Ruined Brew - Not sure why

[neo__04]

Hey all,

Recently done a double batch of golden ale and a single batch of little fellas pale ale.

They were all fermented in a fridge setup to ferment running a Brewpi controller.
Heat pad for heating.

I got keen to brew and pumped out the batches in a big session and realised i forgot to get some fresh Us-05.

I found a few packets of Craftbrewer American ale (thats US-05 right?) best before November 2014.
Its been in the fridge since new so I hoped it would be ok.

I started them all fermenting at 18 for 5-6 days, dryhopped, another day at 18, then bumped it up to 21 over the next few days.
Cold crashed them to 4 degrees for 3 days then kegged tonight.

The golden ales taste fine.

The Little fellas pale ale takes terrible. Not sure how to describe it, but its winey, vinegary, bitey... Terrible.

The only thing i can think of is originally i had the heat pad sitting about 30mm underneath the pale ale fermenter.

The temp probes were on a higher shelf in a golden ale fermenter.

So all i can assume is maybe it got too hot? The Stick on thermometer says no more than proabably 23-24 degrees.
There were no visable signs of infection, fermenter was wrapped with gladwrap.

Any ideas?

I kegged it anyway, ill see how it is in a few weeks, but im probably gonna tip it out the way it is at the moment.

Hate failures when im not sure why!

 

[dicko]

Just sounds like the LFPA has got an infection.
If it tastes bad at the end of fermentation then I think unfortunately ot will be a tipper.

 

[neo__04]

Ah well, We live and learn.

Just means I have to brew again now... what a shame

 

[Dave70]

Hot water, bleach and sunlight the arse out of you fermenter and tap before using it again. Check also for any deep scratches where the infectious suckers may be hiding.
I've even taken to giving my hands a quick spray with sanatizer when I handle anything touching wort. Dumping beer is the drizzling shits.

 

[yankinoz]

Vinegary? One batch but not the others? Infection. To what Dave70 just said about hands, I'd add rubber gloves, sanitised.

 

[NewtownClown]

Acetobacter

 

[neo__04]

hmm. havent had any infection issues before.

maybe for the sake of a few bucks ill get a new fermenter

 

[Danscraftbeer]

Never over estimate yeast. I think many people seem to from what I read. Including people that have brewed for years which confuses me.
Just to throw in some out of date dry yeast and think, she'll be right is a hit and miss/shot in the dark gamble IMO.
You can do better to make a starter and see the yeast prove itself as active and alive.
Strong yeast will dominate and even other bacteria don't have much of a chance to develop in competition with it.
Weak yeast will leave much more opportunity for other unwanted organisms to develop.
There are always billions of other organisms floating around in the air and everywhere.
Just my 2 cents worth of understanding.

 

[NewtownClown]

hmm. havent had any infection issues before.

maybe for the sake of a few bucks ill get a new fermenter

The only infection I've had was acetobacter. It only takes a fruit fly/vinegar fly to touch the wort. A good clean and sanitation and I've been using the same FV for a couple of years since.