Souring after kegging?

[Elliott75]

I'd love some advice if possible. But this isn't an all grain problem.

I do a lot of extract beers, and corny keg them. Probably the last 5+ have all developed a sour taste after kegging. I think.

I say that, because my taste is absolutely rubbish after COVID, so I'm not sure. it's a souring of some sort (I think) not an after taste, but there right at the start. And I don't tend to taste it when I pour the very first flat pint as a tester after forced carbing.

I'm pretty good at cleaning stuff, that's what surprises me. I take the kegs apart, I run oxi through the lines, and I would probably say that my cleaning regime is pretty strong. I think.

Is there anything obvious that I could've missed? I try and get rid of any air post force carb for instance. When I transfer it to the keg it's a siphon transfer to the keg.

The obvious starter is probably to bottle a few and compare?

Not the most helpful post in the world. Sorry!

 

[foxy]

I'd love some advice if possible. But this isn't an all grain problem.

I do a lot of extract beers, and corny keg them. Probably the last 5+ have all developed a sour taste after kegging. I think.

I say that, because my taste is absolutely rubbish after COVID, so I'm not sure. it's a souring of some sort (I think) not an after taste, but there right at the start. And I don't tend to taste it when I pour the very first flat pint as a tester after forced carbing.

I'm pretty good at cleaning stuff, that's what surprises me. I take the kegs apart, I run oxi through the lines, and I would probably say that my cleaning regime is pretty strong. I think.

Is there anything obvious that I could've missed? I try and get rid of any air post force carb for instance. When I transfer it to the keg it's a siphon transfer to the keg.

The obvious starter is probably to bottle a few and compare?

Not the most helpful post in the world. Sorry!

When you say sour, what exactly is the taste you are experiencing? Any better description?

 

[Elliott75]

Well this is part of the problem. As well as having a **** palate at the best of times, COVID has really knocked my senses.

It doesn't completely ruin the beer, I still drink it. But the best I can describe is that it's the same taste as before, but with a tang that seems to just get more and more as I go down the keg.

Or I'm imagining it and looking for it now. It's hard because I don't have many beery friends over to help test. And particularly look for a change.

 

[foxy]

Well this is part of the problem. As well as having a **** palate at the best of times, COVID has really knocked my senses.

It doesn't completely ruin the beer, I still drink it. But the best I can describe is that it's the same taste as before, but with a tang that seems to just get more and more as I go down the keg.

Or I'm imagining it and looking for it now. It's hard because I don't have many beery friends over to help test. And particularly look for a change.

Being as it is a keg I was thinking a metalic taste? Passivate the keg and just see if it goes.

 

[Sadfield]

I'm inclined to think, that your post covid symptoms are muting some of the flavours of your beer that are linked to olfactory senses, and exposing those that aren't. Given that the taste isn't present in flat beer and develops with carbonation, what you may be tasting is carbonic acid from carbonation.

https://www.nbcnews.com/sciencemain/biology-behind-beers-bite-youre-tasting-carbonic-acid-6c10962819
I'd buy a couple of bottles of a commercial beer similar to those you brew. Completely degas one and then compare to the other. If you detect the off flavour in the fizzy one, then that may be your issue.

 

[YeastFace]

@Elliott75 IIRC you're in Epsom?

If so maybe @JockyBrewer can assist with aa tasting and help determine if there's an issue? And unless I've got the wrong Elliot then Jocky is a Palace fan too.

 

[Elliott75]

Still Epsom! By Ewell west station.

That's a great shout. I'll have a think about how best to make that work!

 

[Elliott75]

I'm inclined to think, that your post covid symptoms are muting some of the flavours of your beer that are linked to olfactory senses, and exposing those that aren't. Given that the taste isn't present in flat beer and develops with carbonation, what you may be tasting is carbonic acid from carbonation.

https://www.nbcnews.com/sciencemain/biology-behind-beers-bite-youre-tasting-carbonic-acid-6c10962819
I'd buy a couple of bottles of a commercial beer similar to those you brew. Completely degas one and then compare to the other. If you detect the off flavour in the fizzy one, then that may be your issue.

I don't think this is that far off the truth. I do wonder.

The taste is very apparent in the first mouthful of the first pint. I've wondered about co2 for a while.

 

[JockyBrewer]

Still Epsom! By Ewell west station.

That's a great shout. I'll have a think about how best to make that work!

Hey Elliott. We've exchanged messages on the BBS a few times too.

Happy to pop around and try the beer to see if I can help.