Off flavor/smell that will NOT GO AWAY. HELP!

[steelebrew]

Electrical fire would point to wild yeast infection, if it is more plastic and medicinal it is probably chlorine is your water, do you use tap water if so get some test strips.

 

[garbs]

I have had about six batches go bad due to this same "burnt rubber" taste/aroma. I notice they both get stronger the closer to the yeast. Also, the yeast looks weird during primary, it gets these little "balls" about the size of bb's. I have done all the things Orr mentioned. Replaced gear, focused on sanitation, used starters, worried about chlorine, over rinsed, watched ferm temps closer, used new vials of yeast, re-pitches. I had two batches turn out drinkable the difference in them was I used US-05. My latest conclusion is, that my yeast was degrading due to high storage temp. I keep it in my lager fridge at what used to be about 50 degrees. The only reference I could find to "burnt rubber" taste was in Noonan's book and he said it was yeast degradation. A friend keeps trying to point me in the direction of autolysis, but my last batch went bad in about 9 days, and I racked it to secondary at day 7. I am at a total lose here.

Thanks.

I swear that I have this exact same issue. There is a strong rancid rubbery off smell/flavor that gets much worse the closer you get to the yeast. I've only ever had this problem in batches where I use english yeast, filtered tap water (with campden for chlorine) and keep the beer in the primary for 2+ weeks. I usually swirl up the trub when I'm cleaning to make it easier to pour out, and if I smell the result, it's really quite awful.

I'm really leaning towards autolysis but I see stuff all over the web about it being a big myth. Part of me is starting to wonder if it's some kind of reaction between the yeast and something in my city's water. I do full boils, so I don't add back any tap water that could be causing the issue.

I just did a pumpkin ale using London ESB yeast and spring water, so that will likely be the true test. As much as I hate spending $10/batch on spring water, I haven't had a bad batch yet when I've used it.

 

[NickyD]

I'm wrestling with the same issue; I am thinking infection.

 

[mhot55]

I've had same exact issue. "Burnt eletrical wires" smell and a strong plastic taste on a few batches in the past. They were never consecutive batches, just 2 or 3 times over a 8-10 batch period. This led me to believe it wasn't a equipment or procedure (cleaning/ snaitizing) problem. However, I did change plastic tubing (they are cheap and why take the risk). After a bit of research, I narrowed it down to POSSIBLE chlorophenols or chloromines or whatever the hell they're called. These are present in your tap water to some varying degree or another. At most times my water supply (NYC) is fine, but during the summer months, more chlorine is present in the water. I started using Campden Tablets (1/4 a tablet per 5 gallons) (or use potassium metabisulfate-it's the same thing but in powder format not tablet). Put you water in a bucket, crush the tab/ desired amount and let it sit (some say overnight, i just give it a few minutes to an hour). I have not had the problem since i started doing this, and I've made alot of batches in the summer. Maybe it's just dumb luck. But eithr way, no problems with plastic smells/taste since

 

[NickyD]

In reading up on this issue, it seems I have come across a lot of people in NYC with a similar problem. Glad the Campden Tablets are working.

 

[adc123]

Reading this thread again, I am noticing the same things most people have to. I have looked at alot of variables but I want to ask everyone which yeast strain they are using when the taste comes up. I am personally using US-05. Thanks!

 

[panthos]

I've been brewing for a few years now with never a batch going "bad", but I recently did a strong ale (using US-05) and had this strange smell/taste. In mine, it almost has the smell and taste of water that comes from a garden hose. After ruling out the most likely causes for phenolic off-flavors, I'm fairly convinced it was the yeast. I've used US-05 a few times before with no issues, but with this batch, it had an unusual lag period followed by a slower and less aggressive ferment. I maintained a stable temp of 68F. It took several more days for it to complete than usual, and it also did not attenuate as fully as it usually does (by a long shot, not just a few percentage points). I didn't check the date on the package (now long gone), but I'm wondering if it was either woefully outdated (very low viability) or if it was contaminated. My only hope is that somehow a long aging will help this beer. This might be my first bad batch... Sad...

EDIT: After a couple of weeks of cold storage, it seems like this flavor and smell is diminishing more and more. This leads me to believe it was definitely the yeast, as I don't believe chlorophenols from chlorinated water (which seem similar to this band-aid effect) for example ever go away. Someone correct me if I've misspoken though. Cheers!

 

[Beerbeque]

I think it's the water.I had similar issues a few times and tracked it down to my undersink water filter. I now use a solid block carbon filter for my brewing, rinsing and sanitizing water. I replace the filter cartridge regularly. I also mix my star san with the same filtered water. These measures have solved my problem. Good luck to you other guys with your off-flavor problems.