Very malty taste

[Brewer #415934]

Hello,
I recently brewed my first batch of Brewers best American cream ale and I am not sure if I have done something wrong or if that is the way it should be. Now after following the directions, using the required priming sugars and letting it sit for about 2-3 weeks, I find that the taste is very Malty ( almost like the liquid malt in the kit) is that normal or would I have done something wrong. Now I would also let you know that the water used was from my water softened well. I have heard that it might make a difference.

thank you in advance for the advice.

 

[Steve Ruch]

What were the original and final gravities?

 

[kakent]

Based on the information you provided, it sounds under attenuated. The yeast did not consume enough of the sugars, leaving residual fermentable sugars and tasting like the original wort. Did you take gravity readings? That is the easiest way to confirm.

 

[Brewer #415934]

took the og reading, but not the fg reading. I do know that when I pitched the yeast it was a little warm to hot still. Thinking I probably killed off the yeast.

 

[Sandy Feet]

That would do it. I can get away pitching an ale yeast at close to 80. I don't have a whole lot of choice unless I want to wait for a few hours, but I would not want to go too much higher. Look into buying a wort chiller.
Another thing that might contribute if an extract kit would be adding your extract on direct heat.

 

[dmtaylor]

You might have killed the yeast.

Also, liquid malt extract is notorious for staling quickly. You are probably tasting oxidized malt. To me, oxidized malt tastes like caramel, banana, paper, and metal. Or actually not exactly like any of these, but someplace in between all of them.

 

[kakent]

That would do it. I can get away pitching an ale yeast at close to 80. I don't have a whole lot of choice unless I want to wait for a few hours, but I would not want to go too much higher. Look into buying a wort chiller.
Another thing that might contribute if an extract kit would be adding your extract on direct heat.

I'd wait over pitching that high. The groundwater in Florida will only get me so far, so I let it sit in the chest freezer over night and pitch the next morning.

 

[HighVoltageMan!]

To me, oxidized malt tastes like caramel, banana, paper, and metal.

Metal? That's interesting. Over the years I found that I taste things differently then others. It's interesting to taste flawed beer with someone else, each palate seems to overlap, but often never completely line up.

I believe if the beer is under attenuated and has old DME, it can come across as sweet to some, malty to others. Oxidized beer always comes across as a weird sweetness, rarely ever pleasant.

 

[Donoroto]

Hello,
I recently brewed my first batch of Brewers best American cream ale and I am not sure if I have done something wrong or if that is the way it should be. Now after following the directions, using the required priming sugars and letting it sit for about 2-3 weeks, I find that the taste is very Malty ( almost like the liquid malt in the kit) is that normal or would I have done something wrong. Now I would also let you know that the water used was from my water softened well. I have heard that it might make a difference.

thank you in advance for the advice.

Water softeners exchange calcium ions for sodium, and you generally do not want that much sodium in a beer. That might be the metallic taste, but I am not sure.

Find different water, or use unsoftened water. Calcium is ok for a beer, and lots of calcium helps dark styles a lot.

 

[Sandy Feet]

I'd wait over pitching that high. The groundwater in Florida will only get me so far, so I let it sit in the chest freezer over night and pitch the next morning.

Yup, chilling with Florida ground water and sometimes a little ice. It works for an ale. For a lager, I set the refrigerator in the 40s for 3 hours.

 

[Brewer #415934]

thank you for the great responses!!! will have to try and wait a bit longer I think before pitching yeast in my next batch.

 

[Josh Hughes]

thank you for the great responses!!! will have to try and wait a bit longer I think before pitching yeast in my next batch.

Something else. If you are adding water to get your volume at the end. Use a gallon jug that you put in the fridge. I do all grain and still do that.

 

[Josh Hughes]

Something else. If you are adding water to get your volume at the end. Use a gallon jug that you put in the fridge. I do all grain and still do that.

Maybe 2

 

[The Brew Mentor]

Was there a ring of sticky goo around the inside of your fermentation bucket at the top of the liquid line? If so, you didn't kill your yeast.
I'd bet you're tasting old extract that changes taste quickly.
You can avoid the unknown of the LME by replacing it with DME. Brewer's Best lists all the ingredients that are in their kits so you could build your own.
Good luck
Brian

 

[Brewer #415934]

Was there a ring of sticky goo around the inside of your fermentation bucket at the top of the liquid line? If so, you didn't kill your yeast.
I'd bet you're tasting old extract that changes taste quickly.
You can avoid the unknown of the LME by replacing it with DME. Brewer's Best lists all the ingredients that are in their kits so you could build your own.
Good luck
Brian

there was a ring, and when I did my boil I had the dme as well as the lme extract in the kit. thinking I may have just needed to let it sit longer or actually wait the day to pitch the yeast. May not have had enough yeast cultures to complete the whole fermentation.

 

[Donoroto]

there was a ring, and when I did my boil I had the dme as well as the lme extract in the kit. thinking I may have just needed to let it sit longer or actually wait the day to pitch the yeast. May not have had enough yeast cultures to complete the whole fermentation.

If you have even a little bit of yeast, it multiplies like crazy when given food. A significant under pitch only increases the time for fermentation, few other effects.

In other words, probably not it. But, just one person's opinion.

 

[Bigbre04]

Metal? That's interesting. Over the years I found that I taste things differently then others. It's interesting to taste flawed beer with someone else, each palate seems to overlap, but often never completely line up.

I believe if the beer is under attenuated and has old DME, it can come across as sweet to some, malty to others. Oxidized beer always comes across as a weird sweetness, rarely ever pleasant.

It has been decades since i used DME for anything other then yeast props, but i would assume that it would be sweet.

Under-attenuated can be anywhere from cloying sweetness to just too sweet.

Oxidation is generally described as paper/cardboard.

Metal is usually associated with...metal... basically using things like non-stainless or aluminum implements. Copper can sometimes be absorbed by the yeasties.

Banana is a specific yeast off flavor(think runts banana candies).

Yeast autolysis can add a meaty cooked flavor that could come off as metallic maybe?

Sensory training is not fun but very worth it.

thank you for the great responses!!! will have to try and wait a bit longer I think before pitching yeast in my next batch.

You could always get all of your water in gallon jugs its not prohibitive for a 5 gal batch! If you do distilled water you will need to add back minerals or you yeast will be upset with you and your grain will not be as efficient.

 

[Brewer #415934]

It has been decades since i used DME for anything other then yeast props, but i would assume that it would be sweet.

Under-attenuated can be anywhere from cloying sweetness to just too sweet.

Oxidation is generally described as paper/cardboard.

Metal is usually associated with...metal... basically using things like non-stainless or aluminum implements. Copper can sometimes be absorbed by the yeasties.

Banana is a specific yeast off flavor(think runts banana candies).

Yeast autolysis can add a meaty cooked flavor that could come off as metallic maybe?

Sensory training is not fun but very worth it.

You could always get all of your water in gallon jugs its not prohibitive for a 5 gal batch! If you do distilled water you will need to add back minerals or you yeast will be upset with you and your grain will not be as efficient.

that might do it as well as I did use an aluminum pot for the boil. May need to invest in a stainless pot for boils.

 

[Bigbre04]

that might do it as well as I did use an aluminum pot for the boil. May need to invest in a stainless pot for boils.

Ya you really don't want to use anything that isn't stainless. 18/8 is ok, but 304/316 is preferred.

Ikea has some decent large ss pots.

The low ph of the wort will for sure strip aluminum from that pot. I bet it was very shinny after you cleaned it up lol.

 

[The Brew Mentor]

that might do it as well as I did use an aluminum pot for the boil. May need to invest in a stainless pot for boils.

You can use Aluminum, but boil some water in it first to get a layer of oxidation on it. It shouldn't be shiny.
Also in cleaning after, only use something like PBW and a wash cloth, nothing like a scotchbrite pad!
It sounds like you had old LME and salty water, so I'd start by addressing those 2 issues.
Good luck
Brian