# What is the TWANG taste?



## mrTbeer (24/5/13)

I haven't been in this hobby too long but have been going back to a Kit again instead of AG.
Picked up a can of Cascade Chocolate Porter when visiting their brewery in Hobart and made it with a few improvements from basic recipe. (Apparently they are discontinuing their Cans)
Anyway I used the packet yeast but did everything else with 'best practice' learned from following AG recipes and AHB.
Side by side comparison with a commercial stout and it's obvious to me (and the wife) which is the home brew. Still pretty new 3 weeks in bottle but it tastes sweeter and less complex, different mouthfeel.

Why is kit home brew identifiable as home brew twang? Don't wanna sound stoopid but my tasting notes are limited to tastes good/great, tastes like 'brand', tastes shit, tastes like home brew.


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## mwd (24/5/13)

Don't really know why but toucan brews do not seem to have the kit twang but there is no reason that I can think of.
I am a Kit and bits brewer and mostly do toucans now and find some are actually more tasty than commercial offerings. Most of my one cans were quite disappointing tastewise. A toucan +hops and maybe some crystal still works out cheaper than a case of craft beer. AG brewers have a huge advantage costwise per brew.


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## Yob (24/5/13)

Twang is the replacement of love for $$


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## TidalPete (24/5/13)

Yob said:


> Twang is the replacement of love for $$


You are so funny Yob.
TTBOMM that unforgettable & never-ever wanted kat kit twang comes from the Coopers or whatever commercial wort being dehydrated & stuffed into cans ready for the supplied yeast to do its thing at never-to-be-recommended temperatures.
Not having a go at K&K but that's the way it is.


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## bum (24/5/13)

TidalPete said:


> You are so funny Yob.
> TTBOMM that unforgettable & never-ever wanted kat kit twang comes from the Coopers or whatever commercial wort being dehydrated & stuffed into cans ready for the supplied yeast to do its thing at never-to-be-recommended temperatures.
> Not having a go at K&K but that's the way it is.


I disagree that it has anything to do with ferment temps. Well, I accept that poor temps won't help but I can say with certainty that good temp control does not remove twang. I do agree that it clearly has something to do with the manufacturing (possibly packaging) process, though. I never saw twang in my extract beers.


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## Nick JD (24/5/13)

Twang is a byproduct of the aging of hopped extract.


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## bum (24/5/13)

Plenty of commercial beers use hop extract. Plenty of commercial beers age.


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## TidalPete (24/5/13)

bum,
Perhaps I may have phrased my reply incorrectly so will try to clarify my previous post by saying that kit twang TTBOMM comes from Coopers or whatever commercial wort being dehydrated & stuffed into cans. That is my experience & information TTBOMM.

Fermenting the supplied yeast at the recommended temps only adds to the problem as I'm sure you will agree?

On reading Nick's last post I must agree with you as I used to add extra hops to my partials & still got that awful kit twang.
Never got it (The twang) when I went onwards & upwards to liquid malt, hops, etc well before finding this forum & going AG so that is that IMHO.

Just saying.


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## Rowy (24/5/13)

TidalPete said:


> bum,
> Perhaps I may have phrased my reply incorrectly so will try to clarify my previous post by saying that kit twang TTBOMM comes from Coopers or whatever commercial wort being dehydrated & stuffed into cans. That is my experience & information TTBOMM.
> 
> Fermenting the supplied yeast at the recommended temps only adds to the problem as I'm sure you will agree?
> ...


Never justify yourself to bum Pete. He can be a pompous wanker. Also there's a fight brewing between NickJD and him on another thread and I want to sit back, have a beer and watch without his mind being diverted.


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## tavas (24/5/13)

Plenty of commercial beers taste like crap. Dehydrate them and see if it taste like twang


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## manticle (24/5/13)

VB powder?


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## Northside Novice (24/5/13)

In my kk days I found the twang diminished over time . Especially with my false lagers . I kept them in the fv for about 5-6 weeks then bottled them , then after bottle ferment 'lagered' them in the fridge for a further 5-6 weeks. 
Bang no twang ! 
I think aging has something to do with getting rid of it somehow . Don't know how or why but it does seem to work . The 'fresher' I drank my kk's the greater the twang I found .


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## bum (24/5/13)

TidalPete said:


> bum,
> Perhaps I may have phrased my reply incorrectly so will try to clarify my previous post by saying that kit twang TTBOMM comes from Coopers or whatever commercial wort being dehydrated & stuffed into cans. That is my experience & information TTBOMM.
> 
> Fermenting the supplied yeast at the recommended temps only adds to the problem as I'm sure you will agree?
> ...


I agree that there is obviously something in the process that causes twang but I'm not sure it can be nailed down to simply being the fact that they shrink it and put it in tins. I've made extract beers with all LME without twang (and this was very early on so I doubt it was good practice that brought this about). I agree totally with everything else you said - even then, my disagreement with the other thing is more of a gray area than complete disagreement.



Rowy said:


> Also there's a fight brewing between NickJD and him on another thread and I want to sit back, have a beer and watch without his mind being diverted.


Which one? It seems to have escaped my attention and I am quite bored ATM.


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## bum (24/5/13)

northside novice said:


> In my kk days I found the twang diminished over time . Especially with my false lagers . I kept them in the fv for about 5-6 weeks then bottled them , then after bottle ferment 'lagered' them in the fridge for a further 5-6 weeks.
> Bang no twang !
> I think aging has something to do with getting rid of it somehow . Don't know how or why but it does seem to work . The 'fresher' I drank my kk's the greater the twang I found .


Interesting.

I never lagered that long (or at all with kit beers, tbh) but I always found that the twang came forward more over time. It would be great if a few kit brewers could follow NN's steps and post their results - could end twang for many.


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## Kudzu (24/5/13)

bum said:


> Plenty of commercial beers use hop extract. Plenty of commercial beers age.


He said hopped extract, not hop extract...

Carry on.


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## tavas (24/5/13)

manticle said:


> VB powder?


Could be CUB's version of eleven herbs and spices...


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## TidalPete (24/5/13)

Rowy said:


> Never justify yourself to bum Pete. He can be a pompous wanker. Also there's a fight brewing between NickJD and him on another thread and I want to sit back, have a beer and watch without his mind being diverted.


I Know mate, I know! :lol: :lol:
Nick & I go way back (Insert shotgun\machine gun animation) http://www.postsmile.com/ Bloody new forum never works the way you want it to.


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## bum (24/5/13)

Kudzu said:


> He said hopped extract, not hop extract...
> 
> Carry on.


Ah.

My apologies, Nick. Brainfart.


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## pcmfisher (25/5/13)

TidalPete said:


> bum,
> Perhaps I may have phrased my reply incorrectly so will try to clarify my previous post by saying that kit twang TTBOMM comes from Coopers or whatever commercial wort being dehydrated & stuffed into cans. That is my experience & information TTBOMM.
> 
> Fermenting the supplied yeast at the recommended temps only adds to the problem as I'm sure you will agree?
> ...


Are you saying that dehydrated wort stuffed into a Coopers Draught can will give you twang but dehydrated wort shoved into a Coopers liquid malt can will not?


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## NewtownClown (25/5/13)

Isn't Twang that powdered owange dwink?


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## Rowy (25/5/13)

NewtownClown said:


> Isn't Twang that powdered owange dwink?


Do they still make that shit NC?


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## NewtownClown (25/5/13)

yep


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## givemeamash (25/5/13)

twang aside, the cascade choc porter was one of the best kits I ever did. Don't quote me but I was told it had a proper yeast as well(what it was I annoy remember though


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## Icewind (29/5/13)

NewtownClown said:


> Isn't Twang that powdered owange dwink?


negative. Thats actually the sound that's made when the wife suggests something extra naughty!


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## chewy (3/6/13)

does anybody try to cover the taste with additives? my father inlaw adds half a lemon to the wort but to me this tastes like shit! i find adding brown sugar not bad giving the brew a caramely flavour.....


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