Beef Stew Taste Problem-Acidy flavor

I made a large beef stew & it turned out to have an acidic taste to it. (new recipe) I used red wine, Guiness Stout, 3 lbs meat, carrots, celery, 6 garlic, 1 parsnip, clove, thyme, 4 cups beef broth, I used 1 red banana pepper for a bit of spice, paprika, etc. I did not put potato in it because I'll be freezing it. How do I eliminate that acidic taste (mouth feel) from the stew?? I need an answer fairly soon. Thank you .....Larry

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4 Comments

Cotswold C.
Cotswold C. February 7, 2024
My money would be on the Guinness. Wine isn’t normally bitter. Whereas as in making Guinness the barley is roasted even longer than an English Bitter ale which gives it the district black colour.
I have used real ale in stews which resulted in a bitter taste. As mentioned you need to add something to counter act the bitterness .
 
Nancy
Nancy October 27, 2019
2 other possible causes of the acidic taste.
1st, absence of fat in your list; the combination of red wine AND beer.
For next time (if you make it again), saute the beef in some good fat before you add the liquids. Your choice, but olive oil is always good.
To fix now, add half to one tbsp per lb of meat.
2nd, I wonder if the volume of wine and beer or some interaction between them is a problem. In any case, it's unusual. [Wine is usually/often used in French stews and beer in Belgian ones.]
The addition of fat may help balance the flavors, or more broth to dilute the acidity. Last, when you add the potatoes, they will absorb some of the acid and make it less assertive.

 
Lori T.
Lori T. October 27, 2019
The culprit is most likely the wine. Besides sugar, you can also try using a pinch of baking soda to help neutralize the acid. Tiny pinch, and it will make bubbles as it does the work- so watch it doesn't bubble out. Taste before adding in another pinch if needed, because if you add in too much it can end up tasting soapy.
 
Ethyl
Ethyl October 27, 2019
I'd guess it's the red wine that is the culprit. As for fixing it, I'd just try to play around with adjusting the seasoning to balance it out a little bit -- sugar or honey for sweetness, soy sauce or more beef broth for umami and saltiness, that kind of thing. Keep tasting as you go until you get a flavor profile you can live with :)
 
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