Northern English Brown - Tastes 'Tangy'?

[jjones17]

Howdy all! I am just wondering if anyone else gets a 'Tangy' taste from this style of beer... I have a feeling this is from the Chocolate Malt, as my process is down pretty good and my sanitation has been spot on. When I use chocolate malt in a porter or a stout, I do not get that at all though. I am guessing the 'black' malt is just overpowering the chocolate, however maybe my beer just has some kind of infection.

It was an all grain batch, 155F 60 minute mash temps spot on, and I used notty. The notty took a long time to start(3 days), so I pitched US-05 on top. My ferm temps are about 60-63 constant.

The flavour is hard to pinpoint, but TANGY definately comes to mind. Not overly disgusting, but almost. I do not want to say astringent, but this could almost qualify for that. Could this be from poorly stored yeast?

Anyway, just figured I would throw this out there....

 

[Ølbart]

I had a similar problem with a stout that got a bad packet of Nottingham and then a packet of US-05 after 3–4 days. A sort of dough-like sour flavour. It could be the dead yeast, but as my batch was a bit experimental, I'm not sure.

 

[jjones17]

Yes, your description is pretty close to what I am tasting as well. I am actually starting to think this is from the notty being poorly handled/stored/expired. Windsor website explains those factors can cause off flavours, which of course is just incidental but it does make sense. I thought about the PH factor also - given Palmers description of Tangy/astringent. However, I used very little Chocolate malt and my water is balanced well.

 

[phished880]

I just finished a keg of Northern Brown with Pacman and it had a tang, but I loved it. Not sure where it came from......

 

[fredthecat]

im glad you made a thread about this, astringent and tangy are definitely words i would use to describe the off flavour i got from using a nottingham in a porter. it hasnt faded with time and the only thing i could think of was the nottingham

 

[jmo88]

I'd try a different yeast. Nottingham is boring. It attenuates too high for a beer like this and would probably end up too crisp, or maybe tangy. Lower alcohol English beers like milds and browns need good yeast character. WLP023, 002, 005, 037 are all great for this complexity.