Tangy Beer Taste

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craigcampbell

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I’m a new home brewer, brewing from extracts. I’ve done four brews so far of four different styles and yeasts. I did use the same Wyeast nutrient.

All four have the same tangy aftertaste. It’s not unpleasant or anything, but I don’t think it’s supposed to be there and makes them all taste similar.

Does this sound like a common newbie issue? Any thoughts on what to change?

Thanks!
 
Can you describe "tangy"? Is it like yogurt or buttermilk? Vinegar or apple-like? Neutral tartness? There are three main acids in beer, lactic, acetic and phosphoric, each has its own flavor. Beer by nature is acidic, a pH of about 4.2 before carbonation. Also, what you're brewing an help us figure out what's happening.
 
I call that a twang flavor but hard to diagnose, I have had a flavor from lactic acid like described also
 
Nosybear said:
Can you describe "tangy"? Is it like yogurt or buttermilk? Vinegar or apple-like? Neutral tartness? There are three main acids in beer, lactic, acetic and phosphoric, each has its own flavor. Beer by nature is acidic, a pH of about 4.2 before carbonation. Also, what you're brewing an help us figure out what's happening.
Click to expand...

Sure thing. It’s more of a neutral, it doesn’t really taste like anything in particular. I do use bottled/filtered water.

I have brewed:
  • A brown
  • Bad Santa (a Scottish holiday ale)
  • Chocolate milk stout
  • An amber
 
Extract and steep? All-grain? Neutral is likely acetic or lactic acid. Both are normal in beer.
 
What yeast? Kveik can have that taste. Lots of posts out there also about brewers who get a twang from extract beers. Can't say that I have.
 
Nosybear said:
Extract and steep? All-grain? Neutral is likely acetic or lactic acid. Both are normal in beer.
Click to expand...

Did an initial steep of the grains and then boiled extracts. Some were dry, some liquid.

Appreciate all the responses. It’s been fun to learn about all this and I know I’m just scratching the surface.
 
thunderwagn said:
What yeast? Kveik can have that taste. Lots of posts out there also about brewers who get a twang from extract beers. Can't say that I have.
Click to expand...

One was Mangrove Jack and I’m not sure what the others were. They were part of a kit with no branding info.
 
Did the liquid extract come with the kit? LME oxidizes and when it does, it can leave behind what's commonly known as "extract twang". First recommendation: Make sure where you're sourcing your LME goes through a lot of it, otherwise, you can get some that is old and oxidized. I once scored one of the large blue plastic firkins the stuff comes in. It had some residue so I wanted to do the experiment: I made beer out of it. Nasty, inky-tasting and, as you said, tangy. Always use fresh LME. DME on the other hand if you keep it dry lasts forever.

These beers, too, can have a "tangy" flavor. It may just be fresh beer flavor.
 
This should help:

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Nosybear said:
Did the liquid extract come with the kit? LME oxidizes and when it does, it can leave behind what's commonly known as "extract twang". First recommendation: Make sure where you're sourcing your LME goes through a lot of it, otherwise, you can get some that is old and oxidized. I once scored one of the large blue plastic firkins the stuff comes in. It had some residue so I wanted to do the experiment: I made beer out of it. Nasty, inky-tasting and, as you said, tangy. Always use fresh LME. DME on the other hand if you keep it dry lasts forever.

These beers, too, can have a "tangy" flavor. It may just be fresh beer flavor.
Click to expand...

That's great info to have. Thanks so much!
 
Nosybear said:
Did the liquid extract come with the kit? LME oxidizes and when it does, it can leave behind what's commonly known as "extract twang". First recommendation: Make sure where you're sourcing your LME goes through a lot of it, otherwise, you can get some that is old and oxidized. I once scored one of the large blue plastic firkins the stuff comes in. It had some residue so I wanted to do the experiment: I made beer out of it. Nasty, inky-tasting and, as you said, tangy. Always use fresh LME. DME on the other hand if you keep it dry lasts forever.

These beers, too, can have a "tangy" flavor. It may just be fresh beer flavor.
Click to expand...

I agree, I remember having that same issue many moons ago
 
thunderwagn said:
What yeast? Kveik can have that taste. Lots of posts out there also about brewers who get a twang from extract beers. Can't say that I have.
Click to expand...
I can confirm this. I brewed a coffee porter back in June using VOSS Kveik, it has a bit of a tangy flavor to it.
It is still a good beer, but I won't do that again.
 
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