Metallic Taste in all beer in new keezer

[NotSoModernMan]

So I built a new keezer with four taps. Used stainless steel shanks, peerless faucets, a new Kegco secondary regulator with 4 gauges, red food grade pvc gas hose, 3/16” ID ultra barrier silver beverage line hooked up to 10lb food grade C02 bottle (newly acquired from Airgas) I moved 2 kegs from the old kegerator (1-cocoa porter and 1 Belgian brown ale) both which tasted great in the old kegerator. I added a keg of Two Hearted clone that just finished fermenting and force carbonated. The brown ale tasted fine and so did the coco porter for a few days. The Two hearted also tasted solid in carbonated, but once carbonated I started to notice a metallic taste. The same metallic taste was found in the other two beers as well now, but not quite as pronounced. I cleaned with BLC and rinsed all the lines once hooked up.

Logic tells me something is off on the gas. Even though it is food grade has anyone ever run into an issue with a food grade C02 causing a metallic taste? I tried pouring a few ounces to clear the line then pour a fresh glass and I still get the same taste. Could it be the PVC lines, the shanks? Is there something I am missing or does anyone have any ideas?

 

[day_trippr]

The proprietary tubing made by EJ Beverage - including their "silver barrier" line - has disappointed quite a few folks here, typically leading to a switch.
I would keep that in mind, and if you want to switch to a far superior beer line, get EVABarrier tubing.

That said, it seems unlikely it would take days to notice a character contribution from the lines with a pair of "moved" kegs. I'd think it would appear with the first pour or two. Otoh, presuming those kegs were fully carbonated already, if there was a problem with the "CO2" make-up, would it affect those kegs in a few days? I don't know the answer to that one either.

I use BLC and it only does good things, so I don't think it's a cleaner residue problem.

fwiw, I just had my oxygen cylinder filled today and had a long chat with a couple of the local AirGas operators. I had a brief scare that my 20 pound CO2 siphon tank had something less than food grade but they confirmed that all of the CO2 they sell comes from the same process and resides in the same (massive) tanks, so what's sold as food grade is the same as for industrial applications...

Cheers!

 

[yoop89]

I was searching for a similar answer shortly after I bought a brand new taprite 2 product regulator. It eventually disappeared on its own but a member here chimed in later on and said that all new regulators should be “purged” at a high pressure/with no hoses connected to get rid of any oils or contaminants left over from assembly.

Being an engineer myself and in the manufacturing industry I wouldn’t think that something sold for serving beverages would come “dirty” but it does seem like cheap insurance against losing a keg of beer or two to off flavors and I plan to do that to any new regulators I buy once I build my keezer.

 

[Miraculix]

I was searching for a similar answer shortly after I bought a brand new taprite 2 product regulator. It eventually disappeared on its own but a member here chimed in later on and said that all new regulators should be “purged” at a high pressure/with no hoses connected to get rid of any oils or contaminants left over from assembly.

Being an engineer myself and in the manufacturing industry I wouldn’t think that something sold for serving beverages would come “dirty” but it does seem like cheap insurance against losing a leg of beer or two to off flavors and I plan to do that to any new regulators I buy once I build my keezer.

I guess that it highly depends on the country the item comes from.... A food grade item here in Germany should actually be food grade. I guess in the USA it should be almost the same, maybe some little variations to the standards but with a similar outcome. I somehow don't trust the Chinese manufacturers regarding this matter...

 

[NotSoModernMan]

I was searching for a similar answer shortly after I bought a brand new taprite 2 product regulator. It eventually disappeared on its own but a member here chimed in later on and said that all new regulators should be “purged” at a high pressure/with no hoses connected to get rid of any oils or contaminants left over from assembly.

Being an engineer myself and in the manufacturing industry I wouldn’t think that something sold for serving beverages would come “dirty” but it does seem like cheap insurance against losing a keg of beer or two to off flavors and I plan to do that to any new regulators I buy once I build my keezer.

Thanks Yoop,
The idea that the regulator may need to be flushed could make sense. When I force carbonate, I do do at around 25-30 psi. Since I had run nothing through the regulator at that point could possibly explain why I am getting a stronger metallic taste from that beer. I wonder if I should change the gas line hoses at this point also or at least soak them in some PBW to ensure any oils that could have gotten into them are gone.

 

[NotSoModernMan]

The proprietary tubing made by EJ Beverage - including their "silver barrier" line - has disappointed quite a few folks here, typically leading to a switch.
I would keep that in mind, and if you want to switch to a far superior beer line, get EVABarrier tubing.

That said, it seems unlikely it would take days to notice a character contribution from the lines with a pair of "moved" kegs. I'd think it would appear with the first pour or two. Otoh, presuming those kegs were fully carbonated already, if there was a problem with the "CO2" make-up, would it affect those kegs in a few days? I don't know the answer to that one either.

I use BLC and it only does good things, so I don't think it's a cleaner residue problem.

fwiw, I just had my oxygen cylinder filled today and had a long chat with a couple of the local AirGas operators. I had a brief scare that my 20 pound CO2 siphon tank had something less than food grade but they confirmed that all of the CO2 they sell comes from the same process and resides in the same (massive) tanks, so what's sold as food grade is the same as for industrial applications...

Cheers!

Thanks Day_trippr

 

[NotSoModernMan]

Update. Thanks everyone for your replies and sharing of experience. I removed the c02 hoses and soaked them in PBW. Also blew out the secondary regulator under 30 psi at each connection. Reconnected everything and I have no more metallic taste. So my guess is some oil from the new secondary regulator got in the lines and provided the unpleasant aftertaste.
Now I can enjoy and share my Coco Porter, Apple Butter Belgian Brown, Karl Hearted IPA and Closet Cleaner Rye Farmhouse to my hearts content. Happy Brewing everyone.