Off flavor in dark beer

[Danger_D]

Ok so I'm on my 11th batch of beer, and every dark beer I've brewed has the exact same off taste. The on my first stout it had this off taste and i read on the forum that it just needs time to age and the flavors will settle. Well I've been having a bottle about every month over the past year and the flavor is still there and possibly even more identifiable. I just made a brown ale and its aged for a month and its the SAME OFF FLAVOR! It only seems to be in my dark beer. I would describe the flavor as metallic and maybe a little acidic, or the opposite of sour flavor if that makes sense. But more metallic than anything. From what I've read it could be caused by oxidation, but i use a stainless steal pot. I do full boils with the lid of, and fallow the appropriate temps. I use my ingredients within a day or two from getting them from the homebrew store. I'm super contentious of getting a solid clean, rinse, then sanitize. Any ideas? I'm getting frustrated big time....

 

[LovesIPA]

All-grain or extract? What kind of water are you using? Do you know what's in the water?

 

[Danger_D]

I've done partial mash and extract. I use the tap water here in honolulu. My buddy next door just made an awesome porter with the same tap water. In fact none of his beers had had any off flavors like mine and all with just tap water.

 

[Danger_D]

And no, I've not been able to find a breakdown of the water from the water company here.

 

[FuzzeWuzze]

And no, I've not been able to find a breakdown of the water from the water company here.

Check the water thread i started in the Brew Science forum, maybe someone nearby has posted their info?

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f128/water-report-google-map-add-your-info-443918/

 

[DrCarterM]

Perhaps (I had this happen) your siphon hoses are either loose and sucking in air or not food grade and harboring mold.

I went on the cheap to Home Depot insted of ordering online there was no local store, and my lesson was learned after a few batches.

 

[DrCarterM]

If you are looking for a free h2o break down and test call up your local home depot. They have vendors trying to sell water softeners and filters all the time, so they will often offer free h2o analysis.

 

[flars]

If you are using water from a municipal source it is most likely treated with chlorine or chloramine. Does your buddy use campden tablets to treat his tap water?

 

[Danger_D]

My buddy doesn't use any softener pills or anything to treat his water. I used a yeast nutrient which I heard has zinc and can cause metallic flavors in dark beer so I assumed it was that. But since that batch I've brewed two other dark beers and didn't use it and still ended up with the same off flavors. The guy that owns the homebrew supply isn't very knowledgable about beer, and just says "the water here is good for brewing" but when I asked him about the water composition he just raised his eye brow in confusion.


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[Danger_D]

Perhaps (I had this happen) your siphon hoses are either loose and sucking in air or not food grade and harboring mold.

I went on the cheap to Home Depot insted of ordering online there was no local store, and my lesson was learned after a few batches.

At this point I'm not ruling out hoses, but every time I siphon my hoses soak in starsan for like an hour so I feel like it would kill any mold on there


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[Denny's Evil Concoctions]

What is your stout recipe?

 

[Danger_D]

I lost the stout recipe in my phone so here is the brown ale recipe with the same off flavor:

7 lb pale lem.
1/2lb dark brown sugar
1/2 lb munic malt
1/2lb Crystal malt 80
0.4lb chocolate malt
0.4lb honey malt
1.5oz fuggle hop
0.5oz williamette
Safe ale us05

 

[CanadianBacon]

Lots of bottle water here has fluoride like nestle, I was reading most bottled water is close to tap anyways. Lots of distillers use spring water or distilled water to avoid the concentrated tastes tho... Certain times of the year water is treated with bleach to clean the lines as-well, but they do get flushed. All my ciders and wine are tap water and i don't notice much. I actually enjoy the taste of tap water tho so that may be why.