It sounds to me like it excessive CO2. I'd vent the keg overnight and try it then.
Cheers,
Brian
Yeah it was over carbed and had a carbonic bite to. I've dropped regulator preassure now and its drinking really nicely!
 
I'm not sure I understand, what is this "to much bite" you speak of?
 
I'm not sure I understand, what is this "to much bite" you speak of?
Hard to describe it's different than hop bitterness In that it's like an acidic bite like when you take a really long draught (guzzle) out a bottle of beer giving you that bite/ slight stinging sensation at the back of throat. My regulator has been playing up of late and after burst carbing releasing pressure and setting at pour pressure 10psi my guage doesnt read right and pressure needle moves up to like 15psi next day. So I've vented pressure and dropped pressure more than once and I think this had just introduced more carbonic acid from over carbonation.
I've since vented keg and left regulator wound right back and it seems to have done the trick as that kolsch is now tasting more ballanced between malt and bitterness where that malt lingers awhile instead before the mouthfeel was acidic/tarty and overwhelming drowning out the malt flavour. Clear as mud eh?
 
Would a good way to describe the "bite" from Co2 be like that in Club Soda or Seltzer?? Carbonic Acid???
 
I completely forgot about this but for a while I was having the co2 add a strange flavor into my beer after force carbing, it went away after venting down to very low carbonation and setting the pressure low
 
I feel like my sarcasm was missed.
 

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