Such a peculiar off-flavor. Need help.

[IJesusChrist]

I've posted about this before, and I didn't get much of an identification.

When brewing mead and beer, I'm fairly certain I've got a string of the same contamination. I continually get an off-flavor that isn't much of a flavor, but rather a physical sensation on the tongue. It stings ever so slightly, like watered down mouthwash (but is non-alcoholic in nature). The tongue then becomes kind of coated with a strange feel, and the front/tip of the tongue is numbed.

It is completely unwanted, nothing about it is good. If there is a taste at all I'd say it's metallic. I'm wondering if anyone's had this and how they dealt with it, what it was?

 

[m00ps]

Its hard to tell but it sounds like a combination of overcarbonation and yeast problems. You gotta post more info about the recipe and your pitch rate, yeast strain, fermentation temp, etc before people can help out.

 

[okbecker]

If its in all your brews I can only think, with limited info, that the only thing in common is the water...do you know water profile? Are you racking in a musty dingy room....heard of airborne contaminants from others... need more info.

 

[tacks]

Any details? Where do you store your fermenter, what yeast strains, what do you use to sanitize, did you have any additions (dry hop, adjuncts into primary/secondary) etc? Doesn't sound like it would be an infection, but if it's confined to batches coming from one fermenter, I'd toss it, especially because it sounds like you've got a potential neurotoxic metabolite if it is numbing your tongue... Any other "GI" side effects?

 

[ChemEng]

I'd toss it, especially because it sounds like you've got a potential neurotoxic metabolite if it is numbing your tongue... Any other "GI" side effects?

my first thought was clostridium botulinum bacteria... but that would cause some serious sickness...

 

[IJesusChrist]

Any details? Where do you store your fermenter, what yeast strains, what do you use to sanitize, did you have any additions (dry hop, adjuncts into primary/secondary) etc? Doesn't sound like it would be an infection, but if it's confined to batches coming from one fermenter, I'd toss it, especially because it sounds like you've got a potential neurotoxic metabolite if it is numbing your tongue... Any other "GI" side effects?

No other effects, I've drank some that has aged a while with no ill effects. It does seem to age out very slowly.

It was a mead, honey, belgian yeast, nutrient additions according to a BOMM, nothing really outside of the ordinary. My nutrients have gotten wet previously, perhaps they are growing something on them?

I've sanitized my buckets quite a bit...

 

[tacks]

my first thought was clostridium botulinum bacteria... but that would cause some serious sickness...

yeah, the OP probably would've tossed the batch after the second bottle made him sick if the first didn't send him to the hospital. I can't think of anything that would go from batch to batch and get into mead and beer though. I guess now that I think about it the first batch of mead I made made my tongue feel a bit weird but I assumed it was just because i'd never had it before. I used white star premiere cuvee and 10# of honey.

 

[IJesusChrist]

made my tongue feel a bit weird but I assumed it was just because i'd never had it before.

This was my original thought as well. The off-flavors were negligible, but the sensation on the tongue was unacceptable and very obvious. It settled out with time, but I just want to understand!

 

[Chris_The_Rogue]

Describe your cleaning process please. Im wondering if you have residue from some cleaner.

 

[IJesusChrist]

Describe your cleaning process please. Im wondering if you have residue from some cleaner.

I usually rinse afterwards. I use star-san or some equivalent.

 

[gratus fermentatio]

I've posted about this before, and I didn't get much of an identification.

When brewing mead and beer, I'm fairly certain I've got a string of the same contamination. I continually get an off-flavor that isn't much of a flavor, but rather a physical sensation on the tongue. It stings ever so slightly, like watered down mouthwash (but is non-alcoholic in nature). The tongue then becomes kind of coated with a strange feel, and the front/tip of the tongue is numbed.

It is completely unwanted, nothing about it is good. If there is a taste at all I'd say it's metallic. I'm wondering if anyone's had this and how they dealt with it, what it was?

Almost sounds like carbonic bite, though if your mead is degassed & still I don't think carbonic bite would be possible. From your description of mouthwash & tongue-numbing, I'd guess phenols. Maybe produced by yeast or maybe from chlorinated water or both. I've also encountered tongue-numbing from acidic fruits; some made the tongue feel "fuzzy," others just had a bite & numbed the tip of the tongue. Never experienced anything like this from a beer, only from young melomels & wines.
Regards, GF.

 

[IJesusChrist]

I'm chalking it up as an infection from contaminated yeast nutrient. My yeast nutrient got wet a long time ago from spilled mead within it. I didn't think anything of it, but it's the only thing that has been consistent between batches that have this flavor.

I've now dissolved what I can of the nutrient in vodka and sterilized my equipment.

Next batch will prove whether or not it's worth purchasing new everything.