Strange taste

[drummerboyas157]

So I brewed my first beer it was an Old west Kit from my LHBS I dont know what the ingredients were i only know it had Wyeast 2308. I let it sit for 3-4 weeks in primary and its been bottles for about a month now. It looks great! But it has a strange taste I am hoping will go away. It was supposed to be an Oktoberfest.

It had the taste since i started testing it before being bottled and still has it. Its kind of a bitter plastic taste I guess. I just tried a Kamboucha the other night and it had the same strange flavor. Its very strong when you burp. Anyways I was just seeing if anyone had any ideas on what would be causing it I know theres not much you can probably tell me with out an ingredient list.

I have bottled a stout since then and about to bottle a cider, both taste great before i bottled without a hint of the strange taste from the Oktoberfest.

 

[jonmohno]

Thats weird if it has a taste like kombucha i brew and harvest it bi-weekly and it is influenced with wild yeast.
Is it a plastic band-aide taste. Look ito John Palmers How to brew online he has taste descriptions. This sounds like what you are describing.But without knowing more its hard to pinpoint a strange flavor.

 

[drummerboyas157]

So a year or so down the road and a couple batches done. So far they have all still had this taste a little. The first one I did was the strongest, and I couldnt even drink it. then next few were subtle and I only noticed it when I burped. I took a break for a while because I was discouraged and I just made a new brew a couple days ago.

So I hope this one turns out good, but as I think about i dont know why it will be any different. If it ends up with the same taste what do I do? I tasted another persons homebrew today with the same taste. But they say its not normal.

Anyway how do I solve this problem? What steps can I take to eliminate factors. Maybe next time I will use bottled water instead of boiled tap. I use B Brite cleaner which just says rinse with cold water after you sanitize. I wonder if I havent rinsed as much as I should.

What should I do not to waste further batches?

 

[drummerboyas157]

Also I ferment at room temp of 68 that might be on a little high end but the other choice is the garage and it gets really cold in the winter time

 

[eastoak]

are you brewing all grain or extract?

 

[drummerboyas157]

Its extract with some steeping grains that i kept 155-160

 

[DarthMalt]

Is your water from a well or is it municipal?

 

[drummerboyas157]

municipal. I have boiled all of it from the tap

 

[prpromin]

Your problem might be with the yeast and temp. 2308 is a lager yeast. According to the Wyeast website, 48-56 degrees is optimal, so a higher temp would throw off all sorts of odd flavors. My guess is too high of temp for fermentation.

 

[drummerboyas157]

I have done a few since then and I don't think that they were lager yeast right now I have a German ale yeast in my caramel cream ale batch, so I hope that it works out! But that's funny that one was a lager yeast the instructions were still for ale...dang box kits. That was the only box kit I have tried so far.

 

[blizzard]

Denver uses chloramines in their tap water. I would be surprised if CO-springs does too. Try using bottled water on your next batch and compare.

 

[drummerboyas157]

Ok I will try it. If you use bottled you dont need to boil it do you?

 

[eastoak]

Its extract with some steeping grains that i kept 155-160

try an all grain batch and see if you get the same off flavor.

 

[eastoak]

Ok I will try it. If you use bottled you dont need to boil it do you?

for topping off, no but it won't hurt either.

 

[drummerboyas157]

but to do all grain I need a lot more equipment, I don't have the money

 

[eastoak]

but to do all grain I need a lot more equipment, I don't have the money

if you buy a grain bag, some people use paint strainer bags from home depot, you could do all grain with the gear you have now. do a search for BIAB (brew in a bag) on there forums for lots more info. i don't know what those bags cost but i bet it's under $20.

 

[harlond]

if you buy a grain bag, some people use paint strainer bags from home depot, you could do all grain with the gear you have now. do a search for BIAB (brew in a bag) on there forums for lots more info. i don't know what those bags cost but i bet it's under $20.

Got a 5-gallon paint strainer 2-pack today for $4.49. Fits my 3+ gallon pot.

 

[DarthMalt]

Why not just try changing the water first? It could be as simple as that. If it's still the same, get your extract from somewhere else. Then, if it's the same try AG. One step at a time. No need to throw other variables into the mix when you haven't elimated the ones you started with.

 

[Rivenin]

Chloramines will cause that flavor. i'm dealing with that as we speak.
i have a post going with testing with disapating the chloramines with campden tablets... read up and hopefully it'll help a bit

buying water changed everything dramatically, it's expensive though

 

[DarthMalt]

Chloramines will cause that flavor. i'm dealing with that as we speak.
i have a post going with testing with disapating the chloramines with campden tablets... read up and hopefully it'll help a bit

buying water changed everything dramatically, it's expensive though

That's what I have to do as well. It kinda sucks spending another $10/batch just for bottled water, but at least the water is OK.

 

[eastoak]

Chloramines will cause that flavor. i'm dealing with that as we speak.
i have a post going with testing with disapating the chloramines with campden tablets... read up and hopefully it'll help a bit

buying water changed everything dramatically, it's expensive though

i have chloramine in my water to and do nothing more than filter it through an RV filter. the brewery down the street from my house uses the same water i do and they do nothing to the water. maybe some places use more chloramine?

 

[eastoak]

Why not just try changing the water first? It could be as simple as that. If it's still the same, get your extract from somewhere else. Then, if it's the same try AG. One step at a time. No need to throw other variables into the mix when you haven't elimated the ones you started with.

going to all grain brewing is not adding another variable it's taking one out of the equation.

 

[DarthMalt]

going to all grain brewing is not adding another variable it's taking one out of the equation.

Well yes, you lose the extract. However, adding a base grain (or several) and having the potential for an unconverted mash due to temperature swings, PH changes and mash volume certainly complicates things. Lets see there's also grain crush and sparge method too. Not to mention over/under attenuation due to incorrect mash temperatures. All of these can cause issues that contribute off flavors to an AG batch, or just simply an undrinkable beer. IMO one does not need to pay nearly as much attention brewing extract since most of the above is already done for you. That's why extract is used: to simplify things.

But getting to the point, without evaluating every possible contributing factor from the start (ie. the water or old extract) there's no reason to complicate the process and add more room for error and/or new problems. Especially since the same problem can occur again if it turns out to be the water. And, since I've had similar issues (as well as other people in this thread) and it turned out to be the water, that would be my next step.

Also, chloramine levels vary depending on the municipality and are not as easily removed as chlorine by a carbon filter. RO would certainly do the trick. Some people are also successful using Campden.

 

[chiteface]

Is your extract dme or liquid? Because I find that liquid leaves a bad taste and I gave up on liquid because of it.

 

[drummerboyas157]

I have used both, currently I am doing DME. The next thing I am going to try is bottled water. Can you do all grain without a full boil? Thanks for all the replies.

 

[chiteface]

I have used both, currently I am doing DME. The next thing I am going to try is bottled water. Can you do all grain without a full boil? Thanks for all the replies.

If you are using a regular pot on the stove I wouldn't...the thing for me is I have never been able to make the brew taste quite right with extract. I know in Palmer's book he talks about it being possible to create just as quality of a brew, but personally I haven't been able to pull it off. I feel like it is easier with all grain.

 

[drummerboyas157]

Ya i still can only do a 3gallon boil or so, someday soon i will get a turkey fryer.

 

[Rivenin]

That's what I have to do as well. It kinda sucks spending another $10/batch just for bottled water, but at least the water is OK.

you can go to a grocery store and get jugs filled... just saw new ones last night at my local freddies, it's like $1.70 or so to get a 5 gallon jug filled up with filtered water.

 

[drummerboyas157]

Ok so the caramel cream seems to be coming along well, i used tap water on that one still, but right now I dont taste that soapy plastic taste. I also just made a Belgian style wit and on the second day of fermentation it smells very soapy some reason. It smells like the taste I spoke of so I am a little worried. This time I used bottled water. Does fermentation usually smell like that? I dont remember it being that way before.

 

[DarthMalt]

Ok so the caramel cream seems to be coming along well, i used tap water on that one still, but right now I dont taste that soapy plastic taste. I also just made a Belgian style wit and on the second day of fermentation it smells very soapy some reason. It smells like the taste I spoke of so I am a little worried. This time I used bottled water. Does fermentation usually smell like that? I dont remember it being that way before.

I would wait until after fermentation is complete and the beer has been bottled, carbed and aged sufficiently before worrying about off flavors or smells. I've smelled some pretty weird stuff during fermentation before, none I would describe as soapy, but quite strange nonetheless. It could just be a matter of perception.

However, once all of the aforementioned are complete and you still have the off flavor, even after changing the water, try switching brands of extract. Then take it from there.

Of course, you may also have an infection on your hands. What is your cleaning method and what do you use for a sanitizer?

 

[drummerboyas157]

For sanitizer I use B-rite 1 tbps per gallon in warm water and then rinse 2 or 3 times with cold water.

Today I bought a six pack of New Belgium's Trippel Belgian style ale and I tasted a hint of this taste/smell in it. It is the first commercial beer I have encountered with this taste. But its only slightly when you burp.

 

[DarthMalt]

B-brite is not a sanitizer, as far as I know: it's a cleanser. It's used for cleaning. Also, even if it were a sanitizer, rinsing after use defeats the purpose of sanitizing since you wash away the sanitizer and basically recontaminate the once sanitary item.

I think you probably have a little infection going on there since you're not using anything to sanitize.

My advice would be to buy some no-rinse sanitizer and start sanitizing properly. Star San is excellent, as well as Iodophor. Clean your equipment by soaking it in B-brite, then sanitize anything that will come in contact with your wort post-boil with the sanitizer and simply let it drain off. Do not rinse! Sanitize immediately before using the item so the surface is still wet and effectively germ free.



EDIT: as for the taste comparison in the New Belgium, I really can't say much.

 

[drummerboyas157]

Well that is good to know lol. I thought it was a sanitizer for sure. But it says cleanser on it. At least i know what to try now. I am surprised my batches haven't been more infected than a little taste.