At complete loss of why beer is off

[instinct2]

For the past year I keep making awful pale and ipa beers. I’ve brewed with a local commercial brewer and he didn’t find any flaws with my brewing process or fermentation. Beer was perfect yesterday going into the keg. Had wonderful aroma and flavor. Was fermented in at 68 degrees inside a controlled stainless fermenter. Now 24 hours of force carbonating at 40lbs the flavor is almost diacetyl, has a sharp bite, and absolutely no aroma now. I have 6 lines, with 2 different manifolds with 3 in each. I broke down all the faucets, cleaned and sanitized. Changed all the beer lines and cleaned the co2 line and check valves before kegging. Still in 24 hours it’s a mess. I’m at a complete loss about ready throw in the towel... I haven’t brewed the last 3 months because of the frustration level and tried to eliminate everything I could possibly think off. I purchase my co2 from a local welding supply shop that I believe serves most of the co2 for local bars as well. Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[GoeHaarden]

Perhaps this "sharp bite" you speak of is that carbonic acid bite you get when you over carb!? Have you tried to just set a beer at serving pressure and waiting for it to carb up to that level, instead of burst carbing as you are doing?

 

[instinct2]

I haven’t, but I have another beer coming ready in few days. I could try that. But would that kill the aroma and cause diacetyl flavoring?

 

[GoeHaarden]

It would probably effect the aroma. Describe this diacetyl you're tasting!? Butter-esk?

If diacetyl isn't there when you package, it's unlikely it will develop. More of an active fermentation off-flavor and yeast issue. What yeast are you using, and how long are you letting it ferment?

 

[instinct2]

It will turn in to buttery, slight metallic flavor, after time.... it loses all aromatics in 24 hours. I’ve tasted diacetyl before, it’ll move towards that flavor with time, to where it’s undrinkable. I’m shocked it changes so much in 24 hours though. I don’t think it’s oxygen flavoring.

 

[Transamguy77]

Why don't you try bottling a 6 pack of your next batch before kegging it and see if it tastes the same as it does in primary, that will eliminate if it's something in the kegging system. If it shows up in the bottle then it could be what you are using to transfer it.

 

[Martizee]

Any update of finding the problem?

 

[nrjones89]

Do you let it sit on the trub? If so, how long in the primary?