So I have 6 batches under my belt and have tasted four of those batches. I noticed that all my beer have a common weird flavor. The first batch was the worst when it came to this weird flavor. Its a metallic sweet smell/flavor. Its been frustrating trying to figure out whats causing this. Could it be my copper coil? I cant think of anything else thats cauisng this weird flavor/smell. Thanks guys!.
Copper coil
- Thread starter zero_gabe
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Copper doesn't typically cause an off flavor (I'm assuming you use the copper coil for chilling wort?), brewers have been using copper kettles for hundreds of years.
Potential sources off the top of my head could include water (lots of metals, hardness, chloramines), old hops, and your kettle being non stainless or aluminum with an oxide layer built up. Beyond that there is always infection, not properly rinsing cleaner/sanitizer enough, and astringency being perceived as metallic.
Potential sources off the top of my head could include water (lots of metals, hardness, chloramines), old hops, and your kettle being non stainless or aluminum with an oxide layer built up. Beyond that there is always infection, not properly rinsing cleaner/sanitizer enough, and astringency being perceived as metallic.
pdxal said:
Thanks pdxal! Yeah im trying to figure out whats causing this off flavor. We use RO water and filtered water. I have a stainless steel kettle, and im also pretty good at rinsing off the starsan. I assumed it was the copper due to the fact that there are different grades of copper and the possibility that thats what might be causing the off flavors.
What has your OG/FG been on these batches? Extract? How about an example of one of the recipes?
You're not supposed to rinse Starsan. It is a no-rinse sanitizer. Rinsing defeats the whole purpose of using it in the first place.
Ravenshead
Well-Known Member
While true that's not too important in the boil kettle and won't cause a metallic taste.
OP: Usually metallic tastes come from iron in the water but since you said you're using bottled water that's not likely your problem. If your using an Al pot and your pH is really high you could get metallic tastes. Old malt/extract can also be a culprit.
amandabab
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WHY?
you might be re-infecting something.
if you are, you shouldn't be using starsan on the copper chiller before use. just rinse it and make sure its clean
BMClark2210
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amandabab said:
You actually don't have to sanitize your coil as long as you put it in your wort 10 mins before you 60 min boil is over but it doesn't hurt to sanitize. It's just more or less a waste of time. Of course be sure the coil was cleaned of and debris before dropping it in lol
BMClark2210
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Oh and I agree do not rinse off anything once u sanitized in starsan. U could accidentally be infecting your beer which could pose some off flavors. DON'T FEAR THE BUBBLES! lol. I have had bubble flowing out of my secondary after racking and I have never been unhappy with my results.
Thanks guys for all the tips and advice. Very frustrating trying to get to the bottom of this! Im still trying to figure out what could cause this consistent off flavor.
Pdxal the grain bill is as follows
4.5 lbs of 2 row
4.5 lbs marris otter
1.5 lbs C40
.55 lbs carapils
Mash for 60 min at 153
Sparge at 168
Using a 1.5 L starter using WLP001
OG 1.048
FG 1.010
Pdxal the grain bill is as follows
4.5 lbs of 2 row
4.5 lbs marris otter
1.5 lbs C40
.55 lbs carapils
Mash for 60 min at 153
Sparge at 168
Using a 1.5 L starter using WLP001
OG 1.048
FG 1.010
Does the flavor fade over time? I sometimes get a slight metallic taste in a new batch if yeast gets kicked up in the first few pints, but it goes away as the beer clears.
Yeah, it's possible it's yeast bite or related to something that's dropping out over time.
That's about 20% crystal malt in your recipe, lots more than most use. Could cause abnormal sweetness, but weird that your FG is that low with that much C40 and Carapils.
Drinking your beer young could be a problem, and would age out over time- how quick are you drinking these from mash/boil to glass? What has been your fermentation temperature for these beers? WLP at >68ish might cause off flavors.
mdpotter01
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zero_gabe said:
Look at the ingredients to your bottled water. Most have sodium bicarbonate present and I even in low ppm, sodium present can cause the metallic mouthfeel. Reverse osmosis or distilled water should alleviate that issue. If you have a city water supply, ask for their water analysis. Sometimes with just the use of a simple filter to remove chlorine and trace amounts of heavy metals, tap water is fine. That's what many breweries use. My local microbrewery uses filtered tap water with excellent results. 5.2 pH stabilizer is another idea so that the pH in your mash, as well as your sparge water, doesn't draw unwanted heavy metals from the grain hulls.
ajlee
Well-Known Member
This. I've read that starsan dissolves copper. If you're using starsan on your chiller that would probably account for a metallic taste.
Jsslack
Well-Known Member
I'm pretty sure star san doesn't dissolve copper, only the oxides that can build up on the copper over time. I always spray mine with star san at the begging of brew day to make sure it stays nice and shiny. I also put it in the boil to sanitize before chilling.
If your chiller looks dark in color or has any dark spots on it, i'm thinking that may contribute to a metallic flavor.
NuclearRich
Well-Known Member
This.
I had a similar problem to the OP. Not sure if it made the difference, as I also started adjusting my water, and mash pH as well. However, I now prefer to soak my chiller in starsan to remove the oxide layer. Without this, you will notice that your chiller has a dull finish, then after you chill your beer it is shiny. The pH and temp of the wort cleans that oxidized layer right off... and into your beer. Some claims have been made that the minerals that are deposited are beneficial to yeast growth, but that oily/metallic sheen that I used to see really bothered me. So did the metallic taste. I havent had it since, but as I said I also changed water chemistry at a similar time.
Do you keg? I also had an overcarbonated keg that had a carbonic bite, which feels metallic.
ajlee
Well-Known Member
Maybe I'm thinking of brass?? Or maybe the person I heard it from didn't know what they were talking about. 
