It Must be the Water!! Metallic Taste...

I've noticed a slight metallic flavor in some of my brews, and I'm wondering if there is a specific mineral/metal in the water that contributes to this taste. I can even smell it sometimes. Definitely tends to come out more in my roasty brews, and almost lends a toasted flavor, but I don't like it!

I just got a whole house filter to attach to my hose, so I'm hoping this will help, but I'm going to have to get a water sample to find out for sure what I need to adjust, but I was hoping someone may have some ideas in the meantime.

I know that a few places I have lived over the years, that I have gotten iron in the water. A couple of times a year, the water would come out looking like tea. Almost had a copper taste to it, best I can remember.

Filtration should help. My current municipal search reeks of chlorine, so I have gone the bottled route (Poland Springs). It is my favorite water to drink, so figured it would be a good base for tasty brews, as well.

Metals in the source water are a good bet but if that is the cause you should be able to taste metal in the water itself. If the water does not taste metallic then look elsewhere. If the water does taste metallic and is grayish yellow and turbid then it is iron that is the problem. If it is clear and turns turbid upon aeration (pouring back and forth between two glasses) then it is, again, iron but in the "clear water iron" (FeII) form. Iron can be removed by aerating to get all FeII converted to FeIII and then filtering. Alternatively an iron filter can be installed into the house plumbing. This is a common problem with wells.

If the water tastes metallic when you first run the tap but a glass of water drawn after the water has run a couple of minutes does not taste metallic then the problem is copper (or iron in an older house) from the plumbing which has been dissolved by the water because it is acidic (probably from a well). The short term solution is to brew with water which is not drawn until the plumbing is flushed i.e. after running the water for a couple of minutes. A longer term solution is to install a neutralizer into the plumbing system (right after the bladder tank). If you don't do this eventually enough pipe gets eroded that pinhole leaks appear.

Oddly enough, I had a pervasive metallic taste in all my beers when I was using distilled water for AG brewing without adding any minerals in. Once I started building water, never had that taste again. I attribute it to yeast stress/death without essential minerals...