Frustrating off flavours

[giraffe]

I have been experiencing much frustration with off flavours on two recent brews, infact the off flavour on both is very similar and I can't work out what it is!

The first brew was a Better Brew IPA, made up as instructions. Tasted every now and again, but after 6 months I ended up pouring it down the sink

I'm not very good at describing tastes, and have gone through lists of common off flavours and none really match exactly. It is a slight sour taste, and smells and tastes a bit like play dough. It certainly isn't a nice taste, although I do find after a pint you don't notice it so much :sick: Just worried that maybe I shouldn't be drinking it, although not been ill yet

I have had successful brews since the dreaded IPA, but I have just started trying a Coopers Australian Lager (with modifications of nottingham yeast and amarillo hops) Its been conditioning for about 10 weeks, and the play dough taste is back :wha:

I am always very religious with sanitising, although the signs do seem to be pointing to an infection? At time of bottling both brew had no mold and tasted ok-ish out of the fermenter. The off flavour seems to get worse whilst in the bottles.

Any suggestions would be greatly received, and if there are any brave souls out there I would happily post a bottle of the stuff for further analysis :pray:

 

[pittsy]

could it be astringent you are tasting , the taste is like a bit sharp/sour but not quite sour and leaves a bit of a dry ish taste and possibly tingle on your tongue . This could be down to water , you may have water better suited for darker beers or possibly too much sulphate in your water which would be good for hoppy beers but not so much for light ish hopped beers , it could also be tannins if ag from your sparging .

 

[giraffe]

Just looked up astringent, I don't think its that as I wouldn't say it was sharp and not that sour, the taste is more of an aftertaste rather than an initial taste. And it does have quite a smell to it which matches the taste. Can water really make that much of a difference? Both used tap water but I do put in half a campden tablet as the water here tastes strongly chlorinated.

 

[dazer23866]

where do you get your water from? do you fill up from a hose outside as i had an off taste, and that was the problem

 

[giraffe]

No, kitchen tap. I live in a flat so there is no outside tap :)