First Infection?

[petesbrew]

I had a belgian strong ale a few years ago that tasted a bit nail polishy after a 4week secondary treatment. Asked a mate about tipping it, He said if I could actually DRINK a sample withouth spitting it out, then to bottle it anyway. It had a thin filmy skin on top too.
So I did, and for the first 4 or so months, it was pretty wrong. I have to say a few half full glasses went down the sink. But after 6 months they really started to get drinkable, and quite bloody fantastic!

I say bottle it. And store it somewhere safe, in case of bottle bombs. Give it a few months and report back.

 

[Siborg]

Yeah, at least bottle a couple if you're gonna tip. If it turns out good, you may regret ever tipping it, then you'll need to recreate the fermentation for the next batch!

 

[DanRayner]

It looks like an Acetobacter sp. infection - potentially occuring if there was any kind of oxidation of your beer between primary and secondary (I virtually never rack to secondary for that reason). The acetone smell might be ethyl acetate which can occur between ethanol and acetic acid supporting the idea that it's infected with Acetobacter sp.

The bacteria (not yeast) forms a pellicle on top of the beer which protects it from other infections and will actually grow and thicken with time into a weird mat of ropey material made of microbial cellulose - it is produced at the junction between air and liquid so it will usually stay as a floating mat. In the industry of the intentional production of vinegar this is called the vinegar mother.

I once tried making cider from apples pressed at an orchard here in Canberra. Paid $120 for 60L of apple juice from a guy who's main source of income was making organic apple cider vinegar - the hippy convinced me not to use any KMS to sterilise the juice or even any of my own yeast to innoculate saying "maan, the best cider is made when you let nature takes it's own course without introducing any unnatural substances" - I am so never listening to a hippy again about stuff like this - the walls of his pressing room must have been crawling with the bacteria!

On the upside I do have loads of really excellent apple cider vinegar!

I say let it go nuts and bottle yourself some "hand-crafted malt vinegar" - do it in some fancy 1L swing-top bottles and share it with your friends, it's great on salads and for cooking.

 

[MeLoveBeer]

It looks like an Acetobacter sp. infection - potentially occuring if there was any kind of oxidation of your beer between primary and secondary (I virtually never rack to secondary for that reason). The acetone smell might be ethyl acetate which can occur between ethanol and acetic acid supporting the idea that it's infected with Acetobacter sp.

lol... yeh, I'm sure as hell not going to take up a keg with it if its no good. Have already ordered a fresh yeast pack and brew it again tomorrow night after work.

Siborg, its been sitting in the secondary at 3 degrees for a while. Should have just kegged it from the secondary and I reckon it would have been a place getter at beerfest (was bloody beautiful)

 

[mxd]

l I reckon it would have been a place getter at beerfest (was bloody beautiful)

don't undersell what your not going to enter, you mean "I think it would have been beer of the show"

 

[eamonnfoley]

I would probably be sealing the fermenter once primary fermentation is over. Doesnt take much to break the seal you have there. And I wouldnt bother with a secondary, your not gaining anything. Just sit in primary as long as you need to, then keg.

 

[Siborg]

I would probably be sealing the fermenter once primary fermentation is over. Doesnt take much to break the seal you have there. And I wouldnt bother with a secondary, your not gaining anything. Just sit in primary as long as you need to, then keg.

That's what I would have thought. There's no harm to leaving it on the cake for a few weeks while it conditions.

"maan, the best cider is made when you let nature takes it's own course without introducing any unnatural substances" - I am so never listening to a hippy again about stuff like this

That made me laugh. "Unnatural substances" damn hippies!

 

[MeLoveBeer]

Yeh, the secondary was sealed up (didn't quite do it justice when I took the pic through the glad wrap). Simon, you judging farmhouse again at beerfest? I might bottle it just for you

 

[Siborg]

Yeh, the secondary was sealed up (didn't quite do it justice when I took the pic through the glad wrap). Simon, you judging farmhouse again at beerfest? I might bottle it just for you

hell no! By the way, I wasn't judging at vicbrew. So many gushers in that cat.

 

[cam2584]

Why not add some lime juice or something see if you can make it nicer to drink

 

[Hatchy]

Did you fill the fermenter with co2 before you racked it? Would co2 make the ruin yr beer nasties feel less welcome in secondary fermenter?

 

[MeLoveBeer]

Did you fill the fermenter with co2 before you racked it? Would co2 make the ruin yr beer nasties feel less welcome in secondary fermenter?

Nah, I never purge with CO2... purging would remove the oxygen, but wouldn't stop the wild yeast from getting in there (and as you know, yeast can survive quite happily without oxygen). To be honest its just one of those things that can't be helped and I'm ok with just cutting my losses this time, learning my lesson (never use a secondary for conditioning) and starting again.

 

[Siborg]

Why not add some lime juice or something see if you can make it nicer to drink

that's what carlton did, didn't they?

 

[MeLoveBeer]

that's what carlton did, didn't they?

It what everyone uses to hide the flaws in Corona... why not with other beers?

 

[ScottKemp]

my only infection so far has been Lacto bacillus and it tasted sour, tart, lemony.
made the beer taste thin and sour, basically.

I think I have my first infection and it is this, I haven't tasted it, but when I kegged it, I noticed a very sour smell that I have not encountered before with my beer. :icon_vomit:

I think it happened growing a starter from some safale s04 I farmed, the problem is I used it in two different batches and they both have the sour smell - I am guessing there is no hope for either keg if that is the case? Is there nothing I can do to save it besides pouring into corana bottles?

Cheers
Homer