detective work: metallic aftertaste

[kid_ak]

I know there have been a few posts about metallic aftertastes and what Palmer says about them, but it seems like there hasn't been a consistent answer (besides Palmer's) about what might cause them.

I brewed my first batch around the end of May--a True Brew American Wheat kit. Now, It had been sitting at room temperature since December, canned extract, hop pellets not refrigerated (though vacuum sealed). Did a partial boil (stainless steel pot), and then it took a while to cool the wort (a little over an hour actually) in a water bath--I was able to get my second batch cooled much faster. Fermented in a bucket.

All that was fine and good, and the beer actually tasted pretty nice when bottled and carbed up. That was about 3 weeks ago. Now, the beer has developed a fairly strong metallic aftertaste that's bugging me. What's a bit stranger is that once the beer warms a bit out of the fridge, the aftertaste seems to fade.

Obviously, I did a lot of things suboptimally. I'm thinking that the most likely culprits are the fact that the extract was canned and somewhat old. Or it might be that we have hard water (it's hard, but the drinking water itself tastes fine). I'm really hoping it's the former so that I don't have to start buying jugs of water each time I'm brewing...

So I don't expect that we'll pin down the source of this problem right away, I think I'll have to see what happens with future batches. But so that I can know where to look--besides the canned extract and the water, are there other likely culprits that I should pay attention to--speaking specifically to the metallic aftertaste?

Thanks so much for your thoughts.

AK

 

[realestatecat]

If you're using tap water and it generally tastes good, you should be fine...just let it sit in buckets to let the chlorine evaporate out overnight or so.

As for metallic, I've never had it taste that way, but my guess might be that your getting an off flavor from your yeast fermenting at higher temps. Try keeping your fermentation within the recommended temp ranges.

It always seems that when my flavors are off, it has to do with the fermentation.

 

[Austinhomebrew]

It is most definately the canned malt extract. Stay away from canned malt extract.

You have tasted fresh pineapple.
You have tasted canned pineapple.
Which one tastes like a metal can?

If you continue to make beer using canned extract all your beers will taste the same because they all will taste like metal.

Make beer using extract from bulk or DME.

Fix this now or you will think that is what the beer is supposed to taste like.

I have seen too many people just accept that they can't make beer as good or better than commercial beer because they have never used fresh ingredients.

If you use fresh ingredients you will be able to make beer that is better than most commercial beers.

Can I get an amen?

Forrest

 

[Kauai_Kahuna]

Amen Brother Forrest !
While I have not had horrible experiences with canned LME, it has not been great experiences either.
Sanitize, good and fresh ingredients, and ferment at the proper temperature and you will make good beer.

 

[kid_ak]

thanks, all.

After the first batch, I did switch over to better, fresh ingredients and DME from my LHBS. Hopefully that will nip the problem in the bud, and I'll take the suggestion of leaving the water out overnight.

I'll bump this thread in the future if it seems like there might be other causes of this problem.

Thanks again.

 

[kid_ak]

I think I fermented this in an okay range (bucket thermometer read 68-70) during most of primary fermentation, but it's possible that in the early going it was a bit higher (I now use a swamp cooler).

But would off-flavors from high fermentation temperature only appear later on? Because the beer tasted good three weeks ago and has only recently developed this off-flavor.

Also, the flavor seems to calm down as the beer warms a bit out of the fridge...

 

[Neunelfer]

It is most definately the canned malt extract. Stay away from canned malt extract.

You have tasted fresh pineapple.
You have tasted canned pineapple.
Which one tastes like a metal can?

If you continue to make beer using canned extract all your beers will taste the same because they all will taste like metal.

Make beer using extract from bulk or DME.

Fix this now or you will think that is what the beer is supposed to taste like.

I have seen too many people just accept that they can't make beer as good or better than commercial beer because they have never used fresh ingredients.

If you use fresh ingredients you will be able to make beer that is better than most commercial beers.

Can I get an amen?

Forrest

I've had a metallic after taste in every single beer I've brewed. 5 of the batches coming from kits that came for Austin Homebrew. So I don't think old grains/extract is my problem.

I originally thought I had too much Iron in my water, so I purchased all distilled water and then added chemicals to get the ideal water parameters for my style.

I'm at a complete loss and extremely frustrated... any other ideas for this metallic after taste that is consistently in my batches?

 

[Austinhomebrew]

What sanitizer are you using?

 

[Neunelfer]

What sanitizer are you using?

The Iodophor Sanitizer. Also my beers have really poor head retention.

 

[Grinder12000]

I don't think you can always blame the extract. I've had one twanger and it was from a kit from Austin Home Brew. It was a horrible final tasting event on the tongue but it went away after about 4 months.

People blame extract but I think it is because of the lack of any other answer.

One thng is to make sure you do late editions with any extract. (curious - do you do this already?)

What happened to you happened to me - it was fine and then went bad after about 3 weeks.

Try 5.2 buffer?

 

[eelpout]

It is most definately the canned malt extract. Stay away from canned malt extract.

You have tasted fresh pineapple.
You have tasted canned pineapple.
Which one tastes like a metal can?

If you continue to make beer using canned extract all your beers will taste the same because they all will taste like metal.

Make beer using extract from bulk or DME.

Fix this now or you will think that is what the beer is supposed to taste like.

I think this is absolutly false

 

[Austinhomebrew]

The metallic taste from canned extract shows up if the extract is old. Many canned extract cans are old.

How much Iopophor do you use?

I think you are not rinsing your Iodophor because you are using more that 1/2 oz per 5 gallons.

It is important to only use 1/2 oz for 5 gallons so that it is a no rinse solution or give it a quick rinse.

A lot of people use way too much iodophor without knowing it.

Forrest

 

[sonetlumiere85]

I don't think you can always blame the extract. I've had one twanger and it was from a kit from Austin Home Brew. It was a horrible final tasting event on the tongue but it went away after about 4 months.

People blame extract but I think it is because of the lack of any other answer.

One thng is to make sure you do late editions with any extract. (curious - do you do this already?)

What happened to you happened to me - it was fine and then went bad after about 3 weeks.

Try 5.2 buffer?

5.2 is for grain only, it doesn't really do anything helpful for extract brewing, because DME/LME already has the correct pH for extracting sugars from the grain.

 

[Grinder12000]

5.2 is for all-grain only, it doesn't really do anything helpful for extract brewing, because DME/LME already has the correct pH for extracting sugars from the grain.

I use it because I'm trying to convert the sugar out of my grains - I HAVE to think that even though I'm using 3 pounds of extract that the 5 or 6 pounds of grains that I'm mini mashing will be helped with 5.2.

As for Austin - yes I agree that "canned" extract, like any canned food can give you a metallic flavor ESPECIALLY if there is a dent in the can.

If I were the OP I would buy a kit from Austin Home Brew, rinse your Iodophor thoroughly (I don't use this so . . . .) and add half the extract early and the other half with 10 minutes to go and look at the results.

IF it is still there there must be anotehr problem but at least we can check those off the check list.

 

[Neunelfer]

The metallic taste from canned extract shows up if the extract is old. Many canned extract cans are old.

How much Iopophor do you use?

I think you are not rinsing your Iodophor because you are using more that 1/2 oz per 5 gallons.

It is important to only use 1/2 oz for 5 gallons so that it is a no rinse solution or give it a quick rinse.

A lot of people use way too much iodophor without knowing it.

Forrest

I use one capful per 5gal of water. Is it inappropriate to bring a bottle of homebrew to my local shop and ask them to taste it for me and pin down the aftertaste?

 

[Austinhomebrew]

No not at all.

 

[LarryC]

In this thread it is mentioned several times about un-fresh extract. I get my kits from Northern Brewer (I will be trying Austin Home Brew soon ) and the LME comes in sealed plastic milk jug type containers. I've heard that these are pretty fresh but I have one kit I bought a couple months ago and probably won't be brewing for a few more weeks. Is that getting too old? I could replace it by going to my LHMBS and getting a fresh 6lb bucket but I hate to buy things twice.

 

[Neunelfer]

So tonight I set out on a mission to really nail down what the after taste was... I put a bunch of home brew spanning three different batches. Opened the first one, no negative after taste... open the second one, same story... so I continued on and now here I am...

 

[Grinder12000]

I bought a couple months ago and probably won't be brewing for a few more weeks. Is that getting too old?

Well - it's getting up there in age. I asked the guys at AHS once about this and I believe the reply was use in within 2 or 3 weeks for best freshness.

I hate to think what the typical boxes of cans of extract at stores are. They never have dates on them (geez - I wonder why).

I have to think that the big places like AHS or Northern Brewer have fresh extract with their turnover.

 

[Austinhomebrew]

You can trust Northern Brewer and Austin Homebrew to have extremely fresh ingredients. What I am talking about is very small homebrew stores that sell extract in cans. Especially Muntons extract in cans.

It takes 6 months for the Muntons extract to arrive in this country. It goes to Atlanta and it sits there for several months. Then it goes to small homebrew stores and sits there for months. Those cans will develop a metallic taste in the extract.

This year we will sell approx 70 tons (140,000 pounds) of liquid malt extract. That is too much to sell in cans. We sell extract in bulk and so does Northern Brewer. We both use extract that is made in North America, so you can trust that it will be fresh.

Forrest

 

[LarryC]

You can trust Northern Brewer and Austin Homebrew to have extremely fresh ingredients. What I am talking about is very small homebrew stores that sell extract in cans. Especially Muntons extract in cans.


Forrest

So Forrest, how long is too long for containers of LME from your store (or Northern's), have I waited too long? (it will be 7 weeks tomorrow since I received the LME)

 

[Austinhomebrew]

The only issue you have to be concerned about with fresh extract is surface mold. I would brew sooner than later. If there is a spot of mold on the surface you can remove it and use it.

 

[LarryC]

Thanks for the tip, I'll be brewing with it as soon as my current batch goes into secondary.

 

[Jkane101]

It is most definately the canned malt extract. Stay away from canned malt extract.

You have tasted fresh pineapple.
You have tasted canned pineapple.
Which one tastes like a metal can?

If you continue to make beer using canned extract all your beers will taste the same because they all will taste like metal.

Make beer using extract from bulk or DME.

Fix this now or you will think that is what the beer is supposed to taste like.

I have seen too many people just accept that they can't make beer as good or better than commercial beer because they have never used fresh ingredients.

If you use fresh ingredients you will be able to make beer that is better than most commercial beers.

Can I get an amen?

Forrest

I made a PM just last weekend and it was the first AND LAST time I will use LME from a can.... I can definitely taste metallic off flavors. I wish I had seen this post before hand.

Lesson learned

 

[FatsMcBrew]

I brewed the exact same kit as the original poster, for my first batch one month ago today, and so far it has tasted very nice, if a bit green. I plan on tasting a two week in the bottle sample today to see how it's coming along. I did not follow the kit directions though, I used Palmers book, and the directions to make my own brew plan.

 

[AmmoHouse]

I'm new to brewing and this forum...I've only done 8 batches so far.
I've had a 2 batches that had a little metal taste...I think my problem is hard water.
I've never tried leaving it out overnight, I might try that when I get back to the States.
I do have 3 batches bottled that I did before I deployed and I can't wait to get back to them.
My WITCH tasted my Belgian Witbier 2 days ago and she said it was very good (its 2 months old)....all 3 of these batches will have been bottled and sitting for 7 months by the time I get home.