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Author Topic: Apricot Saison Metallic Taste  (Read 1707 times)

Offline erinriley72

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Apricot Saison Metallic Taste
« on: August 03, 2014, 08:17:53 pm »
I'm hoping for some troubleshooting on my Apricot Saison. The first bottle I opened after 3 weeks was great! Refreshing and good apricot taste without being overwhelming. Every bottle that I have opened since then has a horrible metallic taste and I'm not sure what happened.

My recipe was as follows:

- 7# Pilsner
- 2# Wheat
- 2# Munich
- 6 oz. Acidulated Malt
- 4 oz. Special Roast

Hopped with Hallertau and Magnum and used the Wyeast 3711 French Saison. After primary, I added 3 lbs. 1 oz. of apricot puree. It was in primary for about 2 weeks (a week longer than I intended) and in secondary for 2 weeks. Bottle conditioned for 3 weeks.

The first bottle opened with a POP but tasted great and was effervescent. The next 2 had the same pop but the horrible metallic taste was there. The last bottle didn't POP but still had the metallic taste.

I will note that I use an enamel coated pan to heat my strike and sparge water but it doesn't have any cracks. I use a stainless pot for the boil.

Any help is appreciated! I was really looking forward to this beer and now I'm going to have to dump it... BOOOO!  :(
Primary - Extra Special Bitter
Lagering - German Pils
Bottled - Cider, Apricot Saison

Next Up: Doppelbock

Offline morticaixavier

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Re: Apricot Saison Metallic Taste
« Reply #1 on: August 03, 2014, 08:23:26 pm »
Is it possible that what you are using is carbonic bite from what sounds like a somewhat over carved beer? Try pouring a glass and gently stirring to de-gas and see if the flavor goes away or is reduced.
"Creativity is the residue of wasted time"
-A Einstein

"errors are [...] the portals of discovery"
- J Joyce

Offline morticaixavier

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Re: Apricot Saison Metallic Taste
« Reply #2 on: August 03, 2014, 08:24:01 pm »
Also can you tell us a bit about your eager? Any minerals added? Etc.
"Creativity is the residue of wasted time"
-A Einstein

"errors are [...] the portals of discovery"
- J Joyce

Offline erinriley72

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Re: Apricot Saison Metallic Taste
« Reply #3 on: August 03, 2014, 08:34:00 pm »
I'm newish to brewing and only tried water additions on my last batch of ESB.   So, the Saison was "au naturel" Albuquerque water - not the best to brew with.

The carbonic bite sounds plausible.  The first bottle I tried was the last bottled and wasn't completely full.  Is it possible that some of the carb that would have pushed down into the bottle was sitting in all that extra head space and that's why it tasted better?

I tried a sip of the glass that I couldn't choke down from earlier - it's been sitting out about an hour - and the metallic taste isn't as pronounced.  The beer is warmer too.

I used a carbonation calculator for the style and volume.  If it's overcarbed, what do you suggest I do in the future?
Primary - Extra Special Bitter
Lagering - German Pils
Bottled - Cider, Apricot Saison

Next Up: Doppelbock

Offline erinriley72

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Re: Apricot Saison Metallic Taste
« Reply #4 on: August 03, 2014, 08:56:25 pm »
Update: I cracked a second bottle to do a side by side tasting. Unfortunately there is the same crappy metallic taste in both. Any other ideas?
Primary - Extra Special Bitter
Lagering - German Pils
Bottled - Cider, Apricot Saison

Next Up: Doppelbock

Offline morticaixavier

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Re: Apricot Saison Metallic Taste
« Reply #5 on: August 03, 2014, 08:56:34 pm »
Are you sure the apricots had fermented out completely before bottling? And did you use a calculator that took beer temp into account? If so did you use the highest temp the beer reached AFTER active fermentation was complete?

How much sugar and how many bottles did you actually fill?

If I remember correctly, when I lived in nm the water was nasty hard and alkaline bit I was in the other side of the mountains from you do it could be different there. Try a batch with store bought reverse osmosis or distilled water. Google bru'n water, read up on the water knowledge tab and build a simple water profile with a few grams of calcium chloride and a few grams of gypsum. Only add acid malt or avoid if you actually need it to adjust the pH.
"Creativity is the residue of wasted time"
-A Einstein

"errors are [...] the portals of discovery"
- J Joyce

Offline erinriley72

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Re: Apricot Saison Metallic Taste
« Reply #6 on: August 03, 2014, 09:11:45 pm »
I'm confident the apricots were done fermenting.  It was in secondary for two weeks and there was no movement on the gravity towards the end.

I had a 28 bombers and a partial ( 4.9 Gallons).  I used the Northern Brewer Calculator based on the Saison style (3.2 vols) at 74 degrees for an addition of 6.3 oz of priming sugar.

The water in my area isn't horrible but it's not great either. The Ph isn't where it needs to be. I'll definitely go with some distilled or RO water and additions next time - my efficiency was up almost 10% with the ESB.

I did leave it in the primary a little longer than planned.  Does that have any effect?
Primary - Extra Special Bitter
Lagering - German Pils
Bottled - Cider, Apricot Saison

Next Up: Doppelbock

Offline morticaixavier

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Re: Apricot Saison Metallic Taste
« Reply #7 on: August 03, 2014, 09:13:14 pm »
nope. two weeks is nothing. i often don't even take my first gravity reading until the two week mark.
"Creativity is the residue of wasted time"
-A Einstein

"errors are [...] the portals of discovery"
- J Joyce

Offline erinriley72

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Re: Apricot Saison Metallic Taste
« Reply #8 on: August 03, 2014, 09:28:21 pm »
Well... I guess I will just have to try it again with some different water and a lower carb and see what happens.  Thanks for the feedback!
Primary - Extra Special Bitter
Lagering - German Pils
Bottled - Cider, Apricot Saison

Next Up: Doppelbock