does bottle conditioning have a "flavor"?

I can't put my finger on it, but the vast majority of my lighter brews (PAs, IPAs, etc) all have this underlying similar flavor. Thats not to say they all taste the same, but there is something very similar in their smell and, umm, the after-burping taste.

I've changed everything trying to isolate it. Changed sanitizers, built a better mash-tun, switched up recipes thinking it was a common grain, etc. Could bottle conditioning just create a common flavor? I keep considering switching to kegging, but I like being able to hand out mix and match six-packs to friends/family; plus, my little condo doesn't have much room for a keggerator.

I wish I could describe the flavor... My palate is not great, so I hesitate to say acetaldehyde because it doesn't exactly taste like green-apples to me, and I notice it in beers that have been conditioned for months.

Thoughts?

Try conditioning with something other than priming sugar

Actually, I've tried with DME as well and had similar results. I used to have a huge problem with overcarbbing everything... then I bought a scale and haven't had a problem since.

Does priming sugar impart an obvious flavor?

homebrewedipa said:

Actually, I've tried with DME as well and had similar results. I used to have a huge problem with overcarbbing everything... then I bought a scale and haven't had a problem since.

Does priming sugar impart an obvious flavor?

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I have not noticed any. Perhaps it is related to your water? Do you remove chlorine/chloramine before brewing?

I would suspect a chlorine/chloramine problem with your water. I had a few batches like this early on. Since then all of my water gets treated with a campden tablet and no more problem.

xerotime said:

I would suspect a chlorine/chloramine problem with your water. I had a few batches like this early on. Since then all of my water gets treated with a campden tablet and no more problem.

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I had that thought as well, but, according to the Seattle water reports there isn't much in the way of chlorine in my water: http://www.seattle.gov/util/groups/public/@spu/@ssw/documents/webcontent/spu01_006652.pdf

I guess I can try Campden tablets next time and see what happens.

homebrewedipa said:

I had that thought as well, but, according to the Seattle water reports there isn't much in the way of chlorine in my water: http://www.seattle.gov/util/groups/public/@spu/@ssw/documents/webcontent/spu01_006652.pdf

I guess I can try Campden tablets next time and see what happens.

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What about chloramine? I find it odd that a municipality would not be treating it's water with one of them.

Campden tablets are a good idea for anyone using public water, and they are cheap. Be sure to treat all brewing water with campden. Let us know how it turns out.