My First Infected Brew

[Flash_DG]

Made a Roggenbier On Saturday morning, Everything went well hit all my targets.
Slow chill in a cube, put in Bath to cool down and this is the first time I have used this method I usually no chill over night.
So today I walk past the cube and notice it is now swelling a little. Had to go out, come home to find it has swollen even more.
I opened it up to find a awful corn-ish smell and a full krausen on top with patches on yeast as if I had pitched it my self.
Only thing I have done different this time was to chill it in the bath.

Do you think it would be safe to use the Cube again or will be forever tainted?

 

[bignath]

Made a Roggenbier On Saturday morning, Everything went well hit all my targets.
Slow chill in a cube, put in Bath to cool down and this is the first time I have used this method I usually no chill over night.
So today I walk past the cube and notice it is now swelling a little. Had to go out, come home to find it has swollen even more.
I opened it up to find a awful corn-ish smell and a full krausen on top with patches on yeast as if I had pitched it my self.
Only thing I have done different this time was to chill it in the bath.

Do you think it would be safe to use the Cube again or will be forever tainted?

Hmmm, my best guess is that some air/water from batch has made it's way back inside the cube whilst it cools and contracts...

I often use a bath to speed up the no chill process to more of a slowish chill, but try not to let the water go higher than the wort in case this very thing happens. On the weekend i cubed a P.O.R Ale and i didn't realise that i had a small leak in the lid seal. Wake up in the morning to check on it and instead of seeing it sucked in at the sides it looked all normal. That's when i noticed that the lid wasn't on straight. Haven't stripped the thread or anything, so all is good and the batch is fermenting fine (bloody beautiful flavour too at the moment actually) but i reckon it happened due to the heat from transfer slightly affecting the strength of the thread allowing me to tighten it but make it slip a thread all at once.
I was lucky this time.

As far as your cube is concerned, not sure if it will remain infected or not, but the usual suspects of sodium perc. and a no rinse and see you go.

Best of luck mate.

 

[petesbrew]

Ah yeah I know that bad corn smell. If you do use the cube again, I'd be giving it a very good clean.

 

[DKS]

Hmmm, my best guess is that some air/water from batch has made it's way back inside the cube whilst it cools and contracts...

I often use a bath to speed up the no chill process to more of a slowish chill, but try not to let the water go higher than the wort in case this very thing happens. On the weekend i cubed a P.O.R Ale and i didn't realise that i had a small leak in the lid seal. Wake up in the morning to check on it and instead of seeing it sucked in at the sides it looked all normal. That's when i noticed that the lid wasn't on straight. Haven't stripped the thread or anything, so all is good and the batch is fermenting fine (bloody beautiful flavour too at the moment actually) but i reckon it happened due to the heat from transfer slightly affecting the strength of the thread allowing me to tighten it but make it slip a thread all at once.
I was lucky this time.

As far as your cube is concerned, not sure if it will remain infected or not, but the usual suspects of sodium perc. and a no rinse and see you go.

Best of luck mate.

I went to my brewhouse to find a cube made last weekend swollen and ready to explode.
Dissapointed and crestfallen I let out the co2 preasure, took a sample and had a taste.
Surprise, surprise! All good at this point . Must have been some yeast in there from bulk prime transfer of previous brew an hour earlier. Nothing nasty or off so Ive let it go on its merry way.Fingers crossed it doesnt turn feral.
You can be lucky once in a while I surpose. :icon_cheers:
Lucky Daz

 

[manticle]

I'd chuck it. Cubes are cheap, AG brews cost more (depending on whether you are re-using yeast, bulk buying grain etc) and certainly your time is worth more.

My understanding of no-chill is that the time at pasteurisation temps assists with sanitation while the cube is sealed. Trying to chill the cube lessens the effect.

If you no-chill, let the cube cool naturally - otherwise build/buy a chiller and chill properly. Half of one method, half of another defeats the purpose of both.

 

[Flash_DG]

Ah well nearly 2 yrs with out anything like this is pretty good. Now to make sure it never happens again.

 

[outbreak]

I'd chuck it. Cubes are cheap, AG brews cost more (depending on whether you are re-using yeast, bulk buying grain etc) and certainly your time is worth more.

My understanding of no-chill is that the time at pasteurisation temps assists with sanitation while the cube is sealed. Trying to chill the cube lessens the effect.

If you no-chill, let the cube cool naturally - otherwise build/buy a chiller and chill properly. Half of one method, half of another defeats the purpose of both.

+1 never try to speed up chilling with no chill, the longer the wort is at 60+ degrees the better.