Slight rubbery aftertaste...

[EJHintz]

I have made about 20 to 30 witbiers now, and I've noticed an odd rubbery aftertaste on occasion. I can't decide whether the aftertaste is coming from the yeast (wyeast 3944) or the curacao orange peel (.5 oz. in 5 gal. from Brewer's Garden). I'm sure it's not the grain bill, because I made the beer with extract and all grain with same results. The yeast was very healthy only packaged a week ago, and I pitched 2 liters. I fermented for 15 days then racked to a keg, so I have ruled out autolysis. I am wondering if temperature could be a factor, or if the orange peel maybe causing the off flavor. Has anyone had this happen to them? Any ideas?

[Ozbrewer]

Eric im wondering if its a fermentation temp problem? have you changed anything there?

as far as autolysis its concerned it tastes like vegimite

[Gabbo]

I have heard of off rubbery tastes in other's beers before but I think in those cases it had more to do with the old rubber boot they were drinking out of.

I've noticed in most cases when people mention a rubbery taste, all fingers do tend to point to autolysis. Palmer describes it as "At a minimum, a beer that has experienced autolysis will have a burnt rubber taste and smell and will probably be undrinkable. At worst it will be unapproachable." (http://www.howtobrew.com/section1/chapter10-3.html) But 15 days doesn't sound like it would be long enough to be the culprit and your is drinkable I'm gathering.

Just as a note another definition I noticed of the word skunky went:
Skunky: A taste and smell suggestive of a skunk, overcooked cabbage or burnt rubber caused by bad handling, exposure to sunlight or fluorescent lighting.

Pretty general though. Bad handling could mean a lot of different things I guess.

I would look into your temp theory but an option to truely rule out autolysis might be raking after a week and seeing if it makes a difference.

[Ozbrewer]

unless you have pitched a 3 gallon starter and fermented at 90 deg c you wont get autolysis in a week


if you rely want to taste what autolysis is lie, take a 24oz bottle o beer and simmer it doen to 2 oz and taste it....same flavor