Metallic aftertaste on stout w/ nitrogen

Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this, and if it's normal or a result of something in particular. My stout that I'm serving on nitrogen (beer gas) for the first time has a sort of metallic aftertaste at the end. I've Google'd and it seems like this is normal for some stouts. I don't have any patent malt in it, just 65% pale malt, 25% flaked barley, 10% roasted barely. I cleaned the keg with Oxy Clean, rinsed it well, and sanitized with Star San so it's not like I used bleach or anything that I can think of that normally causes metallic tastes. My beer gas tank is steel, could it be an issue related to that possibly?

It's not that prominent but if I can avoid it on the next batch I'd like to...

It's been mentioned a number of times before that you could get a metallic aftertaste on kegged beer if it's been quick carbed/shaken and drunk right away.

Is that your case?

Most nitrogen beers will have a metallic taste due to the nitrogen. This is why creamer faucets are generally used to get as much of the nitrogen out as possible......

Are you using a creamer faucet?

I did shake it a bit when I was carbing it initially but it's been a week now since that.

And yes I am using a stout faucet.

paranode said:

I did shake it a bit when I was carbing it initially but it's been a week now since that.

And yes I am using a stout faucet.

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What is your pressure set at? Creamer faucets require higher pressure to force the beer through the restrictor plate and separate the nitrogen from beer.

typically, we set beer mix @ 30 - 35 psi when pouring stout through a creamer faucet (with a restrictor plate). Some stouts (depending on the body of the stout) may only requie 22-25 psi.

Also, put a thermometer in the glass when you pour, your beer coming out of th tap should be below 43 degrees (40-42 is ideal). If you have higher temps, saturation of the nitrogen can occur. Make sure you are using a room temp, beer clean glass. chilled glasses can trap gas and dirty glasses or glasses cleaned with detergent can trap gas or throw the taste off.

Finally, use the guinness pour.... Open faucet completely and fill glass 3/4 up. Let sit for a minute or two and let settle, then top off. This also helps release more Nitrogen on the second pour. Will also give you a creamier head that lasts till the end of the pint.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out

Yeah I have it set at 30psi. I'll have to check the beer temp but it should be mid- to upper-30s in there. And I do it just like you are suggesting with the clean unchilled glasses and the Guinness pour so I'm not sure. Maybe I'm just sensitive to it, or need to turn the pressure down slightly or something... hmm. I'll play around with it some more.

Coincidentally I'm leaving for Ireland tomorrow so I'll have to knock down some real pints of Guinness for a while before I can come back and mess with my own.