Is This My First Infection?

[mxd]

What taste is good and whats bad?

that's something you'll learn

If your going to dump it, put a down a couple of bottles (the plastic variety so there is no glass bottle bombs), take a note of taste then in 3 weeks time, try a bottle and see what that tastes like, but taste all the way through (and move to kegs )/

 

[fasty73]

Hmmmmmm, taste is good, I could almost drink it straight from the fermenter!!!! Just cool and drink.

 

[zephon]

Hmmmmmm, taste is good, I could almost drink it straight from the fermenter!!!! Just cool and drink.

Sounds good to me! Bottle it up... plastic though just in case.

 

[fasty73]

NO sour or vinegar taste at all. Now I am confused. Don't forget this is my first batch with Brigalow finishing hops tablet added. Oh and I don't like shite beer!!! I made a batch of Coopers Pale ale and didn't like it at all, it didn't have this moon like look about it either.

 

[mxd]

Hmmmmmm, taste is good, I could almost drink it straight from the fermenter!!!! Just cool and drink.

don't bottle the 1.023 that's far too high. if that don't move then ??

 

[fasty73]

Yeah the 1023 has been fermenting for 16 days. Not sure if I should repitch or chuck it. The top doesn't look overly infected but a little unusual. I tend to leave fermenting for 3 weeks now anyway. OG was 1040 and 1038 on 29/09/10.

 

[zephon]

NO sour or vinegar taste at all. Now I am confused. Don't forget this is my first batch with Brigalow finishing hops tablet added. Oh and I don't like shite beer!!! I made a batch of Coopers Pale ale and didn't like it at all, it didn't have this moon like look about it either.

Just to clarify this is the beer in your first picture right (the one with the white film and bubbles)? The second beer didn't look that bad to me.

As far as flavour goes the infection may not have taken hold enough to alter the taste yet, if it were me I'd keg it and put it on ice and hope for the best. As you're bottling then I'd say just do it (plastic! can't say that enough!) and see how it goes. Worst case some bad flavour develops in the bottles and you have to chuck it then, better than wasting a potentially good beer now.

 

[fasty73]

Just to clarify this is the beer in your first picture right (the one with the white film and bubbles)? The second beer didn't look that bad to me.

As far as flavour goes the infection may not have taken hold enough to alter the taste yet, if it were me I'd keg it and put it on ice and hope for the best. As you're bottling then I'd say just do it (plastic! can't say that enough!) and see how it goes. Worst case some bad flavour develops in the bottles and you have to chuck it then, better than wasting a potentially good beer now.

OK, thanks. I only have glass bottles. BUT I can put the in styrofoam boxes to contain bottle bombs but that being said, the earlist I can bottle is tomorrow night. Thanks heaps to the good guys that are helping me out.

 

[_HOME_BREW_WALLACE_]

Once you've had an infection get rid of the fermenter and start again.

I say get rid of the tap, NOT the fermenter. Get one of those snap-tap jobbies you can get from the lhbs/bunnings, they pull down and are easily cleanable. Sanitise with home brand bleach (Regular, not scented - $1.09 for 2 litres from woolies), this is what i used when i was in a similair situation as yours (1st few brews infected) and used for the rest of my brews until i started using starsan (unless i have made a cider, ginger-beer, etc previously and i don't want the flavour effecting my next brew, then i will use bleach). If ur real worried about future infections, maybe even go to the extents of pre-boiling your water and refrigerating it before you brew.

All the best with future brews.

 

[fasty73]

Thanks WALLACE, will do in future. But do I tip this batch or bottle it until the last 2 or 3 litres are left in the fermenter so I don't get any of the white film in the bottles?

 

[zephon]

OK, thanks. I only have glass bottles. BUT I can put the in styrofoam boxes to contain bottle bombs but that being said, the earlist I can bottle is tomorrow night. Thanks heaps to the good guys that are helping me out.

No worries.

You may be fine in glass bottles but it is a risk. The Styrofoam box is a good idea. In the past I have also wrapped bottles that I thought may be potentially bad in glad wrap as a bit of extra insurance. It's up to you really on how far you want to go with it but don't underestimate the power of a glass bottle exploding it can be pretty powerful. I've only had one myself but it threw shards of glass the entire length of the house and very narrowly missed hitting my g/f and my dogs.

If you do bottle it, maybe open a bottle every week or so to see how it's going. If any of the test bottles spit beer everywhere you'll know something is up and can sort it out before it becomes a problem.

 

[jakub76]

Smells like any other brew I have put down.

That is the most worrying part! Your brews are infected, your sanitation is completely fucked, you are a brew-tard! Slow the **** down and read something about how to do this properly. Brewing 22 batches the same way doesn't make you an expert - you're not going to learn shit-all if you're too busy repeating all of your mistakes.

Rant over...

Some brewers develop a taste for sour beers. As you are a nube and your base was a supermarket goo can I would suggest it's never going to taste any better than shitty shit water. Now that your plastic fermenters are infected throw them away or continue to use them for brewing sour beers only. Glass you can clean and sanitize - well, most people can anyway. You're awesome new a/c is pushing your brett infection all over your brewery, sanitize the crap out of all of your remaining equipment. Read how to do it properly! And if you're still sleeping in the dog house you might need to invest in some yoghurt for your own good self.

 

[fasty73]

Sounds like a plan simma. Any other idea's people?? Chuck it or bottle it? Still confused.

 

[jakub76]

Still confused.

Like that's going to change!

 

[Cocko]

Could even be that A/C... something you changed in the environment to introduce bacteria an even a little exposure ended up being too much. Or maybe e grommets around your airlocks are goners now! Repeated hot water treatment to rubber parts can do things to them. Something has stuffed up. Maybe your taps are harbouring bacteria!

Great point!

A change in environment and all of a sudden a change with the fermenters within that environment.... Hmm...

Second hand AirCon?

 

[Cocko]

Also, taste it... it will be the deciding factor!

 

[fasty73]

That is the most worrying part! Your brews are infected, your sanitation is completely fucked, you are a brew-tard! Slow the **** down and read something about how to do this properly. Brewing 22 batches the same way doesn't make you an expert - you're not going to learn shit-all if you're too busy repeating all of your mistakes.

Rant over...

Some brewers develop a taste for sour beers. As you are a nube and your base was a supermarket goo can I would suggest it's never going to taste any better than shitty shit water. Now that your plastic fermenters are infected throw them away or continue to use them for brewing sour beers only. Glass you can clean and sanitize - well, most people can anyway. You're awesome new a/c is pushing your brett infection all over your brewery, sanitize the crap out of all of your remaining equipment. Read how to do it properly! And if you're still sleeping in the dog house you might need to invest in some yoghurt for your own good self.

Thanks mate. This is the FIRST brew that has this on top. I have NEVER claimed that I am anexpert. If I was then I wouldn't be asking questions. I haven't brewed any batches the same way. I have always tried differnet ingredients. Maybe my sanitising needs attention with my fermenters, I agree. I have made some really nice beer and one or two that I didn't like but it was the ingredients that made them different. I am only now just starting to repeat the same brews that I like and not doing the ones I don't. I don't think it tastes like shitty water. I prefer my HB to the commercial beer already, so I think I know what my taste is. Thanks anyway.

 

[fasty73]

Great point!

A change in environment and all of a sudden a change with the fermenters within that environment.... Hmm...

Second hand AirCon?

No, the air con is new and I sanitised the filter and the front of the A/C

 

[mxd]

Like that's going to change!

mmm, maybe easier not to read and respond rather than to degrade and criticize

 

[jakub76]

mmm, maybe easier not to read and respond rather than to degrade and criticize

Yes fair call.

My point is that Fasty's time could be better spent searching and absorbing the plethora of information available on this site and others rather than wasting a lot of people's time cranking up his post count.