Bad Flavor from Copper Tubing in Mash Tun

[waitej02]

First batch out of a new mash tun with copper tubing as the bottom came out copper in color (was an SRM 6 beer) and with a bad flavor. Can the beer be saved? Will a PBW soak avoid this happening again?

 

[IL1kebeer]

First batch out of a new mash tun with copper tubing as the bottom came out copper in color (was an SRM 6 beer) and with a bad flavor. Can the beer be saved? Will a PBW soak avoid this happening again?

Copper shouldn't be an issue until post fermentation. Someone correct me if I am wrong.

 

[helibrewer]

I have used a copper heat exchanger in my MLT for many batches without any issues or flavor impact.

 

[BigFloyd]

First batch out of a new mash tun with copper tubing as the bottom came out copper in color (was an SRM 6 beer) and with a bad flavor. Can the beer be saved? Will a PBW soak avoid this happening again?

A copper color in the beer wouldn't be from any copper tubing used in the process. The oxides of copper that are reactive are mostly greenish blue. It may have been due to wort being caramelized during boiling if you have a strong burner.

The bad flavor could be from a variety of things, most commonly temperature-related (i.e., pitching and/or fermenting too warm).

Some folks clean copper components by brushing them with a small amount to StarSan concentrate, letting it sit a few minutes, and then rinsing.

 

[waitej02]

There are black oxides and red oxides as well as blue-green from Cu. After the boil, they will all darken. The tubing was cut with a dremel, sliced about every 3/4" to make the false bottom for the mash tun. From the color and flavor, I don't think that there is a question of it coming from the copper. I really wanted to know if I could save the beer. I have found other sites that say to soak the tubing in white vinegar to avoid the oxides causing the dark color, so I will try that

 

[BigFloyd]

There are black oxides and red oxides as well as blue-green from Cu. After the boil, they will all darken. The tubing was cut with a dremel, sliced about every 3/4" to make the false bottom for the mash tun. From the color and flavor, I don't think that there is a question of it coming from the copper. I really wanted to know if I could save the beer. I have found other sites that say to soak the tubing in white vinegar to avoid the oxides causing the dark color, so I will try that

If you have reason to think that there are really copper oxides in your beer, I'd be more concerned about toxicity than flavor.

 

[Rhumbline]

There are black oxides and red oxides as well as blue-green from Cu. After the boil, they will all darken. The tubing was cut with a dremel, sliced about every 3/4" to make the false bottom for the mash tun. ...

I wonder if there may have been some contamination from the dremel cutting disc or wheel.

Also interesting, in winemaking, a copper tube or wire is sometimes used to remove sulfur taste and smell due to hydrogen sulfide. It seems like it would have to have some chemical effect on beer.