Good tasting beer but... taste c02?

[scocam]

Hi All,

I've brewed 5 PM batches so far (amber ale x2, brown ale x2, oatmeal stout x1) and each one definitely has its distinct characteristics. All are good but they all seem to have a common tasting note. I'm not sure if this is the extract twang that I'm reading about or not. It seems to me that I can taste some carbon dioxide in the beer. Is that possible? Could someone describe the flavor of "Extract Twang" so I can begin deducing where this note is coming from and how to get rid of it? It's not an overwhelming or bad flavor-- just something I would rather not be there. Many people don't taste it at all and it seems to be much less apparent when sampling straight from the bottle rather than pouring into a tumbler.


Thanks!
Scott

 

[malkore]

its not CO2, but carbonic acid created by CO2 that can cause a bit of a 'bite' to green beer.

most people only notice it after 1 week in the bottle, or rapid force carbing of a keg. it typically mellows after a couple of days.

it would be more noticable from a glass than a bottle, since you have a ton more surface area to release CO2 from the beer.

extract twang...its debated whether it exists at all. I think it does, though I have had some PM beers that tasted like a great microbrew despite several pounds of extract.

how long are you conditioning beers before starting to sample? some beers are fine after 2 weeks in the bottle, others can take 2 months before they really taste right. there are quite a few flavor profiles trying to meld together, especially if your grain bill contained a wide variety...not to mention types of hops and timing for hop additions.

 

[scocam]

Great info! Thank you, malkore.

Most of the beer probably would be considered a bit green. The oldest of the batches has been in the bottle for 6 weeks. This was my first (and most challenged) brew while the remaining batches are 5 weeks, 4 weeks, 2 weeks and 1 week in the bottle. The taste from batch to batch, even now, seems pretty consistent. Meaning, that c02 taste is relatively the same whether it's a week in the bottle or 6 weeks in the bottle.

I have a 6-pack of each batch (with the exception of the most recent) in the fridge. I assume I should leave the remainder unrefrigerated to allow to mellow. Is that right?


Thanks for your thoughts!
Scott