Tried a Scotch-Ale for the first time. After trying a pre-mature bottle a week or two ago it had a very strange and strong aroma and aftertaste. I tried one last night that I could barely finish. It has a charcoal/ metallic taste and aroma to it. I also noticed a nostril stinging smell as soon as the primary fermenter was opened. I've made mistakes before but never anything to make a beer taste this way. I used table sugar out of lack of other options, added the aroma hops way too early (don't think that's the problem), and the fermentation temperatures may have gone a bit astray. I would really really like to pin point this problem, as i have an imperial IPA nearing it's end of fermentation and I do NOT want to waste another batch. So if anyone has noticed this taste in their beer before and could help me out that would be great! Thanks for the time.

hophead420 wrote:I used table sugar out of lack of other options,

Please clarify what you used the table sugar for. If you used it as your main fermentable, that could very likely be at least part of the problem.

As for metallic flavors, they're usually from oxidization, so you might look into the process to see where that might occur.

Oops. I used table sugar as a substitute for corn (priming) sugar. When is oxidation most likely to occur? I have read both, that when adding water to cooled wort in the fermenter, you should and should not splash to induce oxidation at that point.

From the BJCP Beer Faults Table (http://www.bjcp.org/faults.php):

The following is listed under Metallic Iron, copper, coins, blood:Check water for metallic ions. Reduce water salts. Check equipment condition for rust. Make sure stainless steel equipment is properly passivated. Fully rinse sanitizer. Try using RO water and add salts as needed.

The following is listed under Smoky (Phenolic) Smoke-like, charcoal, burnt:Check for scorched mash or boil. Check excessive use of dark malts. Check for infection.

I hope this helps.

- Scott

Oxidation can occur any time you transfer the beer during fermentation. Excess exposure to light can also cause the hops in your beer to oxidize, but this results in a different taste than you're getting.

When you're adding water to cooled wort you want splashing to occur because you are trying to aerate the wort. After boiling, the wort is oxygen starved so this is necessary in order for the yeast to do their job. This is the only time you want to introduce oxygen into your beer.