Anatomy of an infection??

I tried a bottle of a new brew last night and had a surprise.

There was this slight "Metallic" flavor. The brew is a few days over a month old.

Look at the various sites "Metallic" or "Sour" "Oxy?" comes to mind but it's not enough to make the beer undrinkable. In fact after a few gulps I did not really taste it but the after taste was still there.

COULD this be the beer just going through a stage??

A friend of mine had a few bottles and did not mention it (which he certainly would).

IF this is an infection will this become more apparent as time goes on? Or should we have tasted this last week??

The beer is crystal clear with a beautiful color and a wonderful under taste except for this small little "twang".

Dry or Liquid extract? If Liquid, plastic container or metal?

If you clean with oxy, where the bottles rinsed "well?" That could explain your tasting it and your friend not.

In my experience, infections taste sour, fruity, bubble gum or bandaid plastic like. I've not experienced metal before.

infections taste sour, fruity, bubble gum or bandaid plastic

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None of those.

LME - plastic

We tried ONE bottle 6 days ago just to see how the carb was going and we each had 1/2. At that time I did not taste it adn I have to think I would have. My worry is that it is a "growing' flavor. If it was infection would you think it would be infected already to the max? or does it creep up on you.

were the bottles rinsed "well?

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I'm trying to think when bottles were used and you have to think I would say YES LOL

I'll have to taste some OXY water

Probably just an off flavor and not a "infection"

I had a metallic aftertaste (barely discernable) in my ESB. After much research, I found that it could have possibly been a bit of oxidation. Apparently, some dark grains can get a metallic flavor when oxidiation occurs. There wasn't any type of wet cardboard flavor, and it wasn't apparent when drunk early. By any chance, is this a dark beer that could have been slightly aerated when bottling?

Extra Pale LME 5.5lb

2-Row 2.5lbs
Munich Malt 0.75lb
Crystal 90L 6oz
Caramunich 6oz
Chocolate Malt 4oz

1/2 cup of Maple Syrup.

AHS Tommyknocker Clone - I actually added the Maple sugar at the wrong time at flame out.

So I added another 1/2 cup at bottling. Somewhere in my tiny brain I have this thought that Jamil or Palmer said too much carbing could make an off flavor but I can't find it in his book.

slightly aerated when bottling

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I did have some problems around that time with tiny bubbles entering the siphon tube at racking into a secondary.

Grinder12000 said:

......

So I added another 1/2 cup at bottling.

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Is this saying that you used 3/4 cup corn sugar for priming PLUS 1/2 cup to make up?
If that is the case, you might want to carry those bottles outside gently and use a trashcan lid to protect your face.....

you might want to carry those bottles outside gently and use a trashcan lid to protect your face

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THAT truly made me LOL

no no - 1/2 at flame out then realized it was bad timing - the sugar would have fermented out.

1/2 at bottling and THAT was a slight worry with 3.8ish oz of corn sugar.

While I was bottling my honey rose blonde the last bottle got SUPER aerated, lots of bubbles and noise through the bottling tube/wand, but it did fill up all the way, so I marked the cap with an X and I'm interested to try it because I'm sure it will have some oxidation flavor, and then I'll know exactly what that tastes like.

Excellent idea Coastarine.

BTW - father in law is a living survivor of the USS Indianapolis - was a Marine.

Metallic off-flavors usually are not a stage, nor are they a matter of infection. Much more often than not, they are from the water.

What do you use for water, and do you know what the mineral content is? Some brewers are surprised to find out that their water contains a good deal of iron, and that can lead to metallic flavors in the finished beer (even if you don't taste it in the water). You can also try brewing with RO or distilled water and see if that makes a difference.


TL

Since ALL water in our town is soft water I use a filter to filter out the "stuff". I have not tested this in the previous batch's and am hoping it's a one bottle thing - took me by surprise. I'll be tasting two more bottles from two batch's tonight so I'll have more answers tomorrow.

Thanks

Had another sample last night and I BELIEVE the taste is just an over amout of Maple syrup. The twang was less pronounced.

On a side note my wife has been suffering a cold and "sweetness" has REALLY had a bad flavor (Coke taste HIDEOUS). I have had a touch of the cold and I wonder if this is affectign MY taste buds also.

Very drinkable but I won't make this recipe again.

My first brew has a metallic off flavor as well, and it did get a little better with time, but it still bothers me because I don't know exactly what is causing it.

I have a feeling SOMEHOW the extra syrup has something to do with it. Not sure what that would be though. Just a feeling.