"Extract Taste" What is it?

Ok, so, i've brewed 6 beers so far, but i'm only tasting the 3rd one now. The first one was crap so i'll exclude it. The other 2 seemed to have this "extract" taste (that's what I call it). The first one I "think" it went away just before I finished the keg, I had the final 2 glasses and it seemed to have dissapeared. Anyway, my 3rd beer also has this flavor. I just want to be sure i'm not imagining it. The beer is probably 5-6 weeks old and has been cold conditioning for about 1 week. I did some reading and my "guess" is its acetaldehyde. Any insight?

Are you using liquid malt extract?

On Basic Brewing Radio, one of the commentators said something about this. While I don't know the specific chemicals responsible, they said it had something to do with caramelization and Maillard reactions that can keep going on with LME that's not that fresh. They suggested using DME because they're much more stable.

I don't know what you are tasting. After reading your post, I had the same question as in your subject line. What is it?

I use extracts exclusively, but I also buy a case of good microbrews from time to time. There is no compelling difference between the ones I brew and the ones I buy. So either they use extracts or you are tasting something other than an extract taste.

I always suggest that people try using different water.

Some people talk about this, but I've never had an example. Even in the OSU "Off Flavor" seminar I took, it wasn't presented and we went through over 30 flavors/smells. If it is acetaldehyde, it is just a yeast byproduct that will age out. Has nothing to do with extract.

This is a good time of year to calibrate your nose, because acetaldehyde is "fresh cut pumpkin".

By the way, never toss a batch before it's 3 months old. Except when it gets stringy. Stringy will only get worse.

david_42 said:

By the way, never toss a batch before it's 3 months old. Except when it gets stringy. Stringy will only get worse.

Click to expand...

stringy? excuse my ignorance, can you elaborate>???

You got me. Like Steve, sometimes I'll get some microbrewed and bring it home. The only difference I can tell is usually in clarity and that's probably because I prime and bottle whereas they using CO2, which promotes a clearer brew to begin with. This weekend I tapped my Continental Pilsner from BB kit, and it tasted and smelled like a Helles. I was quite impressed.

My first mashed-brew is two weeks away from tasting, I'm really interested in seeing if I can detect any difference. Honestly, though, I have so few batches under my belt where there are LOTS of changing variables, being able to pick out "extract twang" from the impact of a different hop type or a flaw in my temperature control or anything else would seem to be virtually impossible right now.

Wheat king - Ropey beer -"the most unpleasant infection which can be encountered in beer."
http://byo.com/mrwizard/759.html

I think I know what you mean. I brewed my Irish red back in August. I'm finishing off the last of the bottles lately, and I'm definitely not as happy with it as I've been with others. Granted, it was my first batch that I did on my own, but still, I think it has to do with high fermentation and aging temps (summer sucks) and the fact that 100% of the fermentables were amber LME. I've definitely gotten away from using alot of LME, as I think that this is the culprit. It's like a weird sweet/sour taste, not pleasant at all.

I did 2 extract with grain batches a while back and notced that those seemed to be the 2 where I noticed the extract twang the most. The common feature was Amber LME...who konws? I think the biggest key to doing great extract beers is using DME or making sure you get fresh LME

I exclusively use LME and I haven't yet noticed any problems. I do notice that when my beer is green, it has a twang to it, but I consider that green beer twang. It completely disappears within a few weeks time and leaves a great tasting beer in its place.

I'm typically a DME guy, but two of my last batches (that I'm drinking) used LME and I did NOT like the flavor. It's a caramel-like malty flavor that dominates the beer.

Yes, **I** complained about caramel flavors.

Since moving into a 490 sq. f. condo, I have returned to extract brewing. I find that I get much cleaner beers with DME. It is a much more stable product. I've also found more inconsistencies when purchasing bulk LME as opposed to using canned such as Coopers or M&F.

From what I have read about the malt taste, and after talking to my LHBS, he told me to age it another week or two and it should go away for LME. Another thing, and Im not sure how this can affect it, but he said if people use a secondary for at least 2 weeks, no less, it will help.

I think that there is a substantial difference between extract beers and AG beers. That being said, I like them both equally. I good extract brew is just as good as a good AG brew, but I do think there is a difference.

My favorite brewpub is a BOP (Brew On Premise) and the majority of the business there consists of people coming in to brew their own beer. Of course, everything is extract based, so all the beers on tap are extract w/specialty grains. This place makes some damn good beers, and I keep going back. However, they all have a certain extract flavor.

I used to think that this flavor came from the maillard reactions from boiling a heavily concentrated wort. I believed this primarily because once I started using DME (which comes from the manufacturer with less maillard reaction characteristics) and doing a full wort boil (also decreasing maillard reactions), I got less extract twang in my own beers.

I guess my point is this - I do think that there is a slight difference between the taste of extract beers and the taste of AG beers; however, I don't see this difference as a quality issue. Both styles can be used to make great beers!

I know exactly what you mean. I have made at least 20 batches using DME and was talked into using LME on a wheat beer. The sour taste never went away even after a couple of months. It was still all consumed.

I've been using DME ever since '94 and grains with extract since '95.

Sometimes when I use grains I get a slightly sour taste. I make sure I don't squeeze the net to infuse unwanted tannins. Most of the time I attribute the flavor to the yeast.

The O'fest beer I made this year was less than thrilling throughout the year, but last night it was great. I had 3 of them and was very satisfied with the flavor and body.

I don't have any reason to go back to LME...or kits.

I agree with the difference between LME and DME. I've done two DME batches and three LME batches, and I figure my sanitation is good because I'm way anal retentive about getting everything sanitized that touches my wort and beer during bottling. I've had my LME beer described as "molassasey", and I tend to agree with this. The two brews that I'm currently drinking are lighter brews from LME and definately have picked up a characteristic carmelized/molasses taste from LME.

I brewed my very forst batch a couple weeks ago with a LME (Coopers Lager kit). I let is carbonate for a week and then tried one. It had a sour taste and was kind of disappointing at first but with another week in the bottle it tastes fine. There is still a hint of sour in the beer but overall it is a very good brew. I made numerous mistakes since this was my first batch so I really expected the beer to be a nasty concoction, but tonite Im drinking my fith or tenht? one from the batch and believe it o noaght I thiiiink its gittin beter ever minteu/. WELl, I thinkl thaaatr I should lye doun for a littel and resum thiss at a noter time.

I use LME all the time. Maybe I don't notice the difference because I haven't brewed an all DME Brew, but I've really enjoyed all of my brews. I might try an all DME brew to see if I can taste a difference (and hopefully an AG brew soon.) I can't say that I've detected a sourness though.