Home brew twang

[cmwood64]

I am totally convinced it is down to LME. Especially if it is old or poor quality. Last kit I made was a Sundew which was nearing the expiry date and it had a distinct twang. I think it is more noticeable in light flavoured kits like the Sundew kits. There are other off-flavours which may be mistaken for twang such as chlorophenol tastes from chlorinated water, but I would say the classic homebrew twang is LME related. Ensure the kit is as fresh as possible, use a campden tab in the water you make it with and use quality yeast to ferment. If you have temperature control for the ferment then that is ideal. In my experience two can kits are generally better than one cans, but they have to be fresh. The Festival Golden Stag is definitely one of the better kits available. I did one a few years ago and it was one of the best kits I did.

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[TheQuokka]

I think the "twang" referred to is the taste of the caramelisation inherent in lme, as it has to be boiled until it is reduced enough to fit in the tin. Kits are made with it because hop bitterness and sometimes essence can be easily incorporated (and some less reputable additives I suspect in some cases.) I think it is just more noticeable in some recipes than others.

Though there is another flavour that I found also in all-grain, but I am experimenting with the observation that it isn't present if I use a decent starter and make less effort to oxidise the wort...

While I can pretty much repeat professional wine tastings blind, I have yet to detect the reputed "cidery taste" of sucrose - and of course there is no scientific evidence or reason for it. The main advantage of dextrose is that it is supplied in a much finer form, so it dissolves easier.

 

[Sandimas]

I am totally convinced it is down to LME.

I agree - I've only ever got it with LME, not DME, so tend to use DME/spraymalt these days.

 

[Obfu]

In the thread below, I outlined my theory on the twang which I used to have but eliminated. My postulation was that treating water with CRS fixed the problem BUT the science behind water treatment doesn't support my claim. I suggested an experiment...
http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=65053

...That was September last year and I didn't need have any adequate way of keeping the four vessels equally warm in autumn/winter so I've waited. I think we're almost at a point where room temp will do, so the experiment will go ahead soon. I will post results.

I do think he twang isn't just one thing, but a combination of factors, and possibly there are two or three different 'twangs' so weren't not always solving the same poblem. Taste is funny like that. Anyway, my twang in kit beer was eliminated by treating water and using dme instead of sugar.
(Incidentally, I brew all grain now and have never the twang with that method. I'm doing this one last kit beer just in the name of science).

I hope the experiment will back that up, but let's see the results.

 

[mr_bridger]

I'll certainly be interested in the results. I brew AG and I've not had one decent pale beer yet, all have had some sort of odd taste. I've read loads about off flavours, but I honestly couldnt tell is it was one in particular, so assumed the dreaded "twang"
I've now bought loads of water treatment stuff to see if it's that. And ditching the lid during boil too since reading about DMS. (Used to have it about 30deg open so I didn't lose too much, sill me)
Then there's fermenting temperatures, I've usually manage to keep them reasonably low (19-22 ish) but now I'm contemplating a fridge, or just giving up all together.

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[Obfu]

Mr Bridger,
Get a water report from your local water authority, send off for a brewing water report or even better, see if there are any local breweries/micro-breweries you can talk to about water treatment in your area. That's what I did, spoke to a local brewery and it made all the difference. Once you know you've got water sorted, you can start eliminating other vectors if your beer still isn't quite there. Don't give up, there are too many great brewers on the forum who can help you get there, just ask.

My experiment will commence Sunday 28th May 2017, I will post results on the thread I linked to before.

 

[mr_bridger]

That's exactly what I've done, got my water report from phoenix, yet to brew with it yet, this weekend will be the test. Spoke with brewer at Twisted barrel ale and he pretty much told me what I needed too. If this don't fix it I'm stumped! Lol.

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[johnbarleycorn]

Since using a fermenter fridge and a simple stainless steel pot to ferment in, all controlled by an stc100.....never had an issue.......but before that it was so hit n miss I gave up for about 5 years....

 

[GhostShip]

Excuse my ignorance, but if LME is a possible cause of the twang, would all kits contain it?

 

[Covrich]

Excuse my ignorance, but if LME is a possible cause of the twang, would all kits contain it?

Whilst a lot of us think LME is a cause of twang I dont think it is a universal more a case of is it more susceptible to it, especially as it gets older it maybe deteriorates.

 

[terrym]

Excuse my ignorance, but if LME is a possible cause of the twang, would all kits contain it?

Wot I said earlier in this thread
"So its liquid malt extract that still gets my vote, which is what I've always thought. And that means a lottery. Sometimes you will get the twang and sometimes you won't. The only added conclusion I can reach is to avoid cheap or old kits and LME and you will reduce the risk. That said I use H&B liquid malt for brewing and its fine."