Can a sanitizer go off?

[bradsbrew]

Taps are plastic though.

 

[kaiserben]

We're talking stainless KB

The Mangrove Jack's SS fermenter has a plastic tap. (well it's black plastic outer, a stainless nut, a silicon o-ring, plastic bits that push in/out to control the flow)

 

[manticle]

Fair enough.
Seems odd but fair enough.

 

[Leyther]

Thanks for the advice on the 'cloudy', I read that on some blog somewhere but I've invested in a pack of 80 litmus papers today, $1.50 off ebay

 

[trustyrusty]

Interestingly it is bubbling away today, and the wort does not taste bad... I would assume it would be bubbling if it was off? I am sure it would be a bit vinegary today?
And I had a taste of a commercial beer, last night think it was the Asashi Megaui or soemthing and the smell was similar to what I am getting but was not as bad - maybe just what it is supposed to be like? Not pleasant though - sort of like the horse blanket smell but a little different, fermenting apples - I dont know really hard to describe.

 

[manticle]

Acetaldehyde can taste like granny smiths and is a natural part of fermentation.
Usually reabsorbed by yeast in healthy fermentation.

There are also various esters that may have apple or pear like flavours. Ethyl hexoanate for example can taste like red apple. I get a bit of it early on with a scottish ale yeast and a belgian yeast. Tends to dissipate with conditioning.

 

[trustyrusty]

Thanks - This is the Coopers Premium yeast, from Amber Ale kit (I think this is supposed to be a better yeast than other cans)....so it maybe a little different?

 

[manticle]

All yeasts are different from each other

 

[Bones99]

TrustyRusty,

Give it time mate, time helps a LOT.
Too early to say whether it will be good or not and once fermenting the smell and flavour changes all the time.

I don't bother trying to save money on cleaning products - good cleaning practices outweigh bad brewing processes in my experience.
I use Sodium Perc for cleaning everything especially soaking plastic fermenters and anything else plastic and sanitise with the KK Acid Cleaner (Starsan copy) and that's it.

Throw the spoon if in doubt as in the long run, they are a disposable item and don't cost that much to replace (less than a couple of bad batches of beer anyway) but if you haven't pulled your tap apart (and I think you said you'd done about 40 brews) I think you may have found your problem (if there is one). I pull every component to pieces after every brew/ferment and clean, clean, clean.

Good luck mate.
Bones

P.S. Coopers Amber Kit does take a little while to get going from past experience / memory

 

[trustyrusty]

Yes I think the tap was the issue - The tap is quite hard to clean - Mangrove Jacks tap is fitted unless I take off.. but even though hard to see inside.I took some ear buds and scraped the inside and there were bits of old yeast - urghhh totally forgot about this because other taps you can take off and are white plastic so you can see, about 20 brews. I wonder if I can swap out the tap - I don't want to have to wrench off a tap every time.. Any ideas how to clean the tap inside without damage - I don't want to use wire brush or it will make marks that will catch stuff. I took a kitchen cloth and made a strip that I ran through a few times but not sure if you get all the bits as you cannot see. I have filled up with hot water and cleaner to soak.

Thanks

 

[trustyrusty]

BTW I am not sure if the brew is actually off, I have put into second fermentation so I could check tap - think it might be OK, will see in a few days...

Also I did find a small piece of plastic maybe from cutting a yeast packet? NO idea where it came from, could have been in there for ages. Strange...cheers

 

[manticle]

Yes I think the tap was the issue - The tap is quite hard to clean - Mangrove Jacks tap is fitted unless I take off.. but even though hard to see inside.I took some ear buds and scraped the inside and there were bits of old yeast - urghhh totally forgot about this because other taps you can take off and are white plastic so you can see, about 20 brews. I wonder if I can swap out the tap - I don't want to have to wrench off a tap every time.. Any ideas how to clean the tap inside without damage - I don't want to use wire brush or it will make marks that will catch stuff. I took a kitchen cloth and made a strip that I ran through a few times but not sure if you get all the bits as you cannot see. I have filled up with hot water and cleaner to soak.

Thanks

Break apart what you can and leave open what you can't. Soak in hot water and sodium percarbonate or sodium metasilicate.
Then rinse well and inspect. Repeat if visible crud.
Rinse, sanitise.

Can you buy replacement taps for this unit?

 

[trustyrusty]

Hi Sorry I think it was a false alarm, seems to be OK... having a drop now and not off....Although my fermenter / tap probably needed a good clean.... but the smell on the 2nd day was not good....but I did use kit yeast and maybe that was it....

Thanks

 

[TidalPete]

You can always chuck the (plastic) tap & replace with a ss fella which you can boil the buggery out of to sterilise.
What dia is the hole in your MJ fermenter?

 

[Mardoo]

You can also pressure cook the stainless taps and valves. A wee bit more insurance than boiling, but not worth going and getting a pressure cooker for. Unless you want to freeze yeast, which is awesome.