Metallic off-taste fades?

[joetothemo]

Anyone ever have a metallic off-taste (known cause was contact in primary with metal). If so, did it fade eventually?

This is an Amber Ale that was bottled 4 weeks ago. Fermentation was 1 week primary, 2 weeks secondary.

Some metal (weights from broken thermometer) was found in the primary, thus the quick move to to secondary.

I have no doubt the beer is safe, I am hoping this taste fades or mellows.

 

[devilishprune]

Not to discourage you, but I had a sweet stout that I made with a metallic taste. I'm not sure what caused it, but after about 6-7 months in the bottle it was still there. Ended up dumping that batch because I couldn't stand to drink a whole one of them.

I still think it's going to vary on a case by case basis, though. The only way for you to know for sure is to keep some around for a while and see if anything changes.

 

[Irena]

I have an brown ale in primary...and it has a metallic sub taste too.this is my first batch with this strange off taste.past week i tasted it but it wasn't there,i think because it was green yet.everyday this taste become stronger i think.

 

[funkswing]

The metallic taste is generally from contamination (i.e. your broken thermometer insides) or poor sparging technique (i.e. running off to quickly).

If you are doing extract brewing, then its prolly contamination, and no it does not go away.

Aren't the weights in thermometers/hydrometers lead beads like fishing weights? I would dump the batch solely for that reason. Heavy metals aren't the best thing to have in contact with acidic solutions that you consume.

Chalk it up to another brewing lesson learned and get to brewing another batch!!!

Oh, I had this off flavor in an Oktoberfest, and it was b/c (I'm pretty sure, at least) I rinsed the StarSan out of the keg after sanitizing with tap water, which introduced some bugs to my heavenly, German nectar (hope they sprechen Sie Deutsch!!)

 

[Irena]

Could it be from metallic spoon that i used when wort was boiling ?

 

[joetothemo]

Aren't the weights in thermometers/hydrometers lead beads like fishing weights?

No. They are steel...as confirmed by LHBS.

 

[joetothemo]

I actually had a thorough review of a bottle of this brew with my wife last night. We both came to the conclusion that the off taste is probably astringent, not metallic. It is really, really bad up front but lessens as you drink.

This seems very likely because this was a test batch for my first recipe and I used massive amounts of Crystal and Honey malt. I also didn't take good notes on my process. The steeping temps may have gotten out of hand. I seem to remember one of my recent batches getting near boiling before realizing it and pulling the bag. I'm pretty sure it was this one (brewing while watching my baby daughter can be distracting).

**It probably didn't help that I was sticking my face in both fermenters like a nervous noob trying to sip samples every few days either.

The beer is pretty disappointing. Oh well. Many lessons learned.

 

[donjr721]

i'm new, but here are my thoughts, could be high steep tempurature. Could be the water you used. sounds like sulfates in the water. could be a ph problem or an infection too. may very well be the busted thermometer or hydrometer (especially if it had lead in it)

 

[KevinW]

Do you have a stainless steel or aluminum kettle?

I had an "event" with one of my batches where I used oxyclean in my aluminum kettle (bad idea) and got a nice metallic tang to the batch. I will never do that again.

 

[joetothemo]

Do you have a stainless steel or aluminum kettle?

I had an "event" with one of my batches where I used oxyclean in my aluminum kettle (bad idea) and got a nice metallic tang to the batch. I will never do that again.

It was an enamel-on-steel kettle, there are no chips in it.

 

[KevinW]

Hmmm, well that is odd I am kind of thinking along the lines as donjr and the high steeping temps. Temps in the upper 160's or more can certainly extract tannins from the grains and that would definitely account for the "astringent" twang!

Well, if you can stand it then I recommend drininking this batch very quickly so you will have room for the next batch that will turn out much better I am sure!!

Good luck!

 

[joetothemo]

I have nothing but room and time for this one. I brewed it to thank my Dad for the starter kit he got me for Christmas. He's coming to town at the end of April. I am gonna let this dude hang out and condition in the back of my brew closet. If it isn't self-corrected by then, I'll take him out for some micros.

Thanks!

 

[dnthmn2004]

Do not drink it, unless you enjoy lead poisoning.

Some hydrometers use steel instead of lead. Collect some of the metal, if its magnetic, its steel and probably safer to drink that if it was non-magnetic lead.

I know pouring all of your brew down the drain will probably kill you more than lead poisoning, but you can always make more.

 

[joetothemo]

I have mentioned previously that the weights are NOT LEAD they are steel...as confirmed by LHBS.

According to LHBS, those weights haven't been lead for years upon years.

 

[funkswing]

I still think you have a contamination. Especially with you popping your head in the fermenter left and right. Set it and forget it next time.

Forget about the metal thing. Your off flavor didn't come from any metals. Unless the metals introduced something in your batch. Go ahead and brew another one for your dad, you have plenty of time.

 

[Stratotankard]

I'll trow in my experience with a metallic off taste. Was a plain Jane stout that was severely over-carbonated. It was bottled in plastic bottles so bottle bombs weren't a big problem, but the bottles were stretched by the pressure. After pouring and letting the head subside a bit, they all had a terrible metallic taste which my LHBS said was likely carbonic acid. It never went away and I ended up dumping about 3 gallons of beer after a year.

I have yet to determine what exactly caused the over carbonation, but likely candidates are 1) infection or 2) adding the priming sugar twice (I may have been slightly inebriated while bottling that batch).

Terje

 

[Austinhomebrew]

For the astringent taste: did you squeeze the grain bag while draining?

Was the extract from a metal can?

 

[joetothemo]

For the astringent taste: did you squeeze the grain bag while draining?

Was the extract from a metal can?

Nope and nope.

Extract was Briess Amber LME that I boiled for the full :60. I did not know about late extract additions that this point. Steep was 10% Crystal and 10% Honey malt, which I immediately regretted after opening just a few books and recipe threads. Still unsure of the steeping temps, but I am willing to wager they got hot.

I never squeeze the grain bag, I just "tea bag" it to rinse the grains.

As far as the suspicion of contamination, by funkswing...there was zero physical manifestation of contamination or infection. Nothing slick on the surface, floaties or bad smells (slight odor of caramel + the off taste).

One other nugget...

This beer has taken 4+ weeks to carb up to a level I generally see after 1-2 weeks. The OG was only 1050 so I wouldn't expect this guy to be a "slow carber."

I am wondering if it is still pretty green in the bottle and just taking its sweet ol time to condition for whatever reason.

Q for Austinhomebrew: Is "astringent" an off taste that tends to fall out or fade with time in the bottle?

 

[Malintent]

My understanding is that astringent off flavor can come from a few things.. none of which fade over time. Sorry.

What did you use as a sanitizer for your bottles? I used a bleach-based sanitizer that was not intended for use in brewing one time. Terrible astringent / bleach flavor left behind... I stalled and retried bottles for months before reluctantly dumping the batch. I couldn't swallow more than a small sip it was so bad... and got no better over time.

 

[joetothemo]

My understanding is that astringent off flavor can come from a few things.. none of which fade over time. Sorry.

What did you use as a sanitizer for your bottles? I used a bleach-based sanitizer that was not intended for use in brewing one time. Terrible astringent / bleach flavor left behind... I stalled and retried bottles for months before reluctantly dumping the batch. I couldn't swallow more than a small sip it was so bad... and got no better over time.

This taste isn't "spit-take" bad. It is noticeable but not downright offensive.

Also, I used Star San in the proper dilution, so I don't think that's it.

 

[joetothemo]

Oooooof. LHBS diagnosed as a "bacterial-infection." Replaced all my racking equipment and currently bleach-bombing my entire brewery.

This a gut shot because I have one batch bottled and two others in the ferm closet that touched all my racking gear.

Praying to the beer gods to not have 3 more dumpers after this one.

 

[funkswing]

There is a good chance it wasn't your racking equipment. Keep up the hope! You said you kept peeking into your fermenter (taking off the lid), that's a no no if you can't be sanitary!

I hope your other ones turn out OK!