Homebrew Taste

[Whisky River]

It’s hard to speculate on what someone else might be tasting but I kind of remember the classic Homebrew taste from the 90’s as being a kind of an oxidized musty/dusty kind of taste that might not be that different from what you smell when you take a big whiff of a container of grain.
Maybe it’s just classic Homebrew taste that we used to get from poor oxygen control and lack of fermentation temperature control.
I also can’t help but wonder if the commercial breweries use of centrifuges and filters is part of why their beer tastes a little different to OP.

 

[Bobby_M]

Chewing on dry malted grains would be described as "husky" or "grainy" in my opinion. If your beer tastes like that at all, it's likely due to a high mash pH where some of the compounds in the grain husks are being liberated into the water.

 

[JoeSchmoe]

It's the inside of the grain I taste. The slightly bitter husk flavour isn't transferring into the beer.

 

[Bobby_M]

The inside of the grain would be starch. I'm not sure how you can differentiate whether you're tasting husks or starch when you're chewing on both.

Everything above is true unless you're talking about crystal malts.

Can you be more specific about the types of grain you've used/chewed?

 

[JoeSchmoe]

My grains are pre-crushed at the LHBS (albeit very coarsely). If I grab a big pinch, I get both husk and the inner core, but if I pick out the inner part without the husk, I get an unmistakable flavour. As I noted, I tried this with 2-row pale malt and Munich.

 

[Willy]

Water - Grains - Yeast - Hops

Water is the main ingredient. A cheap improvement? Use an RV filters. Takes out a bunch of stuff. Saw u are already using metabisulphate - good. But you won't need it if you get a decent RO system. Starting from scratch (clean, low PPM of dissolved solids) and adding minerals based on style/recipe is more controlled and 'pro'. Yes... Absolutely, as mentioned above. pH is critical and needs to be measured and corrected and controlled. Key.

Grains - as fresh as possible. Milled as late as possible. I now go to Carolina Malt House and get 3-6 months full of grains. I mill the grains within 30 minutes before mash in. Makes a huge difference in richness of malty flavors. Big difference.

Yeast and how it is handled is huge. Many different types, some have their own flavor which can be great or not so great to yuck depending on the palette. Experiment using standards like US-05 or Nottingham for ales, 34/70 for lagers. Expand your taste palette to other yeasts and see where your sweet spot is - which means, what you like. Optimal Ferment temps ranges are not just suggestions. Stay in the range. And pitch a little warmer than the range to help with yeast reproduction.

Hops - fresh buds, pellets or oils... Just the right amount of bittering is key, as is a hop stand or dry hop to add more aroma and/or bittering (depends, many variables.).

Best to get software to track what you did. Take notes. Make the same recipe. Get better. A/B results - what is better?

Making beer is like an Italian grandmother making marinara sauce. They are genius and masters of the process and the spices. When to add, how long, adjust this and that. Never forget this ... It is science and an art. Both matter.

Wishing you well on the beer journey.

 

[Bobby_M]

My grains are pre-crushed at the LHBS (albeit very coarsely). If I grab a big pinch, I get both husk and the inner core, but if I pick out the inner part without the husk, I get an unmistakable flavour. As I noted, I tried this with 2-row pale malt and Munich.

Ok, the interior of 2 row pale and Munich, prior to mashing, is primarily starch. In a finished beer, I'd describe it as grainy, doughy. If you're hitting the expected OG, I wouldn't worry about unconverted starch.

There is a strong possibility of mash pH lifting grainy flavors if it's a light colored beer. Less so as the beer gets darker.

 

[JoeSchmoe]

Ok, the interior of 2 row pale and Munich, prior to mashing, is primarily starch. In a finished beer, I'd describe it as grainy, doughy. If you're hitting the expected OG, I wouldn't worry about unconverted starch.

There is a strong possibility of mash pH lifting grainy flavors if it's a light colored beer. Less so as the beer gets darker.

To me, I feel like the inside of the malt tastes more subtly earthy-sweet, maybe with a distant hint of fruitiness (?). I don't really get a starchy flavour like I would from flour or corn starch.

 

[worlddivides]

To me, I feel like the inside of the malt tastes more subtly earthy-sweet, maybe with a distant hint of fruitiness (?). I don't really get a starchy flavour like I would from flour or corn starch.

You are aware that bread, pasta, rice, cereal, oatmeal, and so on are some of the prime examples of starchy foods, aren't you? The prime ingredients in beer (barley, wheat, rye, oats, rice, corn, etc.) are some of the primary sources of starches eaten throughout the world.