Homebrew 'Twang'

Hey all;

I am on my third batch since starting again. Back in the day I was always a little disappointed with my beers as they were never very good. So I gave it a rest for about a decade and am now back in the game and enjoying brewing again.

However, in my beers I still detect a homebrew 'twang' - not sure how to detect it other than it seems to be a little after taste that runs thru all of my homebrews. The beer is much better than back in the day when I was doing a single fermentation in glass.

I am currently using malt extracts(very fresh) and custom recipes from my LHBS and the typical initial fermentation in a bucket / 2nd in carboy I see others using on this site.

Again, my beers are generally pretty good and enjoyable - but am not sure about the common flavor running thru all of them. Is this typical?

I don't think this is an aging issue, because last night I cracked an IPA that had been in the bottle for over a month. Great carb, good taste - but again the slight twang.

thanks!

Unforunately this "flavor" will always be somewhat detectable with extracts. That twang is what drove me away from all-extract after only 4 batches. I found that adding some completely fermentable sugar (e.g. table sugar) helped dry the beers out a little. I never got rid of that twang completely though. I shudder when I recall it

Yup. That is the single largest complaint with all extract brewing. Depending on what you are brewing, your water, and if you use specialty grains you can minimize it, however "most" brewers that have moved on to PM or all grain will site that as one of the reasons they left extract.

bummer. what method are you using now? partial grain/partial extract? I am using grains like a 'tea' in a cheescloth for the first bit of the boil, then removing and adding the extract.

Hey man, keep in mind that Belgian Wit was an all-extract beer (no steeping grains either). There are two things I can think of to get rid of that twang. First, fermentation temp control. I think a lot of what you're tasting might be from hot ferments resulting in very estery/fusel alcohol flavor. Second is using a secondary or letting the primary age for a couple weeks more than you are now. Chilling it down towards the end just prior to racking to bottling bucket will also help. You're probably getting a lot of yeast in your bottles. You can combat this after bottling by leaving bottles in the fridge undisturbed for a good two weeks (after they are carbed). It will help settle out any remaining yeast.

Just wondering...is extract twang an issue with both DME and LME or only with LME?

Try switching from LME to DME and see if that helps. I felt that my extract beers were much cleaner tasting when I used DME along with steeping grains.

I've made a couple batches usign extract and a couple with extract & steeped grains and I have not found any 'twang' at all, even when I look for it. Dunno.

I found that the extract twang was significantly reduced (if not eliminated) by utilizing a full boil. If you're topping off, that might be the cause of your problems.

Danny013 said:

I've made a couple batches usign extract and a couple with extract & steeped grains and I have not found any 'twang' at all, even when I look for it. Dunno.

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Consider yourself lucky

The twang it would seem is more evident when using LME.

I agree.

I did three extract batches and could never get rid of that 'tinny' taste.

But I did do a dark porter using extract and couldn't detect it in that. The 3 I had problems with were lighter beers (amber, pilsner, pale ale). I don't know if that made a difference?

But 1 out of 4 isn't good in my book, so I made the switch to all-grain.

Oh yeah, they all used LME.

I couldn't stand that taste anymore so I switched to all grain. Night and Day difference in quality, but now that I've had extract beers done with full boils I can tell that the partial boil was a BIG part of the problem.

So, consensus seems to be that full boils with DME will help reduce extract twang.

How about late addition of extract. Does that help at all with twang, or is it mostly just to preserve color in lighter beers?




Sorry, I don't mean to hijack the thread. I'm an AG brewer, but SWMBO wants to do some extract brews in the kitchen because she misses the smell of wort and hops in the house. If it will fill up an empty carboy and keep the wifey happy, then its ok with me. But I do want to avoid the twang to the extent possible.

I've been doing custom kits from my LHBS. Going there today for two more batches of ingredients and am going to ask them if they can prep things with DME instead.

I'll have to wait until I get the propane stove going outside to do a bigger boil as right now I'm on the stove top with a five gallon'er - can't do a full boil.

thanks everyone for the advice.

blacklab said:

I'm on the stove top with a five gallon'er - can't do a full boil.

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Sounds crazy, but its worked for me for all my brews (cept the first, where i learned the lesson)...turn up the burner behind the main one you are boiling on and put your oven on 350 or 400.

Between the burner and the oven, there is so much extra heat it hits full boil every time

good luck

blacklab, you should post your location. I imagine there is an AG brewer in your area that would be willing to show you how not-complicated it can be. I really think once you make that move, you will re-discover what homebrew can taste like.

If you are anywhere near Philly, PM me.

Beerthoven said:

So, consensus seems to be that full boils with DME will help reduce extract twang.

How about late addition of extract. Does that help at all with twang, or is it mostly just to preserve color in lighter beers?

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I don't know for sure, but I'm guessing it would not help twang. It's just a color thing.

The two biggest things that will help improve your quality and get rid of the twang:

-Go Partial Mash ASAP

-Take firm control of your fermentation temps. Don't ferment your ales about 70f. I cannot stress how important this is!

LME - major twang
DME - still some twang
PM - very little twang

haven't done much AG yet, but the twang is definitely in the extract...

Upgrade! Partial Mashing is easy.

blacklab said:

bummer. what method are you using now? partial grain/partial extract? I am using grains like a 'tea' in a cheescloth for the first bit of the boil, then removing and adding the extract.

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Are you actually boiling the grains or just steeping? Boiling grains will extract tannins and could lead to the flavor you are describing

Hi - I'm leaving them in(grains) until 180 deg, not boiling as I mistakenly posted.

I bought some supplies at my LHBS and they guy(who is generally cool) was dead set against selling my DME. DME is too expensive, there's no difference, etc.

He said I should not have any weird aftertaste with LME and my beers should taste exactly the same as commercial micros they are supposed to emulate(better! he sez). He wants me to bring a bottle in, so I guess I will.

Although they do have the LME in these 50 gallon barrels which I am sure he is eager to keep moving and fresh.

Anyone think he is giving me bad advice?

blacklab said:

Anyone think he is giving me bad advice?

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Maybe not bad, but (IMO) not that good either.

There is a difference especially if the LME is not very fresh or wasn't handled well.

Take a listen to this: http://www.basicbrewing.com/radio/mp3/bbr11-17-05.mp3

It is an interview with a guy from Briess. He describes the taste and explains what causes it. IIRC, it is oxidation that causes the flavor.

Isnt 180 a bit hot for steeping grains? I thought anything above 160 starts to extract the tannin out of the husks. Which would definitly give you a twang.

All of my homebrews so far have been LME and they all seem to carry over that same 'home brew taste'. It isnt unpleasent at all, just kind of a sweet note about mid pallet. Is this the ME twang? I would like to get rid of it but it doesnt bother me that much. AG is in my future for sure....