Vinegar Smell...1 Week In The Fermenter

[razz]

Well its been 2 weeks in the fermenter now and the vinegar smell is still there. Tastes like it did before.

The gravity reading hasnt gone down at all since pitching the yeast, still @ 1.046

I think im going to drain a bit off to use it as a malt vinegar and make some pickled onions, and eggs. The rest might get the tip

Weird thing is its got C02 in there...?

heres a pic

G'day yeasty. I think you forgot to mention this in you origal post, if there has been no drop in gravity then chuck it. I think you could have saved yourself a week or so.

 

[Yeasty]

I wasnt worried about the og dropping in the first week as with my last lager it didnt move fast until the second week...Pretty much why i gave it another to be sure...

Just wondering if its any good as a malt vinegar still, even though it hasnt fermented at all...(well appears not to be apart from the c02?)

 

[PostModern]

Chuck it all. That doesn't look like acetobacter to me. More likely a spoilage organism. You should punish that fermenter with a 24 hour soak with napisan followed by a thorough hot rinse then 48 hours of bleach followed by a very thorugh hot rinse followed by a couple days in full sunlight. Replace all the rubbers, the tap and the airlock.

EDIT: Vinegar is made from alcohol, after the yeast has done converting the sugars. If your OG has not dropped, no alchol would have been made, so no vinegar (that you'd want to keep) would be in the fermenter.

 

[Screwtop]

I use Sodium Met all the time and never had an infection in the whole 3 years of brewing. I first clean with the alkaline salts and then use the Sodium Met. .

I can hardly wait

Chuck it all. That doesn't look like acetobacter to me. More likely a spoilage organism. You should punish that fermenter with a 24 hour soak with napisan followed by a thorough hot rinse then 48 hours of bleach followed by a very thorugh hot rinse followed by a couple days in full sunlight. Replace all the rubbers, the tap and the airlock.

The pic looks nothing like an Acetobacter infection. If the gravity hasn't moved then it could be doomed. Sorry Yeasty but beer without alcohol

bit pointless really.

 

[Yeasty]

thanks guys...will dump and clean as suggested

Just dumped it, and there was a bit of yeast in the bottom of the fermenter....looks like the bacteria was winning the fight though...Its sitting in Napisan as i write...

Oh well, onto my JS golden ale clone then after the cleanup

 

[dirty mac]

I can hardly wait




for what smart arse.

 

[Screwtop]

for what smart arse.

Now thats not nice Dirty!

Lots of us used Sod Met for years also before

experiencing an infection. It's not a lot of fun tipping out a brew that you put time and effort and dollars into.

This site is designed to inform/help fellow brewers. Do a search Dirty, check out the collective comments of many experienced AHB brewers regarding the use of Sod Met. Most on here provide help based upon there own experiences and misfortune, having learn't the hard way, wanting where possible to save our brother brewers the hassle of having to tip out a brew.

 

[Stuster]

I agree with you on using something other than sodium met, Screwtop. But to be fair, dirty mac was doing what you say brewers should do on AHB - providing help based upon his own experience. :unsure:

 

[tangent]

I always like the "i've been doing such and such for years and..."

I've been burning incense for years and we haven't had a Tiger related death in the neighbourhood. Yep, good old incense... cheap sandalwood too!

 

[Screwtop]

I always like the "i've been doing such and such for years and..."

I've been burning incense for years and we haven't had a Tiger related death in the neighbourhood. Yep, good old incense... cheap sandalwood too!

 

[InCider]

I have been brewing one year today.

I first used sanitiser after I had two concurrent infections (3 brews down at one time).

It was only napisan. They were infected because I left them empty for two weeks. Karma. :angry:

I'm back to my old gurney-wielding ways with no sanitiser, in the shed with dirt floor and guard dogs.

I gurney the fermenter, the bottles, airlock and occasionally my index finger. :blink:

I believe if it's going to be a dud brew, I can tell by the 'odour' of the fermenter beforehand. Bacterial gases etc.

How's that? Must have been the 4 years working at Maccas in the washup.

I'll don my flame suit, but I am aware that when I go AG, I will have to drop this cavalier attitude.

Besides, Bonj has photos on me with Browndog and a Sheep called Baa Bra.

InCider.

 

[tangent]

AG is no different. If you can't keep an infection at bay with K&K you won't have much luck with AG either.
Common sense and orthophos sanitiser is my weapon of choice. Before that, heaps of boiling water everywhere!

 

[pint of lager]

AG can be a bit more challenging.

There are a few more steps.

Plus, grain dust is an excellent source of infections, so it is important to keep that side well away from post boil equipment.

Am glad I sorted out infections, cleaners and sanitation on K&K. Cleaners are Napisan, bleach and pink cleaner. Sanitisers are iodine, silver peroxide solution and 70% ethanol.

Not sure about InCider's dectection of bad batches just by smelling the empty fermenter. Is that before you pitch the brew or after bottling? Do you store your fermenter clean and dry? Or wet? The veranda here has a dirt floor where alot of the brewing action happens, plus there is a brewhound.