The Homebrew Twang experiment.

[terrym]

I also used to use an extract called "Brecon Malt" which definitely had a twang, but it was malt extract for baking rather than specifically for brewing and it gave the house beer a particular "character" in the day.

I did wonder about that yesterday when looking through the '25kg LME' thread. The number of homebrewers who buy 25kg LME must be quite limited. Far more likely that these 25kg drums of LME are for the catering trade and not homebrewers. And even if there are a few commercial brewers who top up the grain bill with LME (do they still do this) any traces of twang would likely be lost or they wouldnt be using LME.

 

[micklupulo]

AA there might well be something in this boil or no boil scenario. I remember back in the 80's I used to boil kits. However what is the difference between LME and a kit which has non hopped LME like Youngs AIPA. When I make an extract brew I never boil the LME only the hops in some DME for about 45 minutes. I steep grains for 45 minutes at 67C. Of three brews I made with this method a stout was fine but a Cwtch and Californian Common were undrinkable due to twang. I know more questions than answers but we need a multi variable experiment to sort it out.

I have and old printout in my brewing file headed Basic Guide to Brewing Kit Beers off www.homebrewing.org.uk/beer/uk-homebrewing-list/site/kits/kitbasic.htm with reference to boiling kits which states that adding cold water to wort that has just boiled is " the simplest way to ruin your beer and is how most off flavours in beer kits arise." He advises that the wort should be allowed to cool to room temperature before any cold water is added. That would perhaps make the resultant wort a little cool for fermentation though. It is academic to me as I do not boil kits but thought it might give the chemists among you something to debate!

 

[terrym]

I made up a 10 litre batch AG Pedigree clone based on a recipe I found and sampled it after 10 days in bottle yesterday. I have to say since returning to brewing and over 100 different beers from stouts to lagers, from kits, extract brews, partial mashes and AG this is the first time I have noticed a definite twang (although a few of the Muntons kits I did early on came close to it). Although the beer had only had 10 days in bottle, it was fully carbed after about 6 days, and had had a little conditioning in a cool place. However I have sampled other beers this early before and not noticed anything as bad as this. In fact another beer I have carbing at present is actually very very drinkable since I am testing out a minikeg and sampling along the way . Anyway I think the culprit was the 25g chocolate malt that was in the recipe (presumably for colour) which I nearly reduced on brewday, although I have used it in other beers without it coming across as 'bad'. So after all that I won't be opening another now for at least six weeks to see if the dreaded twang disappears. But it did get me wondering whether chocolate malt goes into darker LME which I believe is normally the main culprit for homebrew twang.

 

[Charles2020]

Hi guys, years ago I tried several kits, without exception they all had a classic “home brew” taste. I then did a full mash brew, same temperature control etc. and the result was exactly like a real ale from the pub, excellent and no “home brew” taste whatsoever. Perhaps no surprise as I’d just done what a brewery does, but on a very small scale.
My question is, can you brew a beer nowadays from a kit without it having that “home brew” taste?
Thanks, Charles

 

[samale]

There are loads of threads debating the issue this one is the latest.

 

[Graz]

I only brew kits, I don't really experience the "twang" now days and haven't for a long time but that's not to say I haven't had the odd one that's been off the mark but all still drinkable.

I put this down to a number of things:

1. I only brew premium kits i.e. at least 3kg of malt / two cans, no additional sugar unless supplied as part of the kit.
2. Temperature control - I use brew fridges so everything I make is kept at a constant 20°C unless the yeast in use dictates otherwise. No sticking it in a warm room and hoping for the best.
3. I now serve my beer chilled from Cornelius kegs. This has been a recent upgrade and I now force carbonate rather that secondary ferment but I think it gives a "cleaner" end product.
4. It may be none of the above and I'm just really lucky that we have good water here.

As above this has been discussed a lot and many folk have different outcomes and opinions.

 

[trummy]

Just bottled 2 kits, Richies Exmoor Stag and Summer Gold (or similar named) and reading the above I may have a problem! I usually brew in May and September as I can keep the brew at around 20 deg C, but due to the lockdown I have done these extras. At the height of the heat wave they just about maxed out at 25 Deg whilst brewing - warmer than usual. Due to circumstances it was 3 weeks before the first barrel was bottled and four weeks before the second (from the point the yeast was added )
It will be interesting to see how they turn out. I seem to have broken a lot of 'do nots' -I am not aware of any 'twangs' over the last few years of brewing. I treat tap water the day before with a campden tablet and do not use a secondary FV, actually brewing in the barrel. - I will report back when I try these two brews

 

[TrevT]

I had the twang in every kit I made. I switched to using cheap spring water instead of tap water in the last two kits I brewed. Both came out superb with no twang at all. The yeast reacts badly with the chlorine in the tap water and causes the twang.

 

[trummy]

A little late! Both kits were fine. I have reached a point were I do not expect any off flavours now

 

[GhostShip]

I had the twang in every kit I made. I switched to using cheap spring water instead of tap water in the last two kits I brewed. Both came out superb with no twang at all. The yeast reacts badly with the chlorine in the tap water and causes the twang.

I have made kits with bottled spring water and still got the twang. Water is definitely not the whole story.

 

[Scottyburto]

I think it's stressed yeast from a number of factors:

Too much chlorine in water

Too hot/cold (this could be when adding yeast or during fermentation & also large temp fluctuations(EG. Day vs Night)

Not enough yeast nutrients

Badly produced/Faulty kits

Too much extra spray malt being added

Bad practices

 

[Longhead23]

Afternoon all,
I haven’t brewed in an age. I don’t currently have the time, space or equipment to do all grain, so I’d like to get brewing kits.
I’ve done a few in the past and followed the instructions strictly. As we have very heavy water where I live, I have purchased Ashbeck water from Tesco. I thought this may get rid of that "Home Brew Twang", but I have only ever had one brew where I couldn’t detect this. It has been quite soul destroying to wait 6 weeks for a beer only to find that they are rather unpleasant.
So, can anyone advise why this is happening, and what I can improve to eliminate the problem?
Also, my previous kits where IPA kits. Are there any kits (IPA or otherwise) that you would recommend? And are there any adjustments that you would make away from the enclosed instructions. I do have a fermentation fridge to help with the fermentation temp.
TIA

Threads merged C-T

 

[AnimatedGIF]

I have done a number of kits, and recently started using tap water instead of Ashbeck. I have only had a twang with a couple of kits (Wheryy and Harvest bitter if I recall, both done with Ashbeck - I'm not saying Ashbeck was the cause). Now I use tap water with half a campden tablet placed in an hour or so before I brew. I can't really tell the difference. I have brewed Woodforde's Bure Gold and Midas Touch Gold (which really wasn't gold at all) using tap water, and the Bure Gold was especially good. In fact, I have brewed it before using Ashbeck water and honestly don't think one was better than the other. It's probably my faviourite kit to brew and the least "homebrew-tasting" kit I have done.
I am currently transitioning to AG (I will still do kits too), but time is also an issue for me right now as I am trying to move house, so kit's are a great way to knock out a batch in 30 mins or so.

 

[Random Badger]

If it's not the water then fermentation temperature control and ensuring good cleaning and giving each stage enough time seem to be the standard advice. And don't use ordinary table sugar.

There is actually a lengthy thread about this: The Homebrew Twang experiment.

 

[Random Badger]

Regarding kits everyone seems to rave about Youngs American IPA - mine is currently bottle conditioning so looking forward to trying it.

Coopers Stout and St Peter's Cream Stout seem to have a solid reputation if you fancy something dark.

I recently picked up some bargains from The Range: Make Your Own American IPA Kit and Make Your Own Irish Stout Kit which both get good reviews, but I haven't got around to making them yet.

 

[Longhead23]

Regarding kits everyone seems to rave about Youngs American IPA - mine is currently bottle conditioning so looking forward to trying it.

Coopers Stout and St Peter's Cream Stout seem to have a solid reputation if you fancy something dark.

I recently picked up some bargains from The Range: Make Your Own American IPA Kit and Make Your Own Irish Stout Kit which both get good reviews, but I haven't got around to making them yet.

Coincidentally, the Youngs American IPA is the one kit that I was really pleased with. Maybe i should give it another go...

 

[Didge]

Thankfully beer kits have come a long way in the past decade, and the "twang" is less common nowadays.
In terms of eliminating off flavours:

1. Pay a little extra for a good quality kit.
2. Avoid pouring boiling water onto the liquid malt extract, I stop the kettle half way before its boiled.
3. Remove chlorine from water using half a campden tablet, I do this a couple of hours before adding yeast.
4. Resist the urge to keep checking it, keep the lid on to avoid introducing oxygen.
5. Ignore the instructions and leave the yeast for a full 2 weeks to ferment and tidy itself up.
6. Keep the bottles cool and out of sunlight.

in terms of quality kits, the following should all make a good brew:

1. As mentioned previously, the Youngs AIPA is great and comes with 100g of hops.
2. Love Brewings "Presidents Sierra" makes my personal favourite.
3. Mangrove Jacks "Juicy IPA"
4. Mangrove Jacks "Pink Grapefruit IPA"

Finally, if you prefer your IPAs hoppy then consider buying some extra dry hops. Some kits only contain 50g, which is a touch low for my taste buds.

 

[Longhead23]

Thankfully beer kits have come a long way in the past decade, and the "twang" is less common nowadays.
In terms of eliminating off flavours:

1. Pay a little extra for a good quality kit.
2. Avoid pouring boiling water onto the liquid malt extract, I stop the kettle half way before its boiled.
3. Remove chlorine from water using half a campden tablet, I do this a couple of hours before adding yeast.
4. Resist the urge to keep checking it, keep the lid on to avoid introducing oxygen.
5. Ignore the instructions and leave the yeast for a full 2 weeks to ferment and tidy itself up.
6. Keep the bottles cool and out of sunlight.

in terms of quality kits, the following should all make a good brew:

1. As mentioned previously, the Youngs AIPA is great and comes with 100g of hops.
2. Love Brewings "Presidents Sierra" makes my personal favourite.
3. Mangrove Jacks "Juicy IPA"
4. Mangrove Jacks "Pink Grapefruit IPA"

Finally, if you prefer your IPAs hoppy then consider buying some extra dry hops. Some kits only contain 50g, which is a touch low for my taste buds.

Thanks very much for taking the time to reply. Sounds like good advice. Not used a Camden tablet before, so this may be key. Appreciate the recommendations too. Cheers.

 

[Darren Jeory]

Every beer I brew has the same after taste to greater or lesser degree. The pilsner I am drinking as we speak isn't bad but has that classic after taste.

Been in the bottle 2 months now..must can't shake it. The beer would be awesome if it wasn't for that. Doesn't matter what I brew, how I brew it or how well I sanitise.

Please help...wish you could taste to understand

 

[MmmBeer]

How are you brewing, kit, extract or all grain?
There are many reasons for off flavours in beer, but the usual 'homebrew twang' is usually put down to the use of liquid malt extract, as used in kit beers.
Are you doing any water treatment?
What are you cleaning and sanitising with, as some can cause issues?