Bitter aftertast

[JohnT]

I've brewed 2 batched all the way to being in the bottle 3 or more weeks.
Both have a pronounced bitter aftertast. I thought the first one was because I used bleach as a sanatizer and maybe didn't rinse enouph.

The second I used a no rinse cleaner from the LHBS and have the same bitter tast, but not as bad as the first.

Is it possible the plastic buckets absorbed the bleach and causing the bitterness?

I'm afraid to brew anymore until I get this figured out. Maybe I'll just get 2 new buckets to eliminate the posibility.

Any thoughts on what else could cause the bitter aftertast in both batches?

Thanks

 

[OHIOSTEVE]

procedure? recipes? all grain or extract?.. The rason I ask is I was getting a bitey bitter aftr taste in my beers . I went through my procedure and I believe I was sparging too hot.. I dropped the temps and viola no bitter after taste.

 

[PJM]

+1 to above. How long in the primary, secondary and bottle? When I first started brewing I had a couple bitter batches. I discovered that I was drinking them too soon and that they mellowed out after a few more weeks in the bottle.

 

[brewit2it]

Hops cause a bitter aftertaste. What kind of recipes are you brewing and what type of store bought beer do you usually drink?

 

[BigJerk]

I had this in my first beer, but I boiled that one with the lid on. I learned I wasn't supposed to do that about 3 hours after the brew when I read the rest of my book! oops, but I've never had that happen to me again.

 

[brewit2it]

I had this in my first beer, but I boiled that one with the lid on. I learned I wasn't supposed to do that about 3 hours after the brew when I read the rest of my book! oops, but I've never had that happen to me again.

Boiling with the lid on on extract batches doesn't really matter because dimethyl sulfide has already been boiled off long ago. If it is extract you will need to look for another cause.

But again, beer is supposed to have a bitter aftertaste. Thats the purpose of the hops, the more hops the more bitter so how does the OP know it is an off flavor?

 

[JohnT]

double post

 

[JohnT]

Both of the batches were BB kits, extract with specialty grains

http://http://www.brewersbestkits.com/pdf/1007%20American%20Amber.pdf

http://www.brewersbestkits.com/pdf/1037_India_Pale_Ale.pdf

Both have specialty grains so steaping temp and procedures may be a factor.
The first one I do beleive I steeped to high, the second I was more careful.

Both where in the primary for 3 weeks, the American Amber has been in the bottle for 5 weeks and the IPA for 3.

I had a guy at the HBS tast the ipa yesterday and he agreed there was a bitter tast, more than the 47 IBU would account for. But didn't have an explanation as to why.

 

[JohnT]

Hops cause a bitter aftertaste. What kind of recipes are you brewing and what type of store bought beer do you usually drink?

Im usually a Fat Tire guy for my general beer, latly I've been enjoying Doghead Fish 60 and 90

 

[JohnT]

My first batch that I was complaining of a bad bitter aftertast I set aside and was plannening on dumping. Well I decided to chill one more before I gave it the heave ho.
I'm glad I didn't ! It has been in the bottles for 6 weeks now and it a pretty good beer!

Lessons learned? If you don't like it set it aside for a couple weeks it will probably get better.