New to kegging off flavor

[Wolfhound180]

My first kegged beer had a distinct off flavor that I thought was my fault. But I kegged another beer and it has the same flavor. I have bottled 12 batches before this and never had this taste to it.

It tastes yeasty. In a really bad way. It lasted the whole keg also. It was on the verge of undrinkable. I left the pale ale in primary for a month. (yoopers). I then kegged after fully sanitizing the tubing, keg, etc. I use the set it and forget it at about 12 psi and 10' beer lines as well. The fridge is at about 40 degrees.

Any ideas? I wanted to enter this beer in a competition because it was amazing last time I brewed it. It really is bad this time and the only variable is the keg.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[Wolfhound180]

Oh and these are two separate kegs that had been soaked in oxy clean with the o rings replaced as well.

 

[drhookmec]

Had the same issue with my kegged beer until i put one of these on my co2 inlet valve

Made a big difference no more Carbonic Acid after taste.

Tim

 

[akthor]

Did the ferment at a stable temp for the 30 days? I have one batch come out like that and it was one where I think I let the temps get too low and it and it didn't ferment all the way.

 

[karmak]

This is interesting to me since I got my first co2 tank this week and made a batch of club soda and found the co2 to be somewhat bitter. I was expecting some residual soda flavor but was surprised at how off putting it was. I have experience with Sodastream devices which taste fine.

 

[karmak]

OK, how about this? Pretty spendy, but I can see it being worth it if you suspect co2 to be the problem.

http://www.micromatic.com/draft-keg-beer/gas-equipment-pid-770SG-L1300.html

 

[ChadChaney]

Just my 2 cents, but try natural priming in the keg,with sugar and condition for 2 weeks, then hook up to co2. I find a better flavor that way, not a fan of the force carb, and if you have a pipeline going, makes no difference in time. I fins this also allows the beer to settle out some more so after it is chilled and co2 is added, you pour a yeasty/sediment beer or 2 and the rest is dynamite!

 

[mx5red]

I'm new to kegging... Just kegged two batches that were thick, and tasted bitter/yeasty when I've tried pouring them.

I'll admit I'm new to this, but my conclusion is that I siphoned to the kegs and then by putting them in the keezer, I was cold crashing all the yeast down into the bottom by the pick-up tube... which I'm now picking up when I pour. I'm gonna try siphoning to another keg to see if I can get clear beer off the top, and see if that helps the flavor as well...

 

[karmak]

Just my 2 cents, but try natural priming in the keg,with sugar and condition for 2 weeks, then hook up to co2. I find a better flavor that way, not a fan of the force carb, and if you have a pipeline going, makes no difference in time. I fins this also allows the beer to settle out some more so after it is chilled and co2 is added, you pour a yeasty/sediment beer or 2 and the rest is dynamite!

I wouldn't mind taking this route as well, but to get this going, I need to invest in more kegs... Maybe next year!

 

[akthor]

I find the opposite I prefer to hook the gas up and allow the keg to carb at serving pressure takes a good 3 weeks or so. But I can taste the difference between beers carbed with sugar and ones carbed with CO2 and to me carbed with sugar ones have that "homebrewy" taste. Folks don't know my beer is homebrew until I tell them it is.

 

[Wolfhound180]

Hmm. I'm not sure if the CO2 is the only thing to blame. I can't even taste the hops the off flavor is so bad. It could be though. I think next time I will try to cold crash the primary before going to the keg. Maybe use some gelatin or something as well.

Is it possible to have a bad CO2 fill? It's just depressing to have made such good beer and now they taste like crap in the keg.

 

[Wolfhound180]

I'm new to kegging... Just kegged two batches that were thick, and tasted bitter/yeasty when I've tried pouring them.

I'll admit I'm new to this, but my conclusion is that I siphoned to the kegs and then by putting them in the keezer, I was cold crashing all the yeast down into the bottom by the pick-up tube... which I'm now picking up when I pour. I'm gonna try siphoning to another keg to see if I can get clear beer off the top, and see if that helps the flavor as well...

This is a good idea. I would like to try this but would it be ok to transfer after it is already carbed up? Does it make a difference?

 

[stratslinger]

I'm new to kegging... Just kegged two batches that were thick, and tasted bitter/yeasty when I've tried pouring them.

I'll admit I'm new to this, but my conclusion is that I siphoned to the kegs and then by putting them in the keezer, I was cold crashing all the yeast down into the bottom by the pick-up tube... which I'm now picking up when I pour. I'm gonna try siphoning to another keg to see if I can get clear beer off the top, and see if that helps the flavor as well...

While this can, and does, happen, it's effects are typically limited to only the first couple pulls off the keg - especially if you're carbing using the set and forget method.

Think of it this way: You've just racked pretty darned clear beer (OP cited month-long primary prior to racking to keg) to a keg, then did a 1 or 2 week long cold crash. Sure, some yeast will likely settle to the bottom of the keg during that time. The keg's pick up tube also happens to be right at the bottom of the keg. So, when you pull the first pint, you suck up most of that yeast. When you pull the second pint, if there's anything left, you suck it up. After that, it's gone.

I have a buddy who primaries (I kid you not) for 10 days, then racks to a keg. The last keg I saw him hook up took 3 pints before he was pouring clear beer that was free of yeasty off-flavors.

I'm pretty certain yeast from cold crashing isn't at play here. That in-line CO2 filter mentioned above is $4. Not gonna break the bank to try it out, and it's far quicker to rule out than going down any of a number of other rabbit holes. Best of luck!

 

[Wolfhound180]

Had the same issue with my kegged beer until i put one of these on my co2 inlet valve

Made a big difference no more Carbonic Acid after taste.

Tim

Well I ordered a couple of these today. Hopefully they will do the trick.

 

[drhookmec]

Well I ordered a couple of these today. Hopefully they will do the trick.

I actually got the idea from reading an older post on here
and it worked.

Hope it works for you too.

Cheers

Tim

 

[karmak]

OK, how about this? Pretty spendy, but I can see it being worth it if you suspect co2 to be the problem.

http://www.micromatic.com/draft-keg-beer/gas-equipment-pid-770SG-L1300.html

Ok, I installed this today (Thursday) and sampled some carb water and I can definitely taste a difference. I'm going to try a different carb cap though. I don't like the performance I'm getting from the set I purchased from the crankenstein guy.

 

[Wolfhound180]

Ok, I installed this today (Thursday) and sampled some carb water and I can definitely taste a difference. I'm going to try a different carb cap though. I don't like the performance I'm getting from the set I purchased from the crankenstein guy.

Cool. I added the cheaper filter mentioned and I am waiting in it to carb up so we shall see when I get back from Mexico!

 

[ne0t0ky0]

Cool. I added the cheaper filter mentioned and I am waiting in it to carb up so we shall see when I get back from Mexico!

Any word on this?

When hooking it up, just an in-line splice? The webpage suggest hand-pump, anyone run this at normal keg psi? 10-15PSI @ 40F?

 

[Wolfhound180]

Any word on this?

When hooking it up, just an in-line splice? The webpage suggest hand-pump, anyone run this at normal keg psi? 10-15PSI @ 40F?

Yes I just spliced it in. I even ran it at 30 psi and it was fine.

 

[alestateyall]

Yes I just spliced it in. I even ran it at 30 psi and it was fine.

Was there any change in the beer taste?

 

[Wolfhound180]

It does taste better now. To me at least. I also started cold crashing before kegging to get the least amount of yeast in the keg as possible.