AG advice & stainless fermenter

[kaiserben]

I think it is either (or a combination) of poor sanitising and yeast strain.

It seemed that, from what you've said, you didn't bother to santise (only clean). That's a fairly likely problem.

You know how you left your cleaner sitting in the fermenters between uses? What I do (and I recommend you do) is hot water and cleaning powder/solution after use, rinse that off thoroughly, then put about 6L cold water with (9ml of) no-rinse santiser solution. Shake it so the bubbles coat everything inside. Then leave that alone till I next need the fermenter. The bonus is that no-rinse solution is re-usable, so it's incredibly handy to have 6L of it ready to go at any time I might need it - for bottling or another fermenter or whatever. Just give it another shake before re-use.

The stuff people are saying about US05 is very interesting though. (I've never detected anything wrong myself, but only used it a few times and in some pretty big and/or dark beers. I use M44 - mentioned by TheWiggman - a lot and have only had a strange flavour once - a dry, yeasty/powdery taste that I seem to always get with English yeasts, but only once with M44).

 

[kaiserben]

now that I found out what diacetyl tastes like

Could you attempt to explain the taste so I/others can try to pinpoint it as well?

EDIT: I've detected it in someone else's beer at a beer tasting event (event designed to show faults, so it was really obvious), but have never been able to detect it at any other time. So I don't think I could pick it unless it was a really bad case.

 

[Leviathan]

Interesting, i too mostly use US05 and detect the exact taste you guys have described, might split a cube and see what happens with 1056.

 

[dblunn]

After 2-3 beers you don’t really notice it but the first glass after a few days you definitely do. You smell it raising your glass and slightly taste on the first sip - but by the time you’ve swallowed/skulled it’s gone.

How fast did your yeast takeoff? I have experienced the same thing on the odd occasion when the yeast was slow in getting started.
Dave

 

[Reef]

Pink Stain Remover is Chlorinated TSP and should not be used on stainless steel
chlorine based substances need to be really well rinsed before use
un-chlorinated TSP and Sodium Percarbonate are readily available and economical - safe for stainless

[SIZE=10.5pt]Thanks mate - is there a particular brand of cleaner to use on stainless?[/SIZE]

 

[kaiserben]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Thanks mate - is there a particular brand of cleaner to use on stainless?[/SIZE]

Just buy plain, 100% Sodium Percarbonate from any Brew store. (it's the active ingredient in Napisan, but buying it from brew store means you get it far cheaper and undiluted by the other additives in Naipsan),

 

[woodwormm]

I recommend bry 97 worth trying too. Pretty much my house yeast now. Imho much better than us05 taste wise.

 

[TheWiggman]

Could you attempt to explain the taste so I/others can try to pinpoint it as well?

EDIT: I've detected it in someone else's beer at a beer tasting event (event designed to show faults, so it was really obvious), but have never been able to detect it at any other time. So I don't think I could pick it unless it was a really bad case.

I describe it as sugary caramel, similar to crystal. The head is excessively bitter and the sugary aroma overrides the hops. Butterscotch? Not to my tastebuds.

 

[Reef]

Just revisiting my old thread re: slightly off smell/tasting beer. I've just cracked a few stubbies I always stash away that are now 4 weeks old - same batch as I was getting the off flavour with but the bottled beer is fine.

My kegs stay super clean and I'm now wondering should I be conditioning my kegs for a few days/weeks/months prior to gassing?

Is this a common practice?

I usually gas and consume as soon as its carbonated (32-48hrs).

Fingers crossed I'm getting there.

Cheers

 

[Reef]

Any thoughts?

 

[contrarian]

The flavour of beer will develop and change but there's no reason to chill in the keg for an extended period before carbonating. Depending on other stocks I vary between using the Ross fast carbonation and drinking within 20 minutes and leaving at serving pressure for a week or so.

It doesn't seem to matter which method I use the best tasting beer is the one just before the keg blows!

How long does a keg normally last you?

 

[wereprawn]

You could try leaving the beer on the yeast for a few more days after fermentation has ceased . Biological processes continue for a while after the yeast appears done, it is still reabsorbing/converting compounds left over from fermentation , some of which , taste terrible . That your bottled beer,which has been on yeast for a lot longer, and tastes fine, seems the giveaway to me.

 

[Weizguy]

Cheers - looks like I have a problem here too. I'll definitely start cleaning AND sanitising. I've only once had a fully infected batch but maybe some infection is still lingering.

Is pink stain still recommended for cleaning?

What are the local Oz sanitising alternatives for Starsan?

Cheers!

PSR is chlorinated Trisodium Phosphate, so it's a cleaner and a sanitiser.
No good to leave in the vessel unless you have time to sun-dry and air out for a while before sanitising and pitching yeast for the next batch.

PSR is also not good for Stainless, if you start using it to brew in.

 

[Reef]

You could try leaving the beer on the yeast for a few more days after fermentation has ceased . Biological processes continue for a while after the yeast appears done, it is still reabsorbing/converting compounds left over from fermentation , some of which , taste terrible . That your bottled beer,which has been on yeast for a lot longer, and tastes fine, seems the giveaway to me.

I will give this a run next time around. I usually leave in primary for 7-10 days, I then move to a secondary for 4- 6 days and dry-hop. When this is done I force carbonate for 36-48hrs and then consume. I might try for 2 weeks in the primary this time around. Is this recommended for ales?

All along (and even with my poor cleaning/sanitising regime) I thought the beer was infected - but it seems as though this isn't the case. For some reason the 3-4 week bottled beer is fine but the keg has the taste/smell. I can only assume it needed longer to condition. Btw the beer was Torpedo IPA clone.

My next batch I might let the beer condition in the keg for a few weeks (at room temp with oxygen removed) prior to force carbonating for 48hrs
(40psi).

Hopefully this will improve...

The flavour of beer will develop and change but there's no reason to chill in the keg for an extended period before carbonating. Depending on other stocks I vary between using the Ross fast carbonation and drinking within 20 minutes and leaving at serving pressure for a week or so.

It doesn't seem to matter which method I use the best tasting beer is the one just before the keg blows!

How long does a keg normally last you?

Anything from 2 days till 2 months. It always seems to get better further along this time-frame...

 

[Crusty]

By all means let the keg condition but not at room temp. Leave it in primary for 2 weeks, transfer to the keg & put it in the fridge. Don't drink it for 2 weeks & you'll be fine.