plastic/rubber taste

[nolabrew85]

So, in my last 3 beers, the only thing I did differently was rack into plastic carboy for secondary w a rubber stop. All 3 beers smell and taste like the rubber stop. I'm quite positive there was no infection. The taste isn't unbearable but it lingers in the background. Anyone had this? Remedy for future? Thanks

 

[tlayton92]

Maybe replace your stoper. And I only use glass carboys just in case any of the plastics could be transferred via scuffing from cleaning.

 

[nolabrew85]

That's a good point but I have use plastic buckets for primary and have never had this problem. Maybe I should switch to all glass. I usually make more robust beers, but this time I was trying to make some quaffable spring summer beers, so maybe I am just noticing the taste on these lighter beers for the first time. Don't know. Any other thoughts/advice welcome.

 

[tlayton92]

I use a plastic bucket for my primary for the fact that I do alot of high gravity beer that thinks it needs to ferment like crazy. You dont use a better bottle do you because my buddy has a similar issue with his.

 

[chumpsteak]

Better bottles don't cause a plastic taste, chlorophenols do though. The chlorine in your water and the chlorophenols they produce tend to be more obvious in the light summer time beers you are making now.

 

[nolabrew85]

I don't use better bottle. It is some generic PET carboy. But maybe its the water. I'm sure they treat the water from the muddy Mississippi w something. Should I filter?

 

[Puddlethumper]

I don't use better bottle. It is some generic PET carboy. But maybe its the water. I'm sure they treat the water from the muddy Mississippi w something. Should I filter?

I've been fighting a similar issue for a couple of months. After spending a bunch of time and money chasing an "infection" that I don't think existed, I've come to the conclusion that the problem is my water. If the water supply you are using contains chlorine at any level it may be your problem. Some chlorine sources cannot be boiled off.

You may be able to defeat it with a charcoal filter or buy some Camden tablets to add to your brewing water. You might also try buying bottled water if you can be certain it doesn't contain chlorine. I have opted to get my water from a private well where I know nothing has been added.

 

[nolabrew85]

I have been reading and it also looks like high fermenting and pitching temps but I always pitch at 70 degrees at highest and lower for lagers and on these beers I used a french saison yeast (3711) and US-05. The US-05 didn't get over 68 degrees. The saison got in the 70s at the end but o thought it was supposed to be able to handle that. Also, read that beer sitting on dead yeast for too long can cause these flavors, but none of them stayed in primary for more than 3-4 weeks. So all o can think is the thing about chlorine water or maybe wild yeast got in there (but I really doubt the latter).

 

[tlayton92]

Hmmmmm us-05 ive found is super sensitive to high pitching temp my father inlaw pitched is at 80 and his red ale tastes off apple cider

 

[rinhaak]

I have also dealt with this. Both a friend and I linked it to StarSan. I know that there are thousands of happy star San users out there (I know, I know... Dont fear the foam), but I found that my beers acquired this plastic taste when I used it. Once I stopped using it, the off flavor went away.

There is one hypothesis I've heard that suggests some sanitizers react with different waters differently. I'm not a chemist so I can't say. All I know is that I'm never again using StarSan.

 

[nolabrew85]

I'm at a loss. I am gonna bring samples of all 3 to a homebrew club meeting next week to see what they think after tasting it. If I figure anything out, I will post.

 

[chumpsteak]

I still say its chlorine or chloramines in your tap water. Put the water in your kettle the night before you brew and add a crushed up camden tablet. I used to get all kinds of funky off flavors including plastic, bandaid, and clove smells and flavors using us05 before I started doing this.

 

[nolabrew85]

I still say its chlorine or chloramines in your tap water. Put the water in your kettle the night before you brew and add a crushed up camden tablet. I used to get all kinds of funky off flavors including plastic, bandaid, and clove smells and flavors using us05 before I started doing this.

Thanks. I am gonna try another light beer using the campden tablets and see what happens. Sounds like it might work and would definitely be the cheapest and easiest remedy!