Odd tasting beer question

[dl657737]

Ok, so I've tried 2 malt-extract beers that I brewed and both of them tasted weird. I made a mash kit that turned out pretty well, but I seem to have problems with these extract kits (doesn't make sense right?)

So both of these beers that I finished and tasted have tasted I guess too malty.. Also, both of them get a head when I first pour them, but it almost immediately goes away. Does anybody know what could be causing the bad taste? The only thing I can think of is that I fermented them in my basement and the temperature was a bit too cold (sometimes it gets down to 50 degrees). The 2 beer styles I made were a brown ale and a hefeweizen.

 

[dsaavedra]

I've heard that malt extract kits can sometimes taste "caramelly" if the extract is added at the beginning of the boil because the sugars have time to caramelize. Late extract additions are supposed to avoid this, but the late extract additions also affect hop utilization and so hop schedules may need to be adjusted. This is something I want to do more research on and may consider doing on my future brews.

 

[emmdubb23]

Extract doesn't have a long shelf life and oxidzes pretty roughly, particularly liquid, I find the taste to be of wet leather or wood, but it's definitely distinctive, and bad


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[flars]

will need some extra information to help with your off flavor.

The brand/name of the kits? NBs' nut brown ale and Bavarian hefeweizen?
What was the wort temperature during the first three days of fermentation?
Which yeast was used?
How long did you primary?
What was your final gravity?
What temperature and length of time for bottle conditioning.

The most common reason for the head disappearing in the glass is spot remover or soap in the glass.

 

[dl657737]

Here's the info:

Both were Northern Brewer.. Caribou slobber and bavarian hefeweizen
Both fermented in probably 50-56 degrees
I forget the yeast for the caribou slobber, but the hefeweizen had munich yeast
I can't remember how long the slobber fermented, but the hefeweizen was about 2 weeks, maybe a bit shorter
Unfortunately, I brewed both of these before I got a hydrometer so I'm not sure what the gravity was for either of them
Both bottle conditioned in the same temperatures (50-56 degrees) for 2 weeks

Thanks for the input!

 

[emmdubb23]

That temp is pretty low for ales, at least IMO
Perhaps, fermentation was not complete at bottling, causing over-carbonation and the off flavors, do you notice sediment being kicked up when you pop the top.

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[dl657737]

Hmm, you could have something, emmdubb.. I just cracked one open to make sure it wasn't just a bad bottle, and I didn't look when I opened it, but it definitely seems over carbonated.. It sounds like a soda when I pour it, and its REALLY bubbly and has a similar mouth feel to soda (not quite as carbonated, but more more than a normal beer)