The process is frustrating sometimes...
 

I started brewing February of this year. I have 7 batches to date. All have been extract-based brews with steeping grains added for flavor. I have been moderately happy with all of them, but they all seem to share a slight twang that I am not fond of. I have tried some different things with all of them, but that strange twang is still there regardless of what recipe I brew. The only thing that has been a constant is the water that I use and the extract (Briess extra-light DME).

I have been reading that medicinal tones can be caused by chloramine. I am not sure if I would describe this "twang" as medicinal, but my next batch I am going to try treating the water with campden to see if that helps.

I am on the verge of going all-grain, but I would really like to crank out an extract brew that really "wowed" me first. Don't get me wrong, all of my brews so far have been pretty good - but not amazing.

The frustrating part is that each thing that I try takes so long to see the results. I wish that I could just make these changes in my process and see quicker results instead of having to wait for 4-6 weeks or more before seeing the effect of the change. Oh well, it is what it is.

Rant over. :drunk:

I suggest your next batch be with another water source, spring water from the store or something to see if your water is the problem.

This, first two I brewed had a "taste" to them. I actually stepped up to a full carbon block <1 micron water filter and I can actually pull my water from a garden hose now. Chlorine and Chloramine will definitely leave a "twang" in your beer. I went to home depot, grabbed a whole house water filter housing (2.5 x 10 inch filter) and bought the best solid carbon block filter they had for it. It has made a world of difference in the taste of my beers. The twang is gone.

Since you are doing extract I would suggest buying RO water. You will only need 6-7 gallons which can't be more than 2-3 dollars.

Due to the Chloramine in our water I used distilled for my first batch. Hoping it worked out. Our water dist. recently changed the well they used and the water since then has been very minerally... yeah think I made that up.

Not sure why no one is saying it, but a lot of people taste what is known as "extract twang" in all of their extract batches, and has nothing to do with the water. Search it, a lot of good info and may be able to help pinpoint what you're tasting.

I agree with xjmox14x. However, I haven't experienced the twang in my extracts but below is a link with some good theories as to what causes it. Perhaps trying a DME instead of LME would cure your aches. Or, finding a different source of LME; perhaps adding yeast nutrients. Regardless, there is some interesting reading in that link, cheers.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f37/possible-extract-twang-explanation-32621/

On a off note OP, That is a sweet Bronco.

All of my brews have been made with DME.

Hernando - thanks. That was/is a long project! :)

There is always a bit of controversy on extract brewing and the "twang". You can listen to some pretty good discussion on the BYO podcasts that go into detail about brewing with extract and not having any twang. There point is that it is more the process than just extract vs. all grain. One area they continually stress is fermentation temperature control.

I also found my first batches having a off flavor that I couldn't quite get rid of. A while back I bought a freezer, some temp controllers and built a fermentation chamber. Since controlling my fermentation temperature more closely, I have zero off flavors.

So how do you control the temperature of your fermentation?

I get that same twang as OP.......I also steep grains, but I've been using LME with my batches.... All the beer has been good, but that twang is always there. Even used all spring water on 2 batches, but it was still there...