Help with metallic off flavor

I built a e-brew system with rims and bcs 460. Every time I brew I get a metallic off flavor that I just can't get rid of. Using to water, have cleaned everything, sanitized, fresh grains, fresh liquid yeast. I had perfect brews from a kit every time!! The only thing I can think of is the copper manifold in the mlt that I built out of plumbing copper. Works great but.... Please, any ideas? Do I just need to let the beer age? Doesn't seem to have the flavor before the ferm process. I am getting good efficiency, good attenuation, etc. help!

Per John Palmer:

Metallic flavors are usually caused by unprotected metals dissolving into the wort but can also be caused by the hydrolysis of lipids in poorly stored malts. Iron and aluminum can cause metallic flavors leaching into the wort during the boil. The small amount could be considered to be nutritional if it weren't for the bad taste. Nicks and cracks ceramic coated steel pots are a common cause as are high iron levels in well water. Stainless steel pots will not contribute any metallic flavors. Aluminum pots usually won't cause metallic flavors unless the brewing water is alkaline with a pH level greater than 9. Shiny new aluminum pots will sometimes turn black when boiling water due to chlorine and carbonates in the water.

The protective (grayish) oxides of aluminum can be enhanced by heating the clean pot in a dry oven at 250°F for about 6 hours.

oldbucket said:

I built a e-brew system with rims and bcs 460. Every time I brew I get a metallic off flavor that I just can't get rid of. Using to water, have cleaned everything, sanitized, fresh grains, fresh liquid yeast. I had perfect brews from a kit every time!! The only thing I can think of is the copper manifold in the mlt that I built out of plumbing copper. Works great but.... Please, any ideas? Do I just need to let the beer age? Doesn't seem to have the flavor before the ferm process. I am getting good efficiency, good attenuation, etc. help!

Click to expand...

Another thing to look at, how did you pot your elements? I know that there is some concern with JB Weld or other adhesives potentially being in contact with the brew. I don't suspect you're having the problem, but trying to help narrow down the issue. I don't think your problem is coming from your copper manifold, unless (maybe) you got it used? Any brass fittings?

Double ck the element. I had a Camco 4500w 220v ULWD separate from its base, very hard to see. Rotted from the inside, causing a metalic taste...

Copper manifold is new. Some brass fittings but they are also new. Heating element is brand new but I can check it....don't know what I am looking for..? Also found some nasties in the rims tube that I thought was being cleaned by cycling rinse water through followed by star san after brewing. Interesting thing is that the off flavor started bad in first brew, second brew smelled like dog poo during fermentation, got better with third brew and now worse again with last attempt at brewing. Running out of ideas and tired of dumping brews that start with OG of 1.45 and FG of 1.02..... Expensive and frustrating! Thanks for the help so far. Anyone think that the nasties could account for a wort that is right on with OG and taste and develops metallic off flavor during fermentation?

first off I'd work backwords..

What yeast and your fermentation temps? If that is good then:

Do you taste the wort after cooled before pitching? If that tastes good then its your fermentation practices if it tastes bad then:

What brand of elements are you using?

Fermentation temps controlled by bcs temp probe and ferm belt to be in recommended ranges. Actually more control than with mini mash kits in past. Actually have done no temp control and with temp control. Wort always tastes sweet and good without metallic taste. Boil kettle element is the one recommended by kal from amazon. Rims element is a 120 v from lowes. Is there a better one? Thanks for the help!

So before fermentation their is no metallic taste? If this is the case then check your feremtation techniques. Are you kegging?

The metallic taste is there coming out of ferm. Using stainless conical. New whit labs yeasts...tried several types.

I wish someone would help with ideas. What brand of sanitizer?

Me too! I am perplexed and the intensity varies from batch to batch. Star San is the sanitizer that I am using.

What cleaner are you using? Do you rinse it before you use starsan?

Just a guess, as you're not getting the metallic flavor before fermentation; what kind of pots do you use? Stainless? Aluminum? There's some discussion on other HBT threads identifying that pots that weren't properly passivated could leach metal into the brew. It might be hidden inside the shocking sweetness of unfermented wort. Could be wrong, and I'm running out of ideas, so here's the latest.

Ok.....so...I cleaned my chiller with no rinse cleaner and then star-San. It ran clear for 20 minutes. I assumed it was clean. Did more research and it appears the best way to clean is to bake the bad boy! So I did. Wow...the black flakes that came out! Who'da thunk it! Test batch last night of a citra Ipa tastes good. Strong citra flavor that seems to be front of the mouth and no metallic back of the mouth and palate copper taste! Looking good! Gotta get caught up on home brews and need to work on refining some recipes. I will keep you posted!