first full boils, odd taste

[Arkador]

So, I recently upgraded to a full boil in my extract brewing process. I am using a keggle and a 25foot CFC to chill.

I have done 2 batches so far, and both have a slight metallic taste. I made sure to scrub the daylights out of the keggle, and clean the copper in the CFC as best i can (ran oxi and starsan through it repeatedly)

Is there something else I need to do to make sure that the stainless or copper are not leeching any flavors into my brew?

 

[Arkador]

2 other things i recently began using... Wirfloc (instead of irish moss) and Fermencap (2drops/gal as per directions)

 

[BargainFittings]

What about water? Using filtered, spring, tap or distilled?

What styles of beers?

 

[Arkador]

What about water? Using filtered, spring, tap or distilled?

What styles of beers?

same tap water I have used for 2 years. these 2 are an Oktoberfest that I have done 3 times before, and a Nut Brown ale.

 

[weirdboy]

same tap water I have used for 2 years.

It maybe came from the same tap, but the water can definitely change. You might want to contact your water provider and get a water quality report. It could also just be something in the pipes between them and you.

 

[dataz722]

You don't have a lid on the pot during the boil do you?

 

[elmetal]

it's extract so the DMS factor is very insignificant

 

[Arkador]

You don't have a lid on the pot during the boil do you?

I only put the lid on after flameout while chilling, after a full 1 hour boil.

I did not modify my hop additions from a partial boil to a full boil, but this will only affect the IBU

I think I am going to mix up 10gal of water and 1gal of vinegar, let it soak for a while, then flush it through my CFC, see if that does anything.

 

[dataz722]

it's extract so the DMS factor is very insignificant

so it is. I missed that little tidbit.

 

[limprizol]

Could it possibly be more bitterness that you are tasting from not adjusting the hops. Since you did a full boil and you got better utilization.

 

[Arkador]

Could it possibly be more bitterness that you are tasting from not adjusting the hops. Since you did a full boil and you got better utilization.

i did concider that, but it would not be a metallic taste. it may be that, but i only expect a 20% increase due to that.

Next batch, I will go back to irish moss, and leave out the fermencap, after a vinegar bath, as well as plug my recipe into Beersmith to get the correct amount of hops.

 

[weirdboy]

I use whirlfloc on every batch and have never experienced a metallic taste.

Do you ever drink the water straight from the tap? How does it taste?

 

[Arkador]

I use whirfloc on every batch and have never experienced a metallic taste.

Do you ever drink the water straight from the tap? How does it taste?

I drink it all the time, I never buy bottled water, the taste has not changed, and I have been brewing with it for almost 2 years.

 

[weirdboy]

Have you changed ANY equipment in your process at all? Anything at all, all the way through bottling?

 

[Arkador]

yes, the keggle and CFC are new, I used to do partial boils on the stove in a 4gal pot.

 

[elmetal]

cfc is maybe oxidized? rusted? I don't know much about copper.

 

[Cold_Steel]

This is an interesting thread because I have tasted that metalic taste before from a belgian tripel from the flying dog brewery. It is a commercial brewery. I was very curious to what caused that taste. I assumed it was the ferementer or something. I never did find out what it was.

 

[Ohio-Ed]

You mentioned that you scrubbed the keggle... With what? It is possible to scratch the stainless and cause it to tarnish/rust.

 

[Cold_Steel]

I found this..How old was your malt? I bet its the cause...
According to "How to Brew"

Metallic
Metallic flavors are usually caused by unprotected metals dissolving into the wort but can also be caused by the hydrolysis of lipids in poorly stored malts. Iron and aluminum can cause metallic flavors leaching into the wort during the boil. The small amount could be considered to be nutritional if it weren't for the bad taste. Nicks and cracks ceramic coated steel pots are a common cause as are high iron levels in well water. Stainless steel pots will not contribute any metallic flavors. Aluminum pots usually won't cause metallic flavors unless the brewing water is alkaline with a pH level greater than 9. Shiny new aluminum pots will sometimes turn black when boiling water due to chlorine and carbonates in the water.

The protective (grayish) oxides of aluminum can be enhanced by heating the clean pot in a dry oven at 250°F for about 6 hours.


It states that stainless steel won't give off these flavors, so I'm really not sure what the problem might be.

 

[Cold_Steel]

Did you use a yeast starter and if so, did it contain yeast nutrients? This guy says that amino acid-based yeast nutrients can contribute a metallic flavor...

 

[Kauai_Kahuna]

The only things I can think of is the age of the malt, and have the fermentation temperatures changed, or are you letting the beer age enough?
If you rinse your CFC before use I can't really see that having an impact.
If the keggle is more or even less clean I don't see it impacting that flavour.
Best of luck,