Burnt Coffee Aftertaste

[vincanis]

Hey all,

I'm assuming it's just the nature of the beer itself (at least the kit) but I brewed a True Brew porter, and 5 weeks later (2 weeks in primary and 3 weeks in bottles) I decided to try it. It's actually quite good and has a decent mouth feel but the aftertaste is a bit bad. At least, it is to me. The closest way to describe it is a burnt coffee-like taste. If you've had the RedHook Winter Hook this year, think about the aftertaste of that but very pronounced.

Is it just the nature of the Chocolate Malt that makes that flavor? Or could it be from steeping at too high of a temperature? Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[pagrider]

had the same experience I see no responses so I will bring this one back looking for help

 

[mrgrimm101]

You have have steeped too hot, or the grains got a bit scorched. Can you describe the steeping process for this beer?

 

[phug]

You could try cold steeping the dark malts next time and/ or adding them late in the mash

 

[pagrider]

phug can you explain.

 

[JayDubWill]

Sounds like scorched LME. If LME is added very quickly to the boil it drops straight to the bottom and takes quit a bit of stirring to dissolve it all, giving it time to be scorched. I'm not saying this is what you did, a detailed description of your brewing process would help.

 

[pagrider]

I brew all grain and use a cooler to mash. single infusion, no mash out at 155 degrees. I then sparge at 168 into a boil kettle and boil. A local craft brewery told me it sounds like I have chlorine in my water. Could that be it

 

[phug]

I did an oatmeal stout where I steeped the roasted barley in prevailed and cooled room temp water with .1 g of baking soda added for 12 hours (.25 lbs rb, 500 ml water) and then added it to the mash for 5 minutes at the very end. The grist was 1lb mo, .25 flaked oats, .25 roasted barley. Before adding the hops the wort tastes nicely chocolatey, and not like ash, or yesterday's coffee. And I'm pretty sure I got the colour I wanted from it, I should be bottling it this weekend, so we'll go from there. I probably should have left it24 hours but I was impatient and had a brewing window available

 

[JayDubWill]

I brew all grain and use a cooler to mash. single infusion, no mash out at 155 degrees. I then sparge at 168 into a boil kettle and boil. A local craft brewery told me it sounds like I have chlorine in my water. Could that be it

Chlorine/chloramine is certainly a concern and everyone who uses city water should be treating for it in some manner, but I believe it produces medicinal/plastic off-flavors, rather than burnt flavors. There's a chance that not stirring the wort while bringing it to boil can scorch it as well. It could also just be that particular kit uses a large amount of roasted barley which is what you may actually be tasting. Give it some time, it will probably improve.