Aftertaste in all of my beers

RedIrocZ-28 · 01-05-2009, 05:36 PM

I have searched and read lots of threads about certain off tastes in beers but I can't seem to figure out if I have heavy alcohols or extract twang, DMS, or something else.

What would lead me to believe its not heavy alcohols is that the taste will subside almost entirely if I let the beer sit for 10-15 minutes before I drink it. The same for the extract twang, the off taste in the aftertaste is just about completely gone if the beer sits and gets nearer to room temp. What also helps is getting it to fizz a little by swishing it around and letting a head form and subside again after the initial head from the pour has subsided. Reminds me of the way Saison Dupont tastes "hollow" until the head has completely subsided, same concept... not the same taste though.

Its extremely disheartening to have every beer come out this way where you just simply have to let it sit and swish it around for that weird off taste to go away. So I would really like to know if anyone can point me in the right direction to correct this.

Background so far on the beers:

All are extract.

I use 1/2 tap water and 1/2 bottled water. (Not RO/DI or RO or DI for the tap water, bottled... ??? not sure) The tap water is 7.2pH, low levels of Nitrates and Nitrites (less than 20ppm), a little bit toward bordering on the hard side of kh and gh, lower end of the spectrum on both. Not sure if the local municipality uses chlorine or chloramines.

English Pale Ale: has been bottled for almost 8 weeks at room temp, chilled 30 minutes and then served. Off aftertaste until above remedy.

Cream Ale: bottled 7 weeks, chilled 30 minutes then served. Off aftertaste, same remedy.

Vanilla Porter: Bottled 2 1/2 weeks, chilled 30 minutes. Same...

Do I need to cold condition for a few weeks in the fridge before I crack these open?? Now, don't get me wrong, this all tastes like beer, not Great beer but beer and its very drinkable, and most people don't even notice this taste but I do, or at least no one says anything about it....

??

ifishsum · 01-05-2009, 06:34 PM

What kind of extract do you use - Canned, bulk liquid or dry? Partial or full boil? What about yeast? Same with each batch? What temps do you ferment at?

When I had a similar problem with the first few batches I made (Mr. Beer kits), I changed several things about my brewing and I switched to 5 gallon batches from scratch and I no longer get any of the off flavors. Since I changed multiple things at around the same time It's hard to point at one thing that I'm sure made the difference, but I believe that high fermentation temperatures were the biggest culprit. It was summertime then, and difficult to find a place in the house below 75* but the 2-3 batches I fermented in my air conditioned bedroom at 68* were significantly better. Now that the weather is cooler I use a spare bathroom that stays at 60-65.

Some yeasts are more tolerant of higher temps than others so that can make a difference as well. At higher temps they can produce esters that may not be pleasant to your taste buds. Safale US-05 has made good beer for me even when the temps were in the 70* range so it might be worth a try.

DMS shouldn't be a problem with extract because it would be boiled off during the manufacturing process. Extract twang is a possibility, if you're using canned LME you could try using dry extract or fresh bulk LME and see if it improves things. You could also try a late extract addition technique.

Flattop · 01-05-2009, 09:21 PM

There are a lot of posts about HB twang.... basically it's a variety of factors, Ifish summed it up, sugars, Temps, extracts and yeast. Shelf life also helps. I wonder if when you pour you are getting the yeast cake from the bottle into the beer?

RedIrocZ-28 · 01-05-2009, 09:24 PM

Using Brewers Best Kits with either Steeping grains, LME and DME, or just LME and DME. The LME is the kind in the Orange cans, not sure of the name off hand. The place I buy the kits from says they easily sell out of whats on the shelf on a weekly basis so they claim their kits are as fresh as possible. The yeast is always the same, a pack of Dry Nottingham. Ferment temps are normally 70*, sometimes up to 73* but not if I can help it. I do partial boils as I only have a 5gal SS stockpot. The only thing is I usually use a bit more water for the boil than the instructions call for so I may be getting higher hops utilization but the beers don't ever taste hoppy. I think that I may do a dual boil from now on since I have acquired another stock pot that should accomodate the rest of the wort. The only issue will be cooling of a full 5 gallons of wort vs. 3. It will take a little longer.

I may do this next time. Or I may move to a Partial Mash then to AG just to rid myself of this entirely.

Thanks for the response.

RedIrocZ-28 · 01-05-2009, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flattop

I wonder if when you pour you are getting the yeast cake from the bottle into the beer?

I know this is not a factor, I am VERY careful to make sure the bottles have not been jarred at all before the pour and I always leave at least 1/2" in the bottom, as well as doing a slow pour.

Good tip for those that aren't as careful as I am though!

MajorTom · 01-05-2009, 11:51 PM

Is the aftertaste very apparent in your burps after you swallow or while drinking the beer? It could be chlorine. I chased this problem in my beer for a while. Sometimes it would be there and sometimes not. I think my water supply (tap) had higher chlorine levels at some times than others. Anyway, I started using bottled spring water and problem solved...

Gammon N Beer · 01-05-2009, 11:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MajorTom

Is the aftertaste very apparent in your burps after you swallow or while drinking the beer? It could be chlorine. I chased this problem in my beer for a while. Sometimes it would be there and sometimes not. I think my water supply (tap) had higher chlorine levels at some times than others. Anyway, I started using bottled spring water and problem solved...

Interesting. Would Camden tablets help?

**DeathBrewer** · 01-05-2009, 11:59 PM

yeah, i'd check your water. i ran into problems with my water and now i use nothing but bottled water (the big jugs you can refill at the grocery) at my friends house and i purchased a very nice filter for home use.

SourHopHead · 01-06-2009, 12:27 AM

My last 2 have had the "Band-Aid" taste and I have changed equipment and water. I am still troubleshooting, but change one thing at a time from now on.

RedIrocZ-28 · 01-06-2009, 12:36 AM

What is this band-aid taste people refer to? I have never understood it. If its what it would be like to lick a bandaid... I guess I'll try it lol. In the interest of making better beer of course! *ahem*