Electric Stove causing metallica flavor?

[moreb33rplz]

I have this brew pot: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009JXYUA/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

It's SS. Every time I brew I get rings, inside my pot, the shape of the electric burner. I can scrub them off/away between brews, but they always return.

Several of my beers have metallic flavors too, and I'm pretty sure the rest of my process is OK. Anybody ever had this before?

 

[sfrisby]

I have, but I got more Pantera flavors. Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

[flars]

Are you scrubbing off a burned on layer like scorched LME or DME? If so remove the kettle from the heat when you make additions and stir a lot to make sure it is dissolved.
Are the rings just a discoloration of the metal? If so it is natural. If you scrubbed with a steel wool or a stainless steel scrubber you may need to re-passivate the surface.

 

[flars]

Hit submit to soon. If bare steel is exposed in the bottom of the kettle it can cause metallic flavors.

 

[TallDan]

I have, but I got more Pantera flavors. Sorry, couldn't resist.

Pantera Bread is great. I love the Great Southern TrendChili.

 

[TrainSafe]

What hops variety did you use? The Whitesnake hops can cause hot metallic flavors.

 

[moreb33rplz]

Wow, my teenage fandom of metallica shined through on the title.

It's happened with multiple types of hops across 3 batches.

How can bare steel not be exposed at the bottom of a steel kettle? I started using it as-is once I bought it. I wash it with a green scrubby sponge and soap.

 

[JonM]

Hmm ... I'm having trouble believing that stainless is causing a metallic flavor.

How's your water? Are you maybe tasting soap residue? (I scrub my pot with a green scrubby pad, but never use soap.)

 

[sfrisby]

In all seriousness, I might suggest cleaning with bar keepers friend, not soap, to help reetestablish the oxide layer.

 

[moreb33rplz]

I will give it a shot.

I don't think its soap residue, I rinse well and use a neutral dish soap. I haven't done a water report, but I'm in New England which according to Noonan's book (albeit from 1996), is generally very soft water.

 

[flars]

Are you scrubbing off built up scorched extract or is it just a brown stain of the metal??

 

[Clankenbrew]

Sometimes if I over carb my hoppy beers they will have a metallica taste but I Iet them sit off the CO2 for a bit and they come back fine.


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[wilserbrewer]

Firstly, be certain any extract is not fully mixed and burning on the bottom of the pot. That said I don't think that is the issue. The pot is likely thin, the electric burner very hot and concentrated, what you are seeing is the caramelization or maillard reaction on the bottom of the kettle. This will darken the beer slightly, and add caramel flavor to a degree. Likely IMO it is not having a detrimental effect on your brew. This is likely happening as you approach boil and there is little movement to the wort???

You could try a stove trivit, or make one from an uncoated hanger. Chefs use this trick to avoid burning sauces, or so I'm told....

http://www.instructables.com/id/Stove-Trivet-from-a-coat-hanger/?lang=pt

 

[moreb33rplz]

Hmm. I do all grain so it's not DME burning.

 

[flars]

Hmm. I do all grain so it's not DME burning.

It is grain flour sticking and burning if it is a residue. The pot is probably very thin steel which causes hot spots over the burner coils. A clad bottom pot would give you more even heating to solve the problem.

 

[kh54s10]

I doubt a metallic taste is coming from either the SS pot or from burning the wort. I would look at water first. Try bottled water and see if that helps.

Do a Google search and read all the links, that may lead you to an answer for your problem.

I found several articles in just a couple minutes.

 

[moreb33rplz]

It is grain flour sticking and burning if it is a residue. The pot is probably very thin steel which causes hot spots over the burner coils. A clad bottom pot would give you more even heating to solve the problem.

Thanks, I'll look into this.

I should have mentioned that I use bottled spring water from VT.