Beer smells/tastes like latex

So I tasted a beer after 4 weeks in the bottle and it tasted and smelled like latex. It was a mr. beer english brown ale kit. It was my first batch using a new plastic fermenter. I am thinking it may have acquired the taste from the new plastic and the fermenter wasn't "aged". Anyone have any ideas or similar experiences? By the way, other than the latex it tastes great!

 

correction: it was a brewer's best english brown ale kit (mini mash)

 

Certain wild yeast infections are described as tasting medical plastic or Band-Aid-ey, and I've noticed a similar flavor in some of mine before. It sounds a lot like what you're experiencing. How was your sanitation?

 

Did you use bleach as a sanitizer or use untreated tap water in your beer?

 

i used iodophor to sanitize everything. I did however use untreated tap water (I have since started using treated water). Does this make that big of a difference? My fermentation didn't start after 72hrs so i went to the brew store and got some danstar nottingham yeast to jump-start it.

 

What was your fermentation temperature? If you fermented too warm, that may have caused the "latex" or "band-aid" taste/smell.

 

Whatever the temp of my apartment was. ( Usually 70F)

 

Most tap water is treated with either chlorine or chloramine which will both give bandaid flavors.

If you want to use tap water, I would look into treating it yourself. Chlorine can be boiled off but chloramine is a bit harder to get ride of. I found this thread with a quick search: http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/chloramine-removal-183135/

I just use bottled spring water. It is relatively cheap and worth the investment to assure I get no off flavors from city water.

 

I've been using one of those "zero water" pitcher filters that removes all disolved solids (including chlorine). It drastically improved the flavor of the tap water so im sure it will also improve the flavor of my next batch (getting ready to bottle it tomorrow). Thanks for the advice!

 

Did your kit come with Nottingham? I've gotten a flavor that might be described as "latex-y" from it most of the time I've used it. I've since stopped, obviously.

-edit- I re-read the thread and see that you added Notty after.. Hmm..

 

i would look at the copious notes you (hopefully) took during your entire brewing process and try to identify possible causes. cross off water quality unless you live in bangladesh or there was a massive water main break in your area recently. water quality throughout the united states is perfectly fine. it is possible but an extremely unlikely cause.

after reading this thread it appears no one pointed out an unusual thing you did: pitching yeast a second time 72 hours deep into fermentation. this is not normal. with a dry ale yeast at the temps you mention, you should have had no problem with the initial yeast fermentation at all. at all. temperature ESP. 70F for an ale could not be your problem. that rules out water quality and temp in my book.

my guess...you didn't use high enough quality ingredients or you (i think this is unlikely) got an infection in the wort that inhibited respiration and fermentation of the yeast. i personally think you should use higher quality ingredients next time and not a mr beer kit. i've never used mr beer but any HB company called Mr Beer doesn't exactly strike me as one that might be inclined to provide high quality ingredients in its product. i don't know though dude. some people like mr beer.

it doesn't matter though dude. just keep brewing and taking notes. especially note what problems you had and write down any questions you have, then post them in here to get answered. you won't have this problem next time if you are determined to succeed.

 

Agreed... i think it was the ingredients. I've done two mini-mash kits from austin homebrew supply and have not been disappointed yet. I just bottled a lager from them yesterday and I was tempted to drink it straight out of the secondary it was so good. Also did an IPA from Austin homebrew with a friend (who got me into this homebrew thing) that i would be willing to pay money for. Can't go wrong with fresh ingredients!Thanks for the help!