Second Double Batch Down The Drain

[Keifer]

First 40l batch was an easy drinking APA that ended up tasting like vinegar due to little flies getting into the fermentor.
Second batch was an american wheat, for the first week it seemed fine. I got back after a week away to find it covered in a white infection. Smelt disgusting.

So by now i was meant to have 4+ kegs full, but have got no beer at all at the moment. Has put me off brewing for now, i might do some cheap kits in the meantime
Also my bike has shit itself and i had to miss the HAG Baltic Porter day, i'll stop there but it has not been a good week!

One positive was i finally got a chimay blue, damn its a fine beer!

 

[Batz]

Bummer Keifer !

Don't give up mate,it does sound a little like a sanitation problem though.
Perhaps a little more care in that regard.
As we respect the brew Gods,the brew Devil also lurks in your brewery waiting to spoil whatever you brew







Hope things take a turn for the better

Batz

 

[bugwan]

Hey Keifer, sorry to hear about your sanitation troubles...

What sort of cleaning regime are you using? Bleach, no-rinse sanitiser, new taps/airlocks etc?

Vinegar flies shouldn't be able to get into your fermenter at all, assuming you use a closed fermenter. Double-check rubber seals and grommets (replace if smelly or brittle) and take the taps apart for a scrub too...

 

[InCider]

Kiefer,

I feel for you mate. I had exactly the same thing happen. Lost a few batches every now and then. And then my bike carked it too. Only a pushy though!

What I did was start to sanitise. h34r:

All fine now, doing two or three batches side by side and keeping an eye on it.

I even managed to ruin an kit cider.

InCider - Back on track.

 

[capretta]

arr nasty troubles k! i had a similar run with back to back infections.. nothing worse. i was ready to chuck it in cause when u spend 7 of so hours brewing only to feed it to the sink it kills the enthusiasm. :angry:

i went to bunnings, got another tap (<$2) and filled the fermenter with a strong bleach solution and left it....then bought another larger (30L) fermenter. got myself a couple of fresh wort kits and brewed them up in the new fermenter and when i tasted them i got my MOJO back!

in the meantime id rinsed the other fermenter out and i used it for a small batch a couple of brews later and it has been fine. B)

PS in basic brewing radio podcast recently the suggested a good "no rinse" sanitiser for fermenters. add 30ml bleach fill with water, (edit!) around 19l , then add 30ml of white vinegar. the lower acidity really kicks the bleach up a notch..

edit: also warning! do not add vinegar directly to bleach, only add vinegar after diluting bleach!!

edit: screwed up conversion.

 

[capretta]

with the bike have you checked the fuel tap? h34r:

 

[johnno]

That sucks Keifer.

Touch wood I have never lost a batch like this.

Maybe time to reevaluate your sanitisation. Pull everything apart and soak in a strong solution.

Also good to change your sanitiser every now and then. I alternate between bleach and phosphoric acid and will now also have the Herlilsil stuff as well.

cheers
johnno

 

[Keifer]

Thanks for the tips guys, im pretty good with sanitation and this is my first infection ever. I'd be close to brew 50 by now. I use iodophor for everything and am going to replace all my taps. The flies got in because i use gladwrap with holes in it as a lid. Somehow they were getting into the fridge.

hehe not the fuel tap mate second cylinder is flooding, im going to clean and balance the carbs tmoro and check the valve shim clearances. Hopefully its just a blockage in the carbs.

 

[delboy]

VINIGAR FLYS???

what are they ?where do they come from ?

they must be lurking or are they relitive to fruit trees in the vicinity?
i know when i was a lad me and my dad had this problem but we also pput it down to the old apricot tree in the back yard . they dont drown easy either
i fill my air lock with home grown alcohol and still put a shot glass over that.
(a plastic shot glass that is)

del

 

[Batz]

VINIGAR FLYS???

what are they ?where do they come from ?

they must be lurking or are they relitive to fruit trees in the vicinity?
i know when i was a lad me and my dad had this problem but we also pput it down to the old apricot tree in the back yard . they dont drown easy either
i fill my air lock with home grown alcohol and still put a shot glass over that.
(a plastic shot glass that is)

del

http://www.faunanet.gov.au/wos/factfile.cfm?Fact_ID=186
Batz

 

[capretta]

on the topic it reminds me of a story my mate tells about when he first got his learners for his bike. He had just gone shopping and was on the way home (with L plates on) on a local highway when his bike stared coughing and spluttering before finally dying on the side of the road.he was staring at his bike in puzzlement on the side of the road for 10mins. while standing there, about to call for a tow truck, a guy rode past on his gsx1100 at 80kms and flipped up his visor and said
fffuuuuuuuuuuuueeeeelllltttaaaaaaaapp!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[SpillsMostOfIt]

The flies got in because i use gladwrap with holes in it as a lid.

I use cling film. I don't put holes in it as the Gas Laws ensure that everything works itself out.

 

[Slurpdog]

on the topic it reminds me of a story my mate tells about when he first got his learners for his bike. He had just gone shopping and was on the way home (with L plates on) on a local highway when his bike stared coughing and spluttering before finally dying on the side of the road.he was staring at his bike in puzzlement on the side of the road for 10mins. while standing there, about to call for a tow truck, a guy rode past on his gsx1100 at 80kms and flipped up his visor and said
fffuuuuuuuuuuuueeeeelllltttaaaaaaaapp!!!!!!!!!!!!

GSX1100! Showing your age there Capretta.

 

[warrenlw63]

Just out of curiousity. You blokes who swap the lid for the gladwrap. What is it you're hoping to achieve in terms of improvements by doing this? :unsure:

Just think the three pigs and the wolf (or fruit fly). Gladwrap is the house of straw. Hard plastic lid is the house of bricks. :beerbang:

Warren -

 

[Beejay]

Hey Capretta,

With respect to your note on an easy no rinse sanitiser

Capretta

PS in basic brewing radio podcast recently the suggested a good "no rinse" sanitiser for fermenters. add 30ml bleach fill with water, around 27l , then add 30ml of white vinegar. the lower acidity really kicks the bleach up a notch..

I also listened to that podcast and thought I had best remind everyone of the warning from them to NEVER, EVER add vinegar direct to bleach, always dilute with water then add the bleach. NASTY chemical reactions happen when mixing undiluted bleach and vinegar.

Just thought I had better add the warning before someone jumps in and does it.

Cheers,

 

[Cortez The Killer]

I've been using glad wrap for ages without infections / issues

It saves time sanitising the lid / air lock

And it lets you peer into the fermenter to see what's going on

I won't be going back to a lid / airlock

Also there is no need to punch holes it in - the CO2 escapes any way

Cheers

 

[capretta]

I also listened to that podcast and thought I had best remind everyone of the warning from them to NEVER, EVER add vinegar direct to bleach, always dilute with water then add the bleach. NASTY chemical reactions happen when mixing undiluted bleach and vinegar.

Just thought I had better add the warning before someone jumps in and does it.

Cheers,

cheers bj, i did put it in that order but i didnt really outline the risks of not doing it correctly. thanks for clarifying that!!
:excl: yes, on the podcast they were very specific that adding the vinegar directly to the bleach would cause the chlorine to become a gas. not something you should be very keen on doing. :excl:

 

[warrenlw63]

It saves time sanitising the lid / air lock

After all it takes an eternity. :lol:

Warren -

 

[oldbugman]

PS in basic brewing radio podcast recently the suggested a good "no rinse" sanitiser for fermenters. add 30ml bleach fill with water, around 27l , then add 30ml of white vinegar. the lower acidity really kicks the bleach up a notch..

Wasnt it 1 ounce (30ml) into 5 Gallon (19L)

 

[capretta]

sorry, i have been using it in my larger fermenter but you are right, i went back and listened, it was exactly 1 floz of bleach, and 1 floz of white vinegar to 5 gallons.
therefore 28-30ml each of bleach and vinegar to 18.9 litres of water..

i will correct my orig post!!