Tastes like. . . rubber :(

My last 2 batches came out tasting like rubber. Bad enough that I will probably pitch them (down the sink). I have only done 3 total batches so I suspect some problem with my method. I used a 6 gallon glass carboy, spring water from a 5 gallon jug, and over the counter kits I purchased at the local beer place. Anyone know of any common errors that could cause this unfortunate result? Could this be from getting to much oxygen in the transfer to bottling bucket? Something else?

Leave them be before you chuck them... Forget about them for a good long time before you even CONSIDER throwing them out. I have 5 gallons of a stout in the keg right now that tasted downright awful. Throw in the fact that I was sick (blah blah) and the thought of giving up actually (briefly) crossed my mind. My batch following that gave me hope - now sitting on this brew and coming back to it will tell me one of 2 things.

I DID in fact have a bad batch, or time was all it needed.
-Me

yeah,, definately let it sit.. my first batch was in the bottles for 3 weeks when i decided to have one.. tasted horrible. let it wait another week or two and then let it sit in the fridge for another week,, tried them after that and they were freakin awesome... you can never judge your beer until its had time to condition

I had one batch that tasted horrible after 2 months. I let it sit for another 4 and it tasted great!!!

I agree that you should let it sit for a while before you throw it out, maybe even months. I've had brews that were not that great turn out a lot better after some age.

I would look at your water to start with. Maybe use a charcoal filter? Then look at each step of your process to evaluate what could be causing this off taste. Anther idea is to brew with another brewer to pick up some alternatives to your current process. We all do things different.

I would take a couple bottles to a brewing club meeting or maybe to the Oak Barrel in Berzerkly and get some opinions. Diagnosing off-flavors isn't simple and since you used spring water, we can rule out chlorophenols.