Tangy / Twangy Taste

Hey guys.

I have been making some so-so brews lately as I am getting better. I am having trouble with anything that is not a porter or stout though. What I get is a tangy or a twangy taste. I am not adding citrus. Anybody else ever experience this? This has happened to me with my hefe, pilsner, belgian, and oktoberfest. I know it is hard to tell without actually getting to taste it, or seeing me do my process, but if anybody has any info on how to reduce twang, please let me know. Even if it isn't something I need to do, but something I need to stop doing.

I have switched to all grain since my last extract batch. It was a stout, so obviously the tang was overpowered by the roasted barely, if there even was one. So my methods have drastically changed. But it was the same tang in all 4 brews. Any thoughts?

Sorry that is so vague. It was a while ago that I brewed those beers.

I got it with Nottingham yeast fermenting in the upper 60+ range. It could be that, or the tap water. I didn't get it with my last two brews, but I was more careful with temps and used bottled water. Based on my experiences, it could have been one of these two issues.

How does your drinking water taste, what are you using to sanitize, and what temp did you ferment at?

Edited

I would bet on your water. If it has a high alkalinity then the roasted or kilned malts are balancing your ph somewhat.

Then check your fermentation temps, and yeast pitching rates.

Also, what type of hops are you using in non porters etc?

I use bottled, distilled water. Now that I think of it, I am not a big fan of that water at all when I drink it alone.

My fermentation temps are 72-78 F

I normally use Kent Goldings or Northern Brewer hops

If it is my water, what type should I use? I live in NY, so tap water is not a good idea.

McGreen said:

I use bottled, distilled water. Now that I think of it, I am not a big fan of that water at all when I drink it alone.

My fermentation temps are 72-78 F

Click to expand...

There's your problem... get the temps below 70

When I brewed malt extract kits, I got the "twang". I've never had since switching to all grain.

ak_hop said:

When I brewed malt extract kits, I got the "twang". I've never had since switching to all grain.

Click to expand...

What about partial or BIAB? does that help?

veritas524 said:

There's your problem... get the temps below 70

Click to expand...

Mystery solved.

Thanks for the help. But I can't get it below 70 right now. No AC and it's been over 80 outside. Even in a closet downstairs, it's pretty warm. I'll do my best though. I may also switch to water that has added minerals. Is that a bad idea?

The water thing is a big one. There is a whole section in brewing science on creating a water profile based on local tap water and added salts. You can vary it depending on the style of beer your brewing (pilsner needs very different water than stout or IPA). If you can either get a sample of your tap water to wards lab (costs about $25) or look up your last water quality report from your local water works it will tell you what the specifics are for your water. You can use the bruinwater spreadsheet in the brew science forum and enter the specifics from your wards lab report or your local water quality report. With that info, you can add various kinds of salts and/or dilute with distilled water to get the exact water profile best for the style of beer your brewing.

I live in LA where we get water from the Colorado river which I have learned is among the hardest water in the world (lucky me)! It's good for IPAs and highly hopped beers where the IBUs cover up the astringent flavors but for pilsners and malty styles, it sucks. Pilsners and malty styles are what I like most (not a hop head) so I have been forced to learn more about this.

I agree with a lot of the above. I'd also throw in: under-pitching your yeast and/or not aerating/oxygenating enough when you pitch can lead to some tang as well.

Are you making starters?

Definitely the temp causing this. My only bitter aftertaste beer fermented in the mid 70's...when I realized that you needed the ambient air in your fermenting chamber to be 60F for the first week of fermentation to keep the beer temp below 70, my beers are now great!

Ive also notice this on beer thats not conditioned long enough. just a thought.

Thanks for all the help guys. It really has been a ton of help.

I just cracked one of my pilsners, and it was cloudy, but tasted great, no tang. The previous ones were tangy but crystal clear. Weird.

Anyway, after talking with you guys, my home brew friends, and the master brewer where I work, I have decided to take the advice of changing the water to make it great water, and controlling the temp. Gonna keep it in an AC'd room set at 68.

Thanks guys.