Kegging Bite?

[CBMbrewer]

I apologize in advance for the repetition of this post but I would like to put this Keg flavor "bite" into my own words.

I have been brewing for years but have mostly bottled my batches. I have only kegged about a half dozen or so.
I have mostly used the shake-into-solution method of carbonating but have also primed a few batches and let them sit for about 10 days after priming before tapping.
The beers have been APAs, IPAs and an ESB.
With all of the beers that I shook into solution I have immediately gotten what I can only describe as a slight metallic bite in the flavor. I would be tempted to say it tastes like Co2 underlying the flavor of the beer.
From the kegs that I have primed however, I have not noticed this flavor.
I am very careful about sanitation and routinely clean and replace any hardware that needs it.
The overall flavor of the beer is always just as it was straight out of the carboy, just with this "bite". I have noticed that it is more prominent in less hoppy beers.
Because of the difference between shaking into solution and priming I decided to try and carb by setting the psi to 25 and letting it sit at 60f for 24-48 hours. I just tasted it after 24 hours; it is carbonating but that flavor is a little present.
Is this due to the amount of time that Co2 is introduced into the beer?
Or something completely different?
How do serve good home brew on tap?

 

[Prymal]

The taste you are experiencing is Carbonic Acid. This comes from over carbonating your beer. For sure the best way to stop this is to STOP shaking your CO2 into solution. I know that it is recommended by some as a fast way to carb your beer but it is so unpredictable and 9 times out of 10 you will end up with way too much CO2 in solution and carbonic acid. The best way to carb your beer and serve it on tap put your beer in the fridge set your pressure to whatever you want to serve at and leave it there, wait at least 1 week but 2 is better then start serving.

Also after you initially purge the oxygen out of your keg with CO2 don't vent it again until the keg is empty you will loose hop aroma everytime you purge.

I never set my regulator over 14 psi and that is only for high carb beers like Hefe. I serve at around 9 psi for pretty much everything which works perfect based on my serving temp and beer line geometry.

 

[RmikeVT]

I've found cool for 24 hours then 30 psi for 48 hours then reduce to 9 psi serving is my sweet spot and the beer turns out as good as naturally carbing. I usually do a test on a pint or two to check Carb levels at 36 hours.

 

[CBMbrewer]

So even though the beer is not completely carbonated it should still have this off flavor from carbing so fast? Any way to get rid of the off flavor?

 

[Brulosopher]

So even though the beer is not completely carbonated it should still have this off flavor from carbing so fast? Any way to get rid of the off flavor?

Time, my friend, just five it a couple says at serving pressure.

 

[RmikeVT]

I was trying to say, I don't get the carb bite from my method. I can't say I've actually experienced it, so I can't say for sure.

 

[Yooper]

So even though the beer is not completely carbonated it should still have this off flavor from carbing so fast? Any way to get rid of the off flavor?

Just time. That's why quick carbing doesn't really "work". Oh, sure, the beer carbs up but sometimes the carbonic acid bite takes a few days to fade. By that time, the beer can be adequately carbed without burst carbing/shaking/etc.

If I'm in a huge huge hurry, I put the beer in the kegerator at 30 psi for 36 hours (keg is warm when it goes in) and then purge and reset at 12 psi. By day three, the beer is pretty good. If I'm not in a huge hurry, I set the beer right in there with the other kegs at 12 psi. It's ok in a week, but better in 10 days or so. So it saves about 5 days of waiting.

 

[CBMbrewer]

Nice! I'm glad to hear that this is something that will subside over time and I'm not stuck with it. Its pretty much carbed right now and I'm going out of town for a few days then probably wont tap it for a few more days. sounds like it should taste fine some time next week.
Thanks everyone! not only have you helped with this particular beer but have answered and explained a long standing question.

 

[rival178]

I know very old thread, did your beer taste better after letting it sit? Did you change your methods? I'm having the same issue.