Slight Sour Taste In Australian Pale Ale

[solidghost]

Hello guys,

I have this little problem with my beer. It's well, slightly sour in it's taste profile. I myself didn't taste the sourness but a lot of my friends did. I used Cooper's Australian Pale Ale Kit and added the Beer enhancer 2 (malt, dextrose and malto-dextrin). It's very tasty, just that they complain of a slight sour twang.

Is it because of my sanitization? I am quite sure I did a good one, but who knows. What are your thoughts on this?

 

[mckenry]

Hello guys,

I have this little problem with my beer. It's well, slightly sour in it's taste profile. I myself didn't taste the sourness but a lot of my friends did. I used Cooper's Australian Pale Ale Kit and added the Beer enhancer 2 (malt, dextrose and malto-dextrin). It's very tasty, just that they complain of a slight sour twang.

Is it because of my sanitization? I am quite sure I did a good one, but who knows. What are your thoughts on this?

Hey solidghost,
the 'Homebrew twang' is a term used a lot. Without getting too technical, its what happens to the wort when it is turned into extract. Its what puts a lot of brewers off brewing for good or makes them more determined to make better beer. If your sanitation is good then its pretty much what you'll get from kit beers. The best way of avoiding it without spending $$$ and going all grain is to throw away the supplied yeast and going for a Saf yeast. Even better go for a liquid yeast from Whitelabs or Wyeast. This alone wont get rid of the twang completely, but it makes a far superior beer to the supplied yeast. Maybe try a fresh wort with one of the mentioned yeast strains. Its a bit dearer than kit beer but SO MUCH better - no twang!
mckenry

 

[Adamt]

the 'Homebrew twang' is a term used a lot. Without getting too technical, its what happens to the wort when it is turned into extract.

The twang is not to do with the extraction process, which occurs by evaporation (and spray drying for dried malt). The twang is more likely to occur from excess adjuncts (sugars) or most likely, staled extract.

All grain doesn't have to cost a lot of money, the bigger expense is the time taken to understand and undertake the process. Once you start all grain you start saving money straight away as batches are much cheaper.