Beer Forum

On some of my beers I get a hint of a medicinal if I burp immediately after taking a drink. It is not present in the aroma or in the flavor and it is only slight and subtle just in the burp.

Could I have a wild yeast infection in my system somewhere? It doesn't happen in all my beers but it was present in a Porter I did over 7 months ago and in an American Brown Ale I did in December. I didn't notice it in the Stout I did last month and definitely not in my mead or Barley Wine.

Maybe it's my imagination because it is so slight and hardly detectable. Brian or maybe it was Lee picked it up when I was on Dr Homebrew though, nobody else has noticed it, or said anything at least.

I wasn't sure where to post this since I don't know what is causing it.

Do you have chloramine in your water supply that you use for brewing? If so, left untreated (campden tablets or potassium metabisulfate powder) it can result in chlorophenols producing that medicinal note as well. If it is slightly "plastic" like that could be the culprit.
If you already properly treat your brewing water then it might be a slight infection. Maybe time to invest in some new siphon hoses or racking equipment if you have not done that recently. I usually switch mine out about every year or so after 20 batches go through.

Chlorophenol. Caused by chlorinated water. Add 1/4 crushed Campden tablet per 5 gallons water BEFORE you brew and the chlorine will instantly be eradicated and you will never have this issue again. Or use distilled water, same kind of thing.

I use filtered water from the Glacier machine down the street and if it's half as filtered as it says it is then there shouldn't be any chlorine, it says on the machine it's RO filtered and it does not taste like there's any chlorine in it.

I think I will use some camden tablets and brew the same beers that gave me that medicinal burp AND change out all my plastics and tubage.

Thanks guys!

There is a possibility that it could be contamination. So yeah, replacement of plastic and rubber is never a bad idea.

Also be sure that any water you are using for your starters and topping off the boil (if necessary) have been treated as well. Just to cover all bases.