More Friggin Infectionshad To Toss Out

[DKS]

Funny how some things stick in your mind. After reading your posts one thing you said kept recurring to me for days after. It was the little comment that you lifted the cube handle to get a little extra wort in there. Just possible that this is sucking in some nasty little buggers.
Ive had my share of infections and worked out that the smallest exposure to air at the wrong time can be devistating to a brew.
There are a few references Ive read to the small drop in temp on the discharge side of a ball valve from the kettle not being adequit to sanitise, so Im never that confident about NC cubes, although thats what I do.
By known practice, you should be OK into the cube if your sani rageme is what you said. That sucking in by lifting the handle is sticking in my claw still.

more to that .... Around my way I try not to brew around September / October. Recurring infections reported by a few local brewers each year at the same time. Pollen, wind who knows its just there each year.

This is a real brainteaser, just thought Ide add my pennies worth and will follow thread with interest.Good luck.
Daz

 

[eamonnfoley]

Funny how some things stick in your mind. After reading your posts one thing you said kept recurring to me for days after. It was the little comment that you lifted the cube handle to get a little extra wort in there. Just possible that this is sucking in some nasty little buggers.
Ive had my share of infections and worked out that the smallest exposure to air at the wrong time can be devistating to a brew.
There are a few references Ive read to the small drop in temp on the discharge side of a ball valve from the kettle not being adequit to sanitise, so Im never that confident about NC cubes, although thats what I do.
By known practice, you should be OK into the cube if your sani rageme is what you said. That sucking in by lifting the handle is sticking in my claw still.

more to that .... Around my way I try not to brew around September / October. Recurring infections reported by a few local brewers each year at the same time. Pollen, wind who knows its just there each year.

This is a real brainteaser, just thought Ide add my pennies worth and will follow thread with interest.Good luck.
Daz

Thats why I like starsan. When you transfer to a fermenter (or cube in this case), there is a huge head of foam that sits above the wort. This should help kill any airborne wild yeast that might drift into your fermenter at or shortly after transfer.

 

[TBird]

Fergi,

If they are new cubes I'd put money on it being a poorly sealed cube that's sucked in bad air, there really is nothing else it could be looking at your regime.

It wouldn't necessarily leak once cooled & under postive pressure, the hot cubes are quite soft & could easily have allowed air in before cooling & sealing.
Looks like you might have a bit of wild yeast floating around your property at present.

Cheers Ross

I'd back Ross on this one being the poorly sealed cube

 

[DKS]

Thats why I like starsan. When you transfer to a fermenter (or cube in this case), there is a huge head of foam that sits above the wort. This should help kill any airborne wild yeast that might drift into your fermenter at or shortly after transfer.

One would like to think so foles but they're sneaky little pricks and they're out to getcha.
Daz

 

[kelbygreen]

I have had a cube that had all the air squeezed out the next morning it was back to original shape and had a pocket of air (prob 2lts of liquid worth) on the top. So the lid obviously didnt seal, I squeezed the air back out and the cube had a bump on where the mold was so I trimmed that off and sealed it up. I pitched it that day but it tasted the same as the other cube that didnt let air in. Just lucky I guess.

But people do get trouble around here to when the wineries start brewing.

 

[mje1980]

I totally empathise with you!!. I had a bad run with infections. Drove me nuts. I ended up replacing the valve on my kettle ( had a nasty split i didn't see ), got some silicon hose, new cubes etc. I still use the old cubes, after a thorough sod perc soak, then a bleach + vinegar soak, then sod perc again + iodophor haha. Looks like im all good now thankfully.

Check everything twice , replace if not costly, and don't give up!!!

 

[Maheel]

i use a product that we use at work in a butcher shop called bacban, its a sanitiser no rinse product, i have been using this for about 3 years.

any-chance that the BACBAN is past it's use by date or something or maybe a chance an "error" was made at the butcher shop if your topping up from their larger bottle of the stuff ?

just thought it was worth a mebtion

 

[fergi]

Fergi,

If they are new cubes I'd put money on it being a poorly sealed cube that's sucked in bad air, there really is nothing else it could be looking at your regime.

It wouldn't necessarily leak once cooled & under postive pressure, the hot cubes are quite soft & could easily have allowed air in before cooling & sealing.
Looks like you might have a bit of wild yeast floating around your property at present.

Cheers Ross

yes i think it has to be a cube problem ROSS,
i live in the country so we have plenty of wild everything blowing around here.

one thing is when i filled the cubes i put them straight into my laundry to cool. always done this with no problems.
fergi

 

[Wimmig]

I haven't had any troubles with leaving cubes overnight, days, or a few weeks before pitching. I find the foaming action of starsan pushing out of the cube, then filling the cube until it flows over leaves little room for anything to interfer with.

 

[fergi]

i just want to thank all you guys that have taken the time to post an answer,
they are all worthwhile considerations and i will be triple checking everything next week before i brew my next batch.

i will also implement a couple of ideas you have thrown up.

i will also put the hot cubes after i fill them with wort, into a large clear plastic bag that i will spray with sanitiser inside and seal up the bag until i am ready to pitch into a fermenter. this way if the new cubes suck in air it should be clean sanitised air.

hope my next batch is okay.
will keep this thread informed, if you dont hear anything then i have probably shot myself.

fergi

 

[ploto]

A brand new cube still has potential to harbour something that could cause infection, even factory workers fart & pick their noses. Next time you get one you may as well pop out the lid seal as QldKev suggests. One more thing to eliminate.

 

[fergi]

i have just discovered something interesting with my infected cube of beer, i went to throw it out this morning and decided to put some in the hydrometer, .

now the og of this beer was 1042,screwtops JSGA clone.
after testing it i thought with the infection and possible wild yeast i thought the gravity would be down substantially.

i was surprised when the gravity read the same ,1042, does this mean that it wasnt a wild yeast infection and the infection that it has does not eat the sugars etc.
do all infections chomp away on the sugars.
if the infection gets hold and doesnt bring down the sg what types of infections are they

are there different categories that effect gravity and ones that dont, what are they.

fergi

 

[eamonnfoley]

i have just discovered something interesting with my infected cube of beer, i went to throw it out this morning and decided to put some in the hydrometer, .

now the og of this beer was 1042,screwtops JSGA clone.
after testing it i thought with the infection and possible wild yeast i thought the gravity would be down substantially.

i was surprised when the gravity read the same ,1042, does this mean that it wasnt a wild yeast infection and the infection that it has does not eat the sugars etc.
do all infections chomp away on the sugars.
if the infection gets hold and doesnt bring down the sg what types of infections are they

are there different categories that effect gravity and ones that dont, what are they.

fergi

Not all wild yeast reduce gravity. If you have a pH meter, test the pH. Abnormal beer pH (<4 or above >4.5) can help identify an infection or fermentation problems.

 

[TasChris]

Could you place the cube upside down with the lid submerged in a container of starsan?
That way as it cools it would only suck small amounts of sanitizing solution not air. This would only be necessary until it reaches ambient temperature.
Just trying to think out side the box/cube.

Cheers
Chris

 

[fergi]

well i have given the whole brew system a really thorough clean, not that i found anything but just did it anyway.

now i have done another brew and have it fermenting,

will know in a few days if i have stopped the dreaded infections.
fergi

 

[kelbygreen]

good luck it will be a real disappointment if it happens again.