-TH-
Well-Known Member
I'm pretty sure its phenols or chlorophenols. It has kind of a burnt plastic or burnt rubber taste and it is most noticeable when I burp. I have compiled my notes into a chart shown below so that someone can maybe help me with what to do next. Every single batch has the flavor, with the exception of batch #1 (which tasted bad anyways being a Mr. Beer kit). I would say the off flavor has gotten slightly better along the way but is definitely there still. I sampled one bottle from batches 3 through 8 just today to make sure and they all have it – and they do. Now that I am familiar with this off flavor, even the slightest hint of it ruins the experience for me. In batch 8, an IPA, I can almost (but not quite) tolerate it because the hops disguise it somewhat. I would suspect all of my brews would taste excellent if it were not for that dreaded flavor. I can say for certain that I have never tasted this flavor in a commercial brew.
A few additional notes: All batches were primed with corn sugar (1oz / gal) that I bought bulk at the LHBS boiled in 2 cups tap water for 10-15 min. All worts were cooled by either ice bath or IC within 45 min. I am anal about sanitation. For the last batch as an extra precautionary measure I boiled all bottling parts – spigot, wand, etc – for 20+ min before using them.
I am in desperate need of advice on what to do next. On batch #8 I intended to use bottled water for my priming mixture but forgot. Could that be it? Also the corn sugar is another common denominator, I bought this bulk at LHBS and wondered if it might be tainted. I was going to buy the prepackaged stuff next time. My other thoughts are to try a completely different yeast – like a liquid yeast, or maybe even try going AG since I have built a MLT. I haven’t gone this route because I wanted to make a good extract brew first. Unfortunately the off flavor does not rear its ugly head until AFTER about 2 weeks in bottles so I have no idea before that point if the flavor will appear or not. This makes diagnosis all the more difficult.
Can anyone help me?
A few additional notes: All batches were primed with corn sugar (1oz / gal) that I bought bulk at the LHBS boiled in 2 cups tap water for 10-15 min. All worts were cooled by either ice bath or IC within 45 min. I am anal about sanitation. For the last batch as an extra precautionary measure I boiled all bottling parts – spigot, wand, etc – for 20+ min before using them.
I am in desperate need of advice on what to do next. On batch #8 I intended to use bottled water for my priming mixture but forgot. Could that be it? Also the corn sugar is another common denominator, I bought this bulk at LHBS and wondered if it might be tainted. I was going to buy the prepackaged stuff next time. My other thoughts are to try a completely different yeast – like a liquid yeast, or maybe even try going AG since I have built a MLT. I haven’t gone this route because I wanted to make a good extract brew first. Unfortunately the off flavor does not rear its ugly head until AFTER about 2 weeks in bottles so I have no idea before that point if the flavor will appear or not. This makes diagnosis all the more difficult.
Can anyone help me?