Metallic taste stout

[43North]

My very first batch was an extract imperial Stout, the DME came in cans that I had to warm up. I open the cans but left the lid on so I could rinse some of that extract off the lid as well. On my last can the lid came off the canned and dropped in the pot. I tried to retrieve it but I thought well the hot water is going to sterilize the lid so I left it in. Eight months later my stout has a strong metallic taste probably from the unprotected lid that soaked for an hour.
This was probably my first Rookie mistake but I didn’t find out for eight months. Bummer.
Anyone have a solution to cover up a metallic taste?

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

metallic taste

IIRC, metallic taste is an off flavor associated with stale (oxidized, old) liquid extract (see BBR Aug 25 / Nov 17 2005 for a list of potential off flavors).

The book BYO Big Book of Homebrewing (1e, 2015, p 19?) offers a technique for assessing the quality of the extract (liquid or dry) on brew day. I've used this technique once (earlier this year) with a package of LME. I found that the technique works well for assessing the quality of LME before fermenting / packing wort made with stale LME.

"Packaged on" date for the product is a consideration; but be aware that improper storage or shipping may cause liquid extract to go stale quickly (link to 2016 article).

DME doesn't oxidize as quickly as LME and appears to be more tolerant to hot storage/shipping conditions. I've use 18 month old DME on occasion without issue or concern.

I'm not aware that DME comes in cans, so maybe the metallic flavor is coming from the can lid.

I don't know if there is a fix for the metallic off flavor.

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edits: formatting

 

[D.B.Moody]

the DME came in cans

No it didn't. You didn't have dry malt extract (DME), you had liquid malt extract (LME), and it was probably old and degraded. That errant lid had nothing to do with the problematic taste. Quit buying LME in cans. Find a source that sells fresh LME. Better yet, switch to actual DME to avoid the problems of LME age and storage.

Edit: If this was a kit, the same advice applies: Find a place that sells freshly made up kits. Better yet, get away from kits and buy the makings.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

@43North : can your provide

• the recipe including the specific brands / styles of ingredients?
• brew day process and brew day notes?
• the source for water (and it's mineral content if it wasn't RO/distilled water)?

 

[43North]

This was my first batch and my notes are practically nonexistent for this day. I’m pretty sure it was the lid I took off the can of DME that fell into the pot and I left it. I was afraid to shut down the heat and fetch it out because I thought it would screw up the process.

 

[DBhomebrew]

This was my first batch and my notes are practically nonexistent for this day. I’m pretty sure it was the lid I took off the can of [L]ME that fell into the pot and I left it. I was afraid to shut down the heat and fetch it out because I thought it would screw up the process.

I would've fished it out. It's probably coated in some plastic something or other.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

This was my first batch and my notes are practically nonexistent for this day.

It was either a kit or you have a custom recipe (as well as where you ordered ingredients).

If you want us to help, please share either the kit name and supplier (ideally a URL to the specific product) or the custom recipe (and source of ingredients).

I’m pretty sure it was the lid I took off the can of DME that fell into the pot

I'm open to the possibility that DME comes in cans. A kit name or the custom recipe (with source for ingredients) would be helpful to confirm that DME actually does come in cans.

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FWIW, a basic web search for metallic off flavors in home brewing will show a number of possible causes beyond stale LME.

 

[Bobby_M]

OP wrote "DME" twice, but I'm quite certain he means LME. For clarity DME is a dry powder and LME is a thick liquid syrup.

It's possible that the lid contributed to a metallic flavor, but I wouldn't be certain about it. Metallic off flavors can be from iron in the water and also from the boiling pot. If the pot was aluminum and the oxide layer was disturbed or stainless steel and had some surface rust, either could do it.

FWIW, I would recommend a slightly less ambitious style of beer for the next one. Imperial anything is usually a varsity game.

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

Anyone have a solution to cover up a metallic taste?

If the metallic taste is due to minerals, the taste probably won't "age out" over time. If you don't need the bottles / keg immediately, one option would be to sample one bottle every month until it's gone (or you want to re-use the packaging). This would confirm to you that metallic flavors can (or can not) 'age out'.

Blending with a similar beer (to dilute the mineral contents) is an option. This may dilute the metallic taste to a level where you don't notice it.

Blending with a smaller stout (perhaps with a commercial stout) could be an interesting experiment - it wouldn't be an Imperial Stout, but it would demonstrate that the metallic flavors can be covered up.

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eta: yes, blending could be considered "throwing good beer after bad". But ...

... with a single 12 oz bottle of good beer, one could make three different samples

• 2 oz good beer, 2 oz 'bad' beer (this ratio seems useful)
• 4 oz good beer, 2 oz 'bad' beer (this ratio might be useful)
• 6 oz good beer, 2 oz 'bad' beer (try this ratio for 'science' )

 

[BrewnWKopperKat]

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/threads/ever-dumped-a-brew-regrets.684819/post-9338810