Off flavors in beer

Green tea? Black tea? It could be some ingredient you just taste differently.

 

Had a buddy describe a black tea flavor last night in some Sculpin IPA. Not 100% sure, but I'd think it's just the variety of hops used.

 

I don't think that's necessarily an "off" flavor. Astringency. Many English beers hop profiles give me this flavor.

 

I'm going to guess it's your perception of a certain hop variety.

 

Maybe you tasted it in one beer and now are more sensitive to it? This happened to me with Devil Dancer and "chives" flavor in Summit hops. Almost all IPAs gave me a hint of chives for about a month after that damned beer.

 

I get that too (now), but it's more of a black tea flavor. Not sure what specific hops give that flavor, but whatever the major hop varietal Hoppin Frog's "Hop Dam" has in it is the culprit, for me. Because that was a super concentrated version of the black tea notes I was getting from other IPAs.

I think my palate has changed, for the better, and I'm picking out these things more.

 

Had a torpedo the other day and had an odd green tea flavor. Its definitely an odd flavor.

 

Going a bit off topic, I've found that many IPAs predominantly featuring Centennial hops taste almost dishsoap-y to me, especially on the first swig. Anyone else get that sensation?

 

The power of suggestion tends to thwart perception. If everything tasted the same to all of us life would be pretty boring. Most brewers would just now be releasing beers made with 2011 hops. There is probably a variety in common that is delivering this flavor. Just a guess though. Hops do change a bit year to year flavor wise....or maybe a new variety all together.

 

Hops can taste quite different to different people: flowery, soapy, onions, garlic, etc.

That being said the beer that absolutely stands out for me with off flavors is Gubna. My palate tells me it's a total onion and garlic bomb.

 

-Full Sail "Wreck the Halls"... same thing with me. At least the one bottle I had.

 

It is subjective but I have found that a not so fresh beer featuring a dominant Centennial hop presense tend to have the soapy taste profile your describing.

 

My guess is that it's a combination of hop varietals giving you a "tea-like" impression, and astringency further adding to the overall tea character.

 

I guess putting tea in my head is better than onion.

 

Dunno about tea, but urine is one I've become all too familar with. With Smuttynose's Finestkind it has happened so often that I no longer will consider them.

 

How fresh are they? I've always linked hops with tea for some stupid reason. I guess the tannin in tea and the oils in hops strike me as familiar. I wouldn't call it an 'off' flavor, just a subtle one that may be stronger in some batches and weaker in others.