I’d say that your analysis is a good one. It is not something I would have thought of, but it makes sense. Another reason you are doing the podcast and not me. I know I’ve used a small amount of corn in a couple of beers I have made, but certainly not enough that it caused problems like that.

I also wanted to pass along a short tale of something that happened to me recently. I found myself really wanting a beer. Unfortunately, the only beer in the house was some that had gotten left after a party. I don’t want to use any names, but it is frequently referred to as something that sounds like “Dud”. Even though I knew my “Real Beer Drinker” card might be in jeopardy, I gave it a taste. You know what…even really wanting a beer didn’t make this drinkable. Probably because I really wanted a *beer*, and this wasn’t one. So, I did the only thing I could, found a drink with a bit more kick & better taste…water.

Keep up the great work on the podcast!

Let’s look at the evidence:

1. The problem only manifests in some (specific) beers.

2. The offending agent is almost undoubtedly transmitted through your nose.

I don’t know about Captial 1900, but Xingu almost assuredly uses adjuncts like corn or rice in the brewing. These are typically not found in craft brews, and never in anything touted as “all malt”. I’d suggest the culprit may be the corn, which could be putting out chemicals that you’re sensitive to. It’s a big part of “megabrew” as well, and is one reason what little flavor/odor it has is so tough to palate.

Just a guess…perhaps more data collection is in order…

What might be going on here?