Kegged beer = Metallic taste

blowmax10 · 03-22-2009, 08:56 PM

I've been trying to track down a metallic after taste in my beer for some time

I have it narrowed down to my kegs - soon I will keep a log of which kegs it happens on to try and narrow it down

does anyone else have this problem?

I use used kegs that are banged up and scratched, could this be the reason??

man it is terrible, like sucking on tin foil

McKBrew · 03-22-2009, 09:06 PM

Not sure what you have happening, but a strong metallic taste in kegged beer isn't the norm. Common sense, but I'll ask anyway. Did you totally strip them down and replace all o-rings. Have you checked the poppets to make sure they are not harboring anything? What do you use and how do you clean them?

Good Luck, hope you figure it out.

blowmax10 · 03-22-2009, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McKBrew

Not sure what you have happening, but a strong metallic taste in kegged beer isn't the norm. Common sense, but I'll ask anyway. Did you totally strip them down and replace all o-rings. Have you checked the poppets to make sure they are not harboring anything? What do you use and how do you clean them?

Good Luck, hope you figure it out.

No - I didn't strip them down - My LHBS pressure tested them and i guess i thought it was good enough

The way i clean them (most of the time) is with an over night soaking in oxi clean

then i sanitize them with one step

I have taken the poppets off and cleaned them out - also taken out the fill tube

I guess the first time i cleaned them i did a really good clean but after that i got lazy

This last batch i just rinsed it out really well and sanitized

kirscp · 03-22-2009, 10:36 PM

You should be completely taking your kegs apart, cleaning, sanitize each time you keg. Who know what your gaskets are holding. I'd also be replacing all your o-rings and what not.

Not all corny kegs were used for soda and beer. My dad used a couple to spray herbicides and pesticides on the years. I know that isn't the norm, but you never know what people were putting in their kegs.

boogyman · 03-22-2009, 10:42 PM

definitely take apart and clean/sanitize your kegs when you buy them.. even if they're pressure tested. When I bought mine, I let the kegs sit in pbw before santizing and also took apart both valves and boiled/cleaned everything best I could. I also replaced all the O-rings. Haven't had any problems yet.

blowmax10 · 03-22-2009, 11:09 PM

good advice, I think i will tear them down the next time they are empty and do a good cleaning / change the o-rings

what about the scratches on the inside though? One keg has some bad marks where the fill tube rubbed on the bottom of the keg

**samc** · 03-22-2009, 11:44 PM

Obviously you have tasted the beer prior to kegging. If this is happening on more than one keg you are doing something to the metal. Have these kegs had bleach sitting in them for a long time? Bleach will ruin the stainless and that could be the source of the metal taste.

If you bought all the kegs from your LHBS and this happens with all of them then the solution is pretty simple. Bring them back and tell them they need a new supplier or they are improperly cleaning them. Then buy some from one of the many vendors that others use and don't have this issue. If you want to keep playing around you could clean the inside with Bar Keepers Friend and see if that passivates the Stainless, but truthfully I would return them.

edit:Just noticed that you said you will tear them down the next time they are empty. Does that mean you are drinking metallic tasting beer?

**BargainFittings** · 03-23-2009, 12:28 PM

I would suggest not soaking them overnight in oxyclean. I know that with my water I get a white film that is deposited on everything. It does break down with a soak in an acid like starsan but I would not rely on my sanitizer to remove any deposits.

Hot oxyclean mix, a carboy brush and break down the posts and carefully clean them in with a soft brush. Inspect the o-rings for cracks and keglube them all. If they smell of soda after cleaning them replace them.

You can not sanitize if its not clean first.

Good luck on solving your metallic issue.

McKBrew · 03-23-2009, 05:23 PM

+1 on not using oxyclean for long term soaking. There are a few related threads that talk about how difficult the residue can be to remove, and I've seen from personal experience that Oxy requires serious rinsing.