Infection Photo Thread

[jaypes]

A sanitised bung works for me (on that tap that is)

I must say every time there is a new update to this thread I get a little like this:-

 

[Yob]

Tap on cubes is fine.

What did she smell like?

Swollen cubes in my experience (invariably* from not sealing properly) smell pretty rank.

*Actually can't think of a single one that sealed properly but still swelled).

Still - clean your taps boss. Every time. Break and clean, sanitise, reassemble. I do that even just for bulk priming vessels.

mostly they are new taps.. Ive a vast collection of the bloody things but I think my love affair with the tap on cube is over..

on the up side, when nuked, that cube will hold +25lt.. how far to those things stretch?

h34r:

 

[Hippy]

Yeh taps can be a pain in the arse sometimes. I have one that gets mould and fungal infections in the spout whenever I store wort for more than a few weeks. Trouble is I always forget about it until the next time after cleaning. My auto syphon tip has got me out of strife a few times now, luckily the tap still seals well or I would have lost a lot of wort by now

 

[bum]

Tap on cubes is fine.

Not when they leak as shown in Yob's pic. If liquid is getting out then air is getting in.

There is a level of exposure to risk that is inherent in affixing a tap to a cube as opposed to not (especially with the cubes that must be drilled first). We all have different level of willingness to accept risk.

 

[Yob]

Not when they leak as shown in Yob's pic. If liquid is getting out then air is getting in.

There is a level of exposure to risk that is inherent in affixing a tap to a cube, We all have different level of willingness to accept risk.

agreed, and mine just went down a level.. TBH I always expected that if it happened (first cube infection) it would be the thread not the actual outlet... FK knows why :blink: \

Overall I think its still a winning practice for the right reasons, but Im certainly having a look at process not and may try to eliminate taps from the argument.

and also for information it does indeed smell like

 

[manticle]

Not when they leak as shown in Yob's pic. If liquid is getting out then air is getting in.

There is a level of exposure to risk that is inherent in affixing a tap to a cube as opposed to not (especially with the cubes that must be drilled first). We all have different level of willingness to accept risk.

Anything that leaks is no good - whether it's the lid or the tap. You should observe when you cube and if there is a leak, change cube or fix the leak. That's good practice.

Obviously there is one more thing to think about having a tap on a cube about but my experience with taps on cubes is reasonable (pretty much every brew is cubed this way and I brew a fair bit). Just be observant.

The reason I switched to fermenting in cubes was to eliminate vessel transfer due to a spate of infections so everything has a risk associated. We do all have a different level but mine isn't particularly large. I've thrown away beer and wort and it hurts. I don't like to take unnecessary risks when I can help it.

 

[bum]

Ha! I didn't mean to suggest you were some gonzo-brewer, manticle. Just saying that adding an extra entry-point involves an inherent increase in risk (even if that risk may often be minimal and almost as often manageable). I'd pretty much equate it with racking to secondary for every brew. Lots of brewers do it without issue - there are still issues and some people might not be willing to accept those issues.

 

[manticle]

No worries Bum - I didn't actually read you as suggesting I was gonzo and my mild defence of that is secondary to my main point: all processes have a risk associated and you manage that by either avoiding that process or paying attention to your process and carrying it out correctly. In the case of a leaking tap, you should be able to notice before it's 'too late', just as you should notice a bad seal on a lid.

It does involve an extra risk, no doubt, just one I feel is manageable with proper care taken when cubing. Racking to secondary I'd put likewise - do it properly and the risk is negligible. You also have to compare risk vs benefit and in both instances I wouldn't say the equation is massively weighted one way or the other, situation slightly dependent.

I rack every brew for bulk priming which is essentially racking every brew (used to rack for secondary ferm, rarely do now). There's a risk for sure. Do it properly and the risk is reduced/controlled. Have a reason for your process and make sure it's done properly. Forget shortcuts. Bob becomes a close relative.

Anyway good luck to yob - I have to drink his beer from time to time so it's in my interests that he gets it right.

 

[bum]

Pretty sure we're on the same page from a technical perspective - just saying it is equally valid that some people might not care for it.

That Bob bloke isn't always welcome at Christmas is all I'm saying.

 

[manticle]

Fair enough. I hate bob and his fat, redfaced, sweaty wife too.

 

[Midnight Brew]

Was about to keg my latest brew but needed advice on this one. This brew had Essex Ale yeast in it (top cropper) and smells fruity which would be due to the cascade. Havnt been game enough to taste. Is this normal? Otherwise shes going straight to the sewer.

 

[bradsbrew]

Going by the pick it looks like yeast to me. Have you crash chilled it?

Cheers

 

[Midnight Brew]

No crash chill but starting to think its gonna need it badly. This yeast keeps rocking at the top.

 

[Yob]

Is it a brew and or yeast you have used before?

Have a taste ya big nancy :lol:

 

[manticle]

Another vote for yeast and taste. At least draw off an hydrometer sample and smell it.

Nancy.

 

[Midnight Brew]

Is it a brew and or yeast you have used before?

Have a taste ya big nancy :lol:

New brew have used the yeats before but not in about 18 months. Cultured it up and grew it from a stubbie of fowl extract twang.

Another vote for yeast and taste. At least draw off an hydrometer sample and smell it.

Nancy.

Just had a taste and she's all good. This yeast was just still partying at final gravity. Ive only got one fridge so the keg came out and fermenter went in. CC'ing for 2 days to get my keg back in ready for New Years Eve. Not having a fementing fridge or CC fridge sucks.

 

[MattyH]

Hi peeps

I've just brewed a fatteryak recipie and half way through the ferment it turned from tasting fantastic to horrible overnight almost like a wheat flavour in there. At first I thought it was tannins but that would have been in there from the start right?
Now I'm thinking some infection has gotten in and I'm spewing its my first infection ever and it had to be in a fatteryak!!! There's no visual signs just taste has anyone had a similar problem before. Oh yeah when I say a wheat flavour its not in a good way I gather its an astringent flavour that some people refer to but I'm not sure what astringent tastes like.
Any feedback would be much appreciated I'd like to know what got in there and weather to chuck my fermenter

 

[felten]

Astringency is a mouth feel thing rather than a flavour, it's to do with tannins binding to proteins in your mouth which causes a puckering dry feeling.

Not that this helps your beer at all, sorry.

 

[philmud]

Hi guys, a saison I'm brewing is currently looking like this. It's done fermenting and I was planning on bottling on the weekend - is this an infection? Is it rooted? Should I bottle anyway? It still tastes good, so perhaps its just sitting on the surface so far. I can also rack it to another fermenter & leave the last few litres (including the surface of course) in the primary.

 

[Camo1234]

Hi guys, a saison I'm brewing is currently looking like this. It's done fermenting and I was planning on bottling on the weekend - is this an infection? Is it rooted? Should I bottle anyway? It still tastes good, so perhaps its just sitting on the surface so far. I can also rack it to another fermenter & leave the last few litres (including the surface of course) in the primary.

Looks like left over yeast to me with CO2 still being produced or still in the liquid..... If it tastes good I would bottle away and enjoy!

Camo