Infection In Beer

[melinda]

G'day men,

I've ben reading some posts about beers getting infections. I started off as a K&K brewer and like everybody else, I've had beers that went off before they got to the bottle or keg. I have now been all grain brewing for over three years and not had one brew go off. I have not changed anything I do. My question is: Is freshly made wort hardier, tougher, better prepered, ( I don't know what term to use) than wort in a can? Can someone shed some light on this, or have I been just lucky? Is there a difference other than just having a percentage of water removed?

Cheers,
Cadbury

 

[labels]

A bit subjective, the answer could be anywhere. All grainers boil their wort while kit brewers usually do not.
There are probably other reasons.

Steve

 

[bignath]

i wouldn't have thought there would be a difference.

As far as i know, the cans of goo, are just a prepared wort, and then boiled/pasteurised and dehydrated aren't they?

Both should be pretty "clean" procedures, assuming proper precautions were taken of course.

 

[Juzdu]

G'day men,

I've ben reading some posts about beers getting infections. I started off as a K&K brewer and like everybody else, I've had beers that went off before they got to the bottle or keg. I have now been all grain brewing for over three years and not had one brew go off. I have not changed anything I do. My question is: Is freshly made wort hardier, tougher, better prepered, ( I don't know what term to use) than wort in a can? Can someone shed some light on this, or have I been just lucky? Is there a difference other than just having a percentage of water removed?

Did you always sanitise your can opener? I was surprised when my kit instructions suggested to do so, I never would have thought to do it. That's one item you won't be using now as an AG brewer.

 

[dr K]

Did you always sanitise your can opener? I was surprised when my kit instructions suggested to do so, I never would have thought to do it. That's one item you won't be using now as an AG brewer.

For what it is worth, given reasonable sanitation, the most likely cause of infection is bad yeast management. A healthy yeast, with sufficient cell-count and reasonable conditions will quickly create an environment where infection is really unlikely, part of yeast management of course is knowing when it has done its job which is where you take over and condition or bottle or whatever.
Strangely, many brewers get infections but are unable to detect them.

K

 

[labels]

I think the point that the OP was trying to work out was why his kit beer was getting infections more than his all grain.

The only way to do that is to take all the things that you do the same for both - like pitching yeast for example, and eliminate them and list all the things that are different.

You probably still won't fine a definitive answer but you could possibly narrow it down a little

It's really hyperthetical now as he is unlikely to return to kit brewing anyway.

Steve

 

[bugeater]

My guess is simply experience. A few infections and I gather you get a bit more focused on proper sanitation, and people generally go from K&K to AG, not the other way around.

 

[dr K]

I think the point that the OP was trying to work out was why his kit beer was getting infections more than his all grain.

Perhaps I should be more concise: Yeast

K

 

[Midnight Brew]

Yeast numbers are increased, good sanitisation practises and love of brewing without wasting due to infection would do it. I crindge at some of my old techniques, eg Sprinkle on a 7g packet of unrefridgerated yeast and ferment at 25C. **** knows how I still drank the stuff before turning to the dark side.

 

[mikec]

Plenty of hypothetical reasons.

First things that comes to mind:
- Generally when you start out with K&K, your processes are pretty basic. Chuck everything in the fermenter, mix, wait. Near enough is good enough. I realise this is a broad statement and everybody is different.
- You're adding 20L of tap water, unboiled and unsterilised.

In saying this, I've never had an infection from K&K or All Grain.