Metallic Taste After 1 Week in Corny Keg?

[gmcardle]

So I kegged a Cascade IPA last week and had it sitting on CO2 at 12psi for 7 days. I just tried some and it tasted crap, a very strange metallic taste and the nice aromas there were there prior to kegging have now gone.

The only thing I've done differently since my last IPA (same recipe, except the hops) was to add brewferm head improver to the keg before closing and I had also washed out and sanitized the corny keg with StarSan HB and didn't rinse (first time using StarSan HB)?

For now I've turned off the CO2 to see if it's anything to do with it over carbing but at 12psi for a week I doubt it is.

BTW I've never had this off flavour before on any of my other all grain brews except for a 'wet cardboard' taste which was due to over carbonation so I'm not sure what causing this. I also use a stainless steel pot for all my boils too.

 

[GilSwillBasementBrews]

I've never used brewferm head improver but my guess would be that's your culprit.

I've used starsan plenty without rinsing. Don't fear the foam and all that. And I've never had an offtaste due to using it.

And "wet cardboard " is more commonly associated with oxidation as opposed to over carbonation. Over carbed is generally perceived as a sharp biting taste due to the excess co2 in solution or creation of carbonic acids. Just my $.02

 

[mbbransc]

What did you use to wash your keg and how well did you rinse before StarSan? I got a metallic taste on a couple kegs and after looks of inquiry and looking at my process, I determined I was not rinsing my OxyClean well enough before using StarSan. I haven't had that off-flavor since.

 

[BlueHouseBrew]

This is a long-shot, but it happened to me with a brand new keg.... Take a look inside your diptube for rust. I had one that looked fine on the outside, but somehow rusted on the inside. Beer drawn out of the keg had a metallic taste. Luckily, the beer in the keg wasn't ruined and swapping the diptube solved the problem.

 

[ong]

I wonder if it's just a carbonic acid bite that you're tasting? One thing that may help bring back some of your aroma is adding a charge of hops to the keg (I generally just drop a weighted muslin bag of hops into the keg and leave it as long until the keg kicks, although many people like to remove it after some period).

 

[gmcardle]

What did you use to wash your keg and how well did you rinse before StarSan? I got a metallic taste on a couple kegs and after looks of inquiry and looking at my process, I determined I was not rinsing my OxyClean well enough before using StarSan. I haven't had that off-flavor since.

I used W5 Oxy Powder from Lidl which was recommended on various home brew forums. I think I rinsed like 2-3 times before using StarSan...but yes it could be from the W5 Oxy.

 

[gmcardle]

I wonder if it's just a carbonic acid bite that you're tasting? One thing that may help bring back some of your aroma is adding a charge of hops to the keg (I generally just drop a weighted muslin bag of hops into the keg and leave it as long until the keg kicks, although many people like to remove it after some period).

I'm thinking it could be something to do with the CO2 alright, I might leave it off the gas for a few days to see if the aromas come back. I'd overcarbed a brew before when left at 30psi and I managed to fix it simply by leaving it off the gas for a few days.

 

[gmcardle]

I wonder if it's just a carbonic acid bite that you're tasting?

I agree that it was carbonic acid bite...perhaps a little to much carb. So I let it for a few days off the gas and purged headspace a few times. The metallic taste has almost disappeared and it tasting much better (probably ageing too). I think the gauges on my gas regulator are off as I'd overcarbed two beers now at 12psi....setting at 6psi for a week seems to work well for me.

 

[beskone]

I just did the same thing with an IPA.

Carbonic bite sucks. Degassed the keg a bit a lowered to 10psi. It's gloriously delicious again.

My wheat's and saisons are great carbed to 12psi with my setup, but pales ales and IPA's seem happiest at 10.

 

[gmcardle]

I just did the same thing with an IPA.

Carbonic bite sucks. Degassed the keg a bit a lowered to 10psi. It's gloriously delicious again.

My wheat's and saisons are great carbed to 12psi with my setup, but pales ales and IPA's seem happiest at 10.

Carbonic bite does suck, especially when your mates have just dropped in to taste your new home brew! I've learned so much on this forum on how to fix things, it's great!

When I tasted my Cascade IPA a couple of days ago initially it had a very overwhelming metallic/wet cardboard taste, something I honestly didn't think I could fix. But after taking it off the gas, leaving it out of the kegerator for a day or two and purging the head space now and again it tastes so much better. There is still a slight after taste but nothing like it was before so it certainly has improved based on the advise I received here. I'm also going to carbonate my IPA at around 6-8psi for a week due to my own setup, anything over that seems to give me issues.

One thing I've learned starting out with all grain is that if you think you've totally destroyed your home brew, you haven't...with the correct advise and patience you can correct a lot of mistakes and get your beer tasting great again.

THANKS SO MUCH GUYS!!!

 

[MuddyCreek]

Sanitizer is a wonderful thing, as long as you use it in the proper ratios. Overdo it and you get some off-flavors that can significantly present themselves particularly in milder products.

Go ahead, ask me how I know that.

 

[ong]

I've discovered I really prefer my beers way below the carbonation levels the style "demands." Even hoppy, dry IPAs I tend to like at 1.8-2 volumes of CO2 (or lower), which many perceive as flat. Carbonation takes some dialing in for sure!