Extract-y flavor?

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rtb178

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Hi everyone,

I've now brewed three iterations of an IPA, with varying quality. All are fine, but seem to have what I can only call an "extract-y" tang. Some of these beers have been partial mash, but there's always a sort of "green" flavor and smell. The bottles aren't too young, however; the flavor seems to stay.

Could this be because I sometimes have trouble getting a rolling boil? I get good bubbling, but by no means a rolling boil. Does this leave a bit too much extract taste?

I know this is general. Sorry for the imprecise language. I'm just hoping to brew a Two-Hearted clone soon and would like to have as good a process as possible.

Thanks.
 
Did you give the beer plenty of time in primary to finish,clean up & settle out clear or slightly misty? Exactly how old were the bottles?
 
Did you give the beer plenty of time in primary to finish,clean up & settle out clear or slightly misty? Exactly how old were the bottles?

I've been tasting the bottles starting at three weeks and now at six weeks. It's a 6% ipa. I've had carbonation problems with previous batches (too much), so I cut down the carbonation by about 20%. Now they don't seem uncarbonated, just a kind of thick tartness to the flavor.

Sorry, I don't seem to have a great set of terms to describe this.
 
Well,if you're not used to IPA's,that description could be from all the hops in the beer. They can have that sort of quality to someone who isn't familiar with the style.
 
I noticed a similar taste when I first started tasting my bottles starting just after the minimum time of 3 weeks. I threw six in the back of a cool closet for a few months and tired them later and noticed a substantial improvement and a total absence of that twang type of flavour that I think you are describing. Some beers may require much more aging time to taste right vs carbing up enough.
 
Do you brew with liquid extract? When do you add it?

There's a partial consensus around here that doing the full boil with LME can lead to more of the "home brew-y" flavor. Many people (myself included) choose to add the LME either late in the boil or at flame out. Always add LME without the flame on your kettle - regardless of when you add it. Get the LME well mixed before re-applying the flame - or you'll scorch it on the bottom of your kettle creating all kinds of badness.
 
I use late extract additions to great effect myself. Lighter color & no twang.

I usually do it at flameout. With good extraction on my steeping grains I make some tasty beer. I like my all grain recipes better, but extract is great when I don't have time to roll out the whole rig but need to keep beer in the pipeline.
 
I've been tasting the bottles starting at three weeks and now at six weeks. It's a 6% ipa. I've had carbonation problems with previous batches (too much), so I cut down the carbonation by about 20%. Now they don't seem uncarbonated, just a kind of thick tartness to the flavor.

Sorry, I don't seem to have a great set of terms to describe this.

Is this different than the tangy taste of a commercial IPA? I mean it's an IPA, it should be tart.

Rick
 
Was it from a kit?
I don't know how to explain it, but my recipes where I buy fresh DME from my LHBS always come out without extract-tang that kits do.
 
I concur that doing a late add will help reduce the extract flavor and know exactly what your talking about.

As a side note, I've brewed the Two Hearted many times and a couple of tips for you. First, 3 week primary is a must on that beer. Second, if you're doing a PM, mash at 148 since it is the only way to get it to attenuate down to the correct FG. Last, you need to culture yeast from Bell's Amber or Pale Ale to get a good clone. No other yeast will make that beer as good in my experience.

Good luck!
 
Plus,when using plain DMe,it'll come out better,since DME doesn't get mailard reactions as readilly as LME does. That's why they came out better. I use DME in the boil for hop additions,or the pm wort to do hop additions. LME gets added at flame out. Lighter color & no twang.
 
Thanks everyone. I've been using DME and not LME in my beers. I'm brewing a Simcoe-Amarillo-Columbus IPA with the yeast tomorrow. Will be sure to follow your advice.
 
What many describe as a "metallic tangy flavor" or that "Extracty taste" is from improper storage, old extract or oxidized extract.

The method i've been using for years is to heat my water to 50*C to 80*C and then remove from the heat and then add and fully dissolve my LME; then I return to the heat and bring to a full rolling boil for no less than 45 minutes, though usually an hour to an hour and 15 minutes depending on my hopping additions.

I strongly suggest trying true fresh extract (never from cans, if you can help it!) and doing a full boil.
 
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