My Wort Smells Like Baked Beans?

[Benno-5]

The ag brew I did on the weekend smells like baked beans. when I poured it into the fermenter it smelt great. Left it for 2 days before adding yeast while i emptied a keg to free up space in my fermentation fridge. In this time it became hot in the garage (30deg). It appears it has started to ferment (bubbles and foam on top of wort) without adding the yeast. I have just added the yeast now. What could this be? an infection? I havent ever had an infection and my first ag is possibly infected, what would cause this?

 

[Doogiechap]

G'day Benno,
It looks to me like the 2 days sitting in the fermenter with no yeast to dominate the environment has left the gate wide open so to speak for some other bugs/ wild yeast to have their way. Whether you chill or no chill the key is to minimise the exposure to bacteria and by the sounds of it, the headspace of your fermenter may have had some nasties in it. You may find the infection is surface based and the yeast you added will ferment the rest at the end of the ferment try two samples, one from the tap (bottom) and one from the top with a sanitised piece of racking hose. Let your taste buds decide
Good Luck
Doug

 

[muga]

That is the funniest thread title I have ever read on a forum..

Sorry, that's all I can contribute..

 

[Benno-5]

so i should always add yeast imediatly after brewing to prvent any other bugs etc in the air from begining to infect / ferment the brew?

 

[matti]

Yes yesyesyesyesyesyesyeyyeyeysysysysyseyes sroory i mean yes

 

[Brewtus]

"Some people may say I know F*&^ nothing, but I tell you, I know F*&^ all." and even I know that as soon as you get to 27 deg pitch the yeast. It is like cutting yourself with a dirty, rusty blade and leaving it for a 2 days, high risk...

 

[Benno-5]

fair enough. I assumes that because you can boy fresh wort that leaving it would be the same. I guess not. I also recall a thread from ross I think where he mentioned that he left his wort for 24 hours before adding the yeast. Is this corrct or am i mislead?

I didnt add the yeast as it was at 30ish deg and i couldnt fit it in the fermenter fridge. Melbournes weather has been hight 30's for a few days so thought i would wait. Next time might wait until free space in fermenter fridge.

 

[dr K]

Throw it out and learn from your mistake
gave a lot of people a good laugh thoufgh esp Doggies comment about top and bottom !!!

K

 

[Brewtus]

If you get caught again, pitch the yeast and put the fermenter in a tray of water, or laundry sink etc, and put a wet towel over it so the it cools the wort. leave a fan blowing on it. May not be the perfect solution but it is better than loosing a batch.

 

[Whistlingjack]

That is the funniest thread title I have ever read on a forum..

Sorry, that's all I can contribute..

Add some oxygen and you'll get the wet toast flavour as well...sorry, I couldn't resist.

 

[Benno-5]

now i know i wont do again, tray and towel a good idea. that what i used to do before fermenter fridge, should have known better. lesson learnt. hopefully it helps others as well.

what did happen to that thread about top and bottom. it has dissapeared from this post.

 

[Benno-5]

im glad you all got a laugh. got to say looking back over the past few posts i have had a good laugh as well. Maby i could package the yeat and sell it as spc bean yeast

 

[Whistlingjack]

I've had infected brews before. I could only blame myself, so I made sure it never happened again. That's not to say it won't, though.

I never smelled baked beans. Maybe some microbiologist on this board will tell us which bug it was.

 

[dirty mac]

What could this be? an infection? I havent ever had an infection and my first ag is possibly infected, what would cause this?

Mr. Heinz?
(sorry am I too late?)

 

[newguy]

Don't pour it out just yet. You may end up with a good Belgian.

I'm using Wyeast 3864 Canadian Belgian (the Unibroue strain) and this yeast positively stinks like a geranium or tomato plant while it is fermenting. Once it floccs out, it smells normal.

You may have been lucky and picked up a wild yeast infection, not bacteria. While the result won't be repeatable, it may be drinkable. Sometimes accidents turn out to be good, just give it a chance before passing judgement.

 

[Zizzle]

Did you no chill (i.e. put the wort into the fermenter nice and hot) or after chilling?

Did you use your airlock?

Probably best to get a 20L jerry can if you plan to no chill. That way you can squeeze the sides to expel some air and know that it remains sealed. It should hiss as you open it to put into the fermenter.

I reckon ferment it out and see what it tastes like.

 

[delboy]

may be you could call it a breakfast ale ? it sounds as if it would be nice with a bit of toast!! LoL

SORRY MATE just had to do it !

i have actually read somewhare that some breweries in europe do brew with wild yeast in there batches to get a certain style .

i think it was in the JOHN PALMER BOOK

DELBOY

 

[Weizguy]

G'day,

I'm not a practicing microbiologist (unless you count yeast farming), but I am a University-trained scientist/biologist and more importantly, an experienced brewer, IMHO.

Here's a few thoughts:

1. If it's a wild yeast, you will get cloves in the flavour and aroma. It's a flavour I have noted in tomato sauce. Maybe that's where you recognise the flavour from.
2. Wild yeast is no better than bacteria in my opinion, and yeast starts eating sooner, and quicker, than bacteria.
3. You are prob not ready to treat this as a Belgian ale, and it's prob not likely to taste close anyway.
4. If no-chilling a brew, sanitise the vessel and then siphon wort in while hot, trying to hit all surfaces with the hot wort. That's why it's better to use a jerry can and squeeze the air out. then lie the jerry on its side to expose the top bits to the hot wort.
5. Taste the wort and let us know if it reminds U of cloves or bandaids. If so, flush it.

Wild yeast go crazy in Summer. That's why some (home)brewers will not brew in warmer weather.

As for me, hot weather means Weizen and Saison.
For you, this time it prob means "try again". Sorry to say.

Seth out

 

[dr K]

Listen to WeizGuy...chuck it and really clean your fermentor (boiling water works wonders...if you have a heat stick use it)
It will not be a Belgian, or anything like it.

Sorry

 

[501]

Hey, :beer:
sounds quite a bit like DMS aromas / flavours.
(canned Corn / not Beans ??)

how to brew -> dms

I do though agree with dr K. and others as I the wastage is a lesson.
How lucky could you be to get a beneficial yeasty / bacterial group
to be in there ? maybe.

Cheers all

501

:chug: