Infection Yet Again! - In Bottle.

[pmolou]

yeah this may not be an infection as i actually get something similar with yeast clinging to the side of the bottles but my beers taste fine... anyway i've never had an infection before but apparently you'd be able to taste it straight away, could the champagny flavour be from high fermentation temps and sugar use? i haven't read the whole thread but my advice would be wary for exploding bottles but ultimatly if the beer tastes ok its probably ok....

 

[prodj]

View attachment 33410

Not all is lost, dude.. It makes an awesome desktop background..

GOLD!

Could you run a virus scan on it and see what Norton or AVG detects it as? :huh:

 

[Dazza_devil]

yeah this may not be an infection as i actually get something similar with yeast clinging to the side of the bottles but my beers taste fine... anyway i've never had an infection before but apparently you'd be able to taste it straight away, could the champagny flavour be from high fermentation temps and sugar use? i haven't read the whole thread but my advice would be wary for exploding bottles but ultimatly if the beer tastes ok its probably ok....

+1 on the yeast clinging to the sides of bottles.
One of the best beers I have made had a very similar appearance only in a brown bottle. At first sight I thought the same, infection, but later realised that it was just the yeast clinging to the sides of the bottles. Other different shaped bottles in the same batch didn't have any because of more sloping sides. This beer started out harsh when it was green but turned out bloody delicious. Too bad it was nearly all gone by the time it had peaked, always the way. I ended up giving the stubbies a quick twist to release the yeast and it settled out very clear.
I've never thrown anything out and always will be prepared to keep brews for even years before I give up on them. That said there's always the possibility of bottle bombs but regular sampling can keep tabs on carbonation levels, as can cold conditioning your stubbies in the fridge put an end to further carbonation from yeast. I would personally recommend doing this with your batch if it is carbonated to an exceptable level.
I reckon an infection would be obvious, never had one but a cidery taste to me could very probably be from a high fermentation temperature.

 

[prodj]

+1 on the yeast clinging to the sides of bottles.
One of the best beers I have made had a very similar appearance only in a brown bottle. At first sight I thought the same, infection, but later realised that it was just the yeast clinging to the sides of the bottles. Other different shaped bottles in the same batch didn't have any because of more sloping sides. This beer started out harsh when it was green but turned out bloody delicious. Too bad it was nearly all gone by the time it had peaked, always the way. I ended up giving the stubbies a quick twist to release the yeast and it settled out very clear.
I've never thrown anything out and always will be prepared to keep brews for even years before I give up on them. That said there's always the possibility of bottle bombs but regular sampling can keep tabs on carbonation levels, as can cold conditioning your stubbies in the fridge put an end to further carbonation from yeast. I would personally recommend doing this with your batch if it is carbonated to an exceptable level.
I reckon an infection would be obvious, never had one but a cidery taste to me could very probably be from a high fermentation temperature.

Yeah certain its infection, the growth on the sides is there to stay. It has to be scrubbed very hard to get off.

I've kept good temps with all my batches, just under 20* for the ales, all batches tasted great after fermentation was complete. Its after bottling the infection seems to kick into gear and tastes VERY noticeable, you can smell cider/sour upon opening the bottle. Its not an infection you would second guess.

 

[Aeros]

I don't know if I've ever had an infection because I just don't mind the taste of my brew whatever it is. Best way I find to stop infection is to sanistise my equipment with pool chlorine, sodium hypochlorite. It washes out ok, however in time may leave etching in plastic bottles should you still be using them. Just don't use too much! It crystallises out.

 

[prodj]

Update for all.

My Ginger beer (3.5 weeks in bottle) I think shows very small signs of the infection and the flavour has changed for the worse. I can just taste it under all the ginger. I cant see myself drinking the rest of this.

Choc Porter is also bad. Same infection, showed no signs until in bottle. Noticed the spots appearing, tasted horrid.
Fermentation 8days @ 19-20 few days rest at 22.
Racked to secondary (new) cube & cold chill for 6days @ 1
Bottled last week, tipped out all but 6 stubbies last night.

Also bottled a Dark Ale 3 Days ago, that will no doubt be infected as it was pitched onto the Choc porters yeast cake. It only spent 4 days @ 1 (lowered cold conditioning time as recommended)
It tasted the best of all batches, as it was my first attempt at steeping grains.

Meanwhile I've given my both my fermenters a full soaking in bleach for few days. All parts disassembled and soaking also.
Im planning to make at batch at someplace other then mine & also an identical batch at my place. Will use new set of bottles and Starsan on everything.

 

[Dazza_devil]

If the taste is getting worse then I guess it is an infection. Sounds like something is getting in at the bottling stage. Maybe toss all your bottles for new ones, could be anything. Revise all your methods, keep an open mind for vulnerabilities and use a process of elimination. I wish I could be of more help mate and hope that you get it sorted. Given the amount of work you have already put in for your given results, I admire your persistance. How's the missus feel about your brewing, have you ruled out sabotage? I don't know a lot about infections but it may be worthwhile trying to identify the specific bug. Maybe it could help to narrow things down a little.
This could all work out well in the long run, a steep learning curve on sanitaion etc.

 

[prodj]

If the taste is getting worse then I guess it is an infection. Sounds like something is getting in at the bottling stage. Maybe toss all your bottles for new ones, could be anything. Revise all your methods, keep an open mind for vulnerabilities and use a process of elimination. I wish I could be of more help mate and hope that you get it sorted. Given the amount of work you have already put in for your given results, I admire your persistance. How's the missus feel about your brewing, have you ruled out sabotage? I don't know a lot about infections but it may be worthwhile trying to identify the specific bug. Maybe it could help to narrow things down a little.
This could all work out well in the long run, a steep learning curve on sanitaion etc.

Missus has helped me bottle a few times. So she was disappointed too when those failed also. I just convinced her to buy me a 9ltr keg for Christmas , so sabotage is unlikely.

Yeah put a heap of work into it. Dedicated lots of time over the last few months to take up the hobby/lifestyle of home brewing. Planted some hops which are growing fantastic before i even tasted any of my brews. Been going weekly to the bottle shop and buying a stack of single bottles of everything I could get my hands on. Taken a few outings to various drinking places & breweries with good selections. Trying to get an understanding of commercial examples of styles and what I liked before i ventured out on my own.

So there's no turning back now! :super:

 

[thunderchild]

Have you sanatised the bottle capper? Seems to be the only thing not suggested so far...

 

[chappo1970]

Have you sanitised your nipples? :lol:

 

[bum]

It is far too early for you to be that pissed on a school day, Chap-Chap.

 

[prodj]

Have you sanatised the bottle capper? Seems to be the only thing not suggested so far...

Lol, yeah gave it a spray with brewshield my first time bottling.
I even numbered the bottles so i could easily track any problems in my very first batch.

Have you sanitised your nipples? :lol:

My new full latex body suit should suffice for the next batch, oh wait just checked it and some wise guy has cut holes where the nipples go. :huh:

 

[bowie in space]

Off Topic!!!

Is it just me, or does anyone else think that Chappo and Bum are the same person??? I often don't see any posts from either one for ages and then they seem to pop up side by side...

The only reason I can think of that spoils that theory is that I don't imagine Chappo to be addicted to Rage (music tv show rage that is)....

Bowie

 

[kentr]

Bottles are a total pain in the ***. Switch to kegging! Save yourself so much trouble and such less chance of infection!

 

[Metal_Gman]

Man, your sanitisation issues have me absolutely stumped.

I've only just started HB'ing, first brew I put on was a GB

1 x 900gm brigalow tin
1 x 400gm grated ginger
1 x 1.5kg brewing sugar

All I did was go ballistic with bleach in the kitchen, every surface possible the beer might touch. My hands included. Chucked it all together and whallah strong tasty GB. I did quarantine SWMBO from the kitchen however...

I just put a lager on yesterday using no rinse sanitiser instead, and again just went nuts and sprayed everything using an atomiser spray bottle. First used a soft microfibre cloth to clean all residue off everything, solid rinse, then no rinse sanitiser on everything (Inc draining tray on kitchen sink where I put everything inc fermenter to try)

Have you checked your tap? Have you tried buying 2 x 10lt mineral water bottles from the s/mart and brewing with these instead? Legally they have to ensure the water contains NO nasties, obviously otherwise people would sue.

Maybe give that a burl and see what happens?

What yeast are you using? and what temperature are you pitching your yeast at? Are you waiting too long for the wort to cool down perhaps? Giving nasties a chance to get into the wort?

 

[Georgedgerton]

I don't know if I've ever had an infection because I just don't mind the taste of my brew whatever it is. Best way I find to stop infection is to sanistise my equipment with pool chlorine, sodium hypochlorite. It washes out ok, however in time may leave etching in plastic bottles should you still be using them. Just don't use too much! It crystallises out.

God bless all the brewers who love their brews because whatever matures is drinkable.

Now not exactly my style but I have to "dip me lid" to the philosophy.

Good news is (as far as I know) no one has died from infected beer. So if you love it, keep "drinknit"

Uncle F