So this is my second infection since I began brewing. Same flavor as the first. The beer is kegged, carbed tastes good as it first hits your mouth. Has an aftertaste like dirt or dust. It is kind of fizzy, like mild pop rocks that taste like nasty dirt?
Anyone know what this is or if it is caused by something other than bad luck?
Thanks!

Are you using a used keg with old O-rings? Old soda kegs O-rings can give off some funky flavors.

Jeff

I've used the kegs hundreds of times. They are old soda kegs. I have replaced o-rings regularly. Most likely not that. Maybe the pop rocks is an overexaggeration. I geuss it is just like carbonated dirt.

Might want to post your recipe & ferment temps. I had a problem with one keg that was giving me some off flavors & I traced it down to a old plastic dip tube on the gas in side, so I just tossed it now when I use that keg the beer taste way better. I was getting a old musty rubbery flavor from it. I went ballistic trying to trace it down. Cleaned all my beer lines, taps, poppet's, ect. The reason why I bring up the keg is if it tasted fine before you kegged it that's where the problem might be.

Jeff

I'm wondering if he could be describing oxidation? It could be perceived as dirt

Cardboard flavor mistaken as dirt flavor? It would point to oxidation. What condition were the hops in? Were they stored in the freezer and picked up freezer-staleness? Could be a funky infection though.

Mold/mildew can definitely have a dirty or dusty character to it.

Cardboard could be it. Musty kind of. Just an aftertaste though. The hops should have been fine. Oxidation like during transfer?

Recipe:
5 lbs light dme
3.25 lbs briess 2-row
.75 lbs briess crystal 60

1.5 oz columbus @60
.5 oz columbus @20
.5 oz cascade @15, 10, 5, 0
1 oz cascade @DH

US-05 yeast, ferment between 60 and 66

I don't know what the threshold actually is, but I think you would have to splash and foam your beer fairly significantly to oxidise it. Did you notice anything like that in your dealings with this batch once it fermented out and you transferred?