A Step Forward, A Glance Back

So, I'm still pretty upset about the failure that is my Irish Stout. I thought that perhaps my shortcomings with the wheat beer was just beginners problems. I need to take a look at my process and see exactly what it is that I'm doing wrong. I know for my first I stupidly used a cleaner thinking it was a sanitizer, but for beer 2 I had StarSan. I think it all comes down to temperature control. Two beers, two distinct but similar weird flavors. I'm taking on a pale ale next, with full temperature control, brew notes and everything else I can possibly think of (including no secondary) to make this thing work. I am desperately searching for that break through beer!