Metallic off flavors

Greenglass · 03-18-2009, 04:38 AM

I've been quiet for a while waiting for my two first AG batches to take care of themselves. I have an IPA and a stout which are now bottled and racked to secondary, respectively. Both were left to sit in the primary for three weeks, and look pretty good going into the secondary.

However, I have a flavor problem... specifically a nasty metallic flavor. Tastes almost like... sanitizer (that was what my mind immediately went to when I first tasted it; it tastes like the idophor sanitizer I use smells).

I just cracked a bottle of the IPA (been in the bottle just a week, so naturally its all but flat, and sugary, but I'm ignoring that). Nice hop flavor, can't really judge the body at this stage, color and clarity great, but still the nasty metallic flavor. Granted, it's not as pronounced as it was before, but still really prominent.

The stout just went into the secondary. Gravity higher than I'd expected (1014 from an OG of 1043), which sounds high, although my mash temp was higher than target. No big deal. Can't really tell what it's going to be like right now, but there's still a hint of the metallic flavor that the IPA has. I think. I may be imagining things. Certainly not as pronounced as the IPA was at the same stage.

Any thoughts? What could this be? And will it recede?

Any suggestions or feedback much appreciated...

Yankeehillbrewer · 03-18-2009, 05:30 AM

What kind of BK do you use? If it's Aluminum and you didn't "cure" it, that might be the issue. Sounds like it's already getting better though. Just forget about them for a few weeks and chances are the off-flavor will be gone.

Greenglass · 03-18-2009, 06:10 AM

Thanks; that's reassuring. I hope it subsides after a while.

The BK is a stainless stockpot - the economy version from Austin homebrew supply - pretty thin walled, but perfectly useable. Maybe there was some surface oil residue or something? I washed it pretty thoughroughly the first time, but didn't boil anything in it befroe I used it.

Jaws · 03-18-2009, 02:07 PM

Probably it’s you water. I’ve seen this problem in many beer (teh worst I try was an Het Kapitel abt) when water contain iron. (The taste it’s almost the same metallic like blood). Try a water filter with an active coal cartridge the same one that many brewer is using to remove bleach taste from water.

cytokine · 03-18-2009, 02:32 PM

Did you clean your chiller before using it? I have heard that a new copper chiller can impart off flavors.

Greenglass · 03-18-2009, 03:13 PM

thanks for the suggestions; I'll be sure to filter the water next time.

Also, the copper chiller could be it. I was using a new chiller for the first batch. I did clean it, but maybe not well enough? I didn't boil it prior to using it.

cytokine · 03-18-2009, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greenglass

thanks for the suggestions; I'll be sure to filter the water next time.

Also, the copper chiller could be it. I was using a new chiller for the first batch. I did clean it, but maybe not well enough? I didn't boil it prior to using it.

BobbyM has a nice tutorial video on making a chiller. I followed his directions from start to finish as they were clear and easy to follow. I believe that his recommendation was to put the finished chiller in a mixture of water and white vinegar for a while. I did this and heated that solution in my brewpot and the chiller did look cleaner.

Vinegar is dilute acetic acid and not very expensive. It's worth doing once.

I wonder whether this needs to be done every so often becasue copper oxidizes over time.

Greenglass · 03-18-2009, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cytokine

BobbyM has a nice tutorial video on making a chiller. I followed his directions from start to finish as they were clear and easy to follow. I believe that his recommendation was to put the finished chiller in a mixture of water and white vinegar for a while. I did this and heated that solution in my brewpot and the chiller did look cleaner.

Vinegar is dilute acetic acid and not very expensive. It's worth doing once.

I wonder whether this needs to be done every so often becasue copper oxidizes over time.

thanks for that - I'll do that before my next brew to make sure it's clean.

The Blow Leprechaun · 03-18-2009, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cytokine

I wonder whether this needs to be done every so often becasue copper oxidizes over time.

I dunno. Wort is already a slightly acidic environment, so if you brew enough that might get the job done. You can look up how to maintain copper cookware for tips on it.

cytokine · 03-18-2009, 07:31 PM

I just re-read your original post. I know you said that you were ignoring the fact that it had been in the bottle for only one week but...

You are probably just tasting green beer. Unless you have been brewing for a long time and know what green beer tastes like, the flavors you are describing will likely go away with time.

Revvy has a few things to say about this...