Off flavor after kegging

Recently brewed a stout and an amber ale. The problem I'm having is both beers tasted great pre keg. After carbing they both have a strong off flavor that I can only describe as a bite. Everything was thoroughly cleaned and sanitize as well as all new lines and orings in the faucets. I also set and forget with both a 9 psi over the course of a couple weeks. Can anybody help me eliminate this ???

Where do you get your CO2? Pretty sure CO2 from a welding shop has a couple more ingredients than food/beverage grade CO2... Also I know for fact that one of my LBS gets their large CO2 filled at a welding supply. So I don't fill my bottles with them.

I think benzene is the chemical you do not want. It leaves you with a severe headache....

What is a bite? Rubber taste? Bitterness?

Are you sure everything was clean? Is this a new or used keg?

I am experiencing the same thing with an Amber I keg get recently. With the help of a fellow IGer, I conclude it is likely oxidation from not purging the head space right away.

Is this something you've done?

Bite like carbonic bite? Maybe you're a little overcarbed. What is your process - temp, psi, time, etc.

Edit: FWIW I've been getting my CO2 from a weld shop for yrs.

I'm going to second the over carb'd potential. I found that I was over carbonating due to my haste to get a beer ready. Here's a good chart if you use the set it and forget it method, http://www.kegerators.com/carbonation-table.php

One other thing that I ran into was temp stratification in my keezer. I never ran a fan but after some testing I found that I had a 3-4º temp difference between the top and bottom of my Keezer. The well in the bottom was holding temp lower than where I had my temp probe. The Corny's draw from the bottom or the coldest beer. I don't know if that would be enough to make a difference or not.

I set at 9 psi and leave it...no force carving. The keezer has a fan to help circulate air also. I noticed if I leave the beer out for a while or stir it the flavor mellows out a bit

Welding gas should be fine to use. It has to be very pure to ensure good welds. If you know the supplier they will have their minimum purity for the grade. What I use is rated to 99.5% for welding and 99.6% for beverage so it really makes no difference. I agree with others, likely carbonic acid.

derek224 said:

I set at 9 psi and leave it...no force carving. The keezer has a fan to help circulate air also. I noticed if I leave the beer out for a while or stir it the flavor mellows out a bit

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Any changes?? Did you find your beer to be over carbed? Was it the CO2? Some other issue??

And to correct my previous post it wasn't a welding shop, it was a paintball supply. And I stand by the severe headache remark.

Myself and several friends tried drinking just one beer from the keg carbed with the paintball CO2 and all had splitting headaches the next day. After I degassed and carbed with CO2 from a LHB shop all was well with the beer!

jcc4507fly said:

Where do you get your CO2? Pretty sure CO2 from a welding shop has a couple more ingredients than food/beverage grade CO2... Also I know for fact that one of my LBS gets their large CO2 filled at a welding supply. So I don't fill my bottles with them.

I think benzene is the chemical you do not want. It leaves you with a severe headache....

Click to expand...

It's been proven over and over that in most cases (reputable welding supply) the C02 used in welding is the same C02 used as food grade. The only difference, (and this is what your're paying for) is the food grade is certified.

I also vote carbonic bite. Maybe you're gauge is wrong?

acidrain said:

It's been proven over and over that in most cases (reputable welding supply) the C02 used in welding is the same C02 used as food grade. The only difference, (and this is what your're paying for) is the food grade is certified.



I also vote carbonic bite. Maybe you're gauge is wrong?

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I corrected myself in a later post. What I meant was a paintball supply. Unfortunately I can't edit that post bc it's too old.
In my case it was definitely the CO2, more specifically the origin of the CO2. Haven't had the problem since.