Most common homebrew "off flavor"

I live in a homebrew island so I have no experienced brewers that I know of to help me out in person.

What is the most common off flavor that is made when homebrewing? I have made some beers that taste great out of the fermenter and then get a distinct flavor that hits the back of your palate and is present in a burp right after you take a drink. I also just got the same flavor in a 6pack of Hop Wallop from Victory. Pretty disappointing in any case.

Thanks!

Here's some:

Oxidation - can be perceived as a papery or wet cardboard taste, or as a sherry-like flavor.

DMS - can be perceived as a corn like flavor.

Tannins - harsh astringency

Acetylaldehyde (spelling?) - may be perceived as a green apple flavor, puckerish

Chlorine or chloramines in water can lead to plastic-like flavors.

Common Off-Flavors

In my own experience, I've found phenolic infections to be the most common - usually from poor bottling sanitation.

Thanks Pappers , but I have read all the literature and can define the flavors, but my tasting experience just does not resonate with the "____ like flavors". I was looking more for what AmandaK gave. Thanks AmandaK!

Anyone else want to chime in?

I find these are the problems (in order) and likely causes:

Astringency - too high pH on sparge
Oxidation - poor process or stale extract
Phenols - chlorine or too high fermentation temperature
Diacetyl - weak pitch, stuck fermentation or infection
Acetaldehyde - stuck fermentation or too high fermentation temperature

This is based on my experience judging, where oddly, we get the best and the worst, not much in between.

Oh, I forgot to add something to my OP, namely, does my description fit with any of your understandings of off flavors?

"I have made some beers that taste great out of the fermenter and then get a distinct flavor that hits the back of your palate and is present in a burp right after you take a drink."

If you happen to keg, carbonic acid can bite a bit if the beer has been over carbonated. I don't remember if it hits the back of the palette or more of a harshness that burns your mouth and nose.

mwsenoj said:

Oh, I forgot to add something to my OP, namely, does my description fit with any of your understandings of off flavors?

"I have made some beers that taste great out of the fermenter and then get a distinct flavor that hits the back of your palate and is present in a burp right after you take a drink."

Click to expand...

No, not really. You're going to have to be more specific when you say, "a distinct flavor". Without being there and trying it, I have no idea what that could be. Can you read that link I posted and try and describe it from there?

AmandaK said:

No, not really. You're going to have to be more specific when you say, "a distinct flavor". Without being there and trying it, I have no idea what that could be. Can you read that link I posted and try and describe it from there?

Click to expand...

Yes, you need to try to describe the flavor. Using Amanda's link will give you a good start, or just use your own experience. Like a lot of things in life, naming your experience is important - what are you tasting?

The number 1 off flavor I taste is esters from beers fermented too warm.

Extract Twang - can't describe it but I know it when I taste it.

How about fusels or hot alcohol flavors due to uncontrolled fermentation temps. I frequently taste these in other peoples homebrew.

Astringency is another one I've battled due to batch sparging too hot with high pH water.

Chlorophenols from chlorine can range from clovey to burnt plastic and have hit a few of my beers pretty hard in the past. I now use campden tablets when brewing with my tap water.

Did you dry hop the beer?

mwsenoj said:

Oh, I forgot to add something to my OP, namely, does my description fit with any of your understandings of off flavors?

"I have made some beers that taste great out of the fermenter and then get a distinct flavor that hits the back of your palate and is present in a burp right after you take a drink."

Click to expand...

I unfortunately know exactly what you are talking about. Sample from fermenter is great, 3 weeks later there it is. I sanatize, sanatize, sanatize and there it is. The back of your tongue, yuck. So frustrating. I am thinking it's my boil or oxidation. Have not figured it out.

I experienced the same thing many times, out of the fermentor it is awesome then all of the sudden this flavor is there that makes you go crazy. I think you are talking about "green beer". Personally i learned that if I don't let my beer clear up and all the yeast drop out I get a harsh/sharp flavor from the yeast and chill haze that floats around in the beer and effects the taste at the back of the tongue, especially in pale colored beers. If I taste that in my beer I let it age a few more weeks before trying it again. This can be hard, especially as a newer brewer but it is really important. I also started using whirlflock in my beer which I never did before and my beer tastes better sooner because it clears faster.