I used Oktoberfest All Grain Recipe for five gallons of beer. It came with Pilsner malt, Munich malt, and Cara-Munich malt, Tettnang hops and Saaz hops, Irish moss, and Saflager S-23 yeast. The instructions said to mash 60 minutes at 155 f. Wort boil time was 60 min.. The beer has good head and a good blonde color. OG=1.060 and the FG=1.016. This was my first all grain recipe.

After I finished the brew and it fermented fine, cleared up real nice, and I bottled it, I tried a bottle after three weeks to see how things were going and it tastes like unsweetened tea. Not an unpleasant taste but a surprising taste. Is the tea flavor a result of too many tannins being released in the mash or is this a normal flavor for some beers. I haven't drunk every beer in the world so I do not know what some of these beers should taste like. I generally drink stout beer like Guiness.

I think I solved this problem with John J. Palmer's How To Brew. The taste is due to too many tannins being released during the mashing process. I either got my water too hot and kept the grain in mash for too long, so I need to watch my temperature and time. However, the taste seems to be getting better the longer the beer sits. It is starting to taste more like beer.

I'm not sure if tannin extraction is the cause of your problem but another cause of excessive extraction is too fine a grind.

The increased surface area for the grist can increase the extraction of tannins.

Just something else to consider.

- Scott

What temp did it mash at? I dont think time is a big deal but temp is for sure.
What hops,how much, and how long were they in the boil?
A few weeks in the bottle can make a big change for sure.

The taste has improved remarkably since I first posted this thread. I had guests that drank it up last week and they claimed it tasted great. I tried some and it was not bad at all! I'll try the recipe again and see if I get the same results. I have made several all-grain batches since this post and I've learned more so I do not expect my beer to start off as badly next time.

I believe I was too far off on temp using an electric stove. Since that time I have obtained a good thermometer and have a better handle on mashing temps and steeping times. I am limited in equipment, and physical ability, and my brewing 'ceremony' may not be quite the way someone else brews beer.