Weird infection experience I thought was worth sharing

[Ruddager]

Last Tuesday I was sure that a fairly experimental lager I was brewing had become infected as the sample I drew tasted horrible and sour - it was pretty much vomit-worthy, and I was in the middle of a flu that kept me away from work for a week so it must have been a strong taste! I continued with what I was doing (adding kiwi fruit) and tried it again a few days later and it actually didn't taste so bad. Of course, with the flu still clogging me up I wasn't 100% confident but I just tried it again then and no worries at all - it's fine

So, what happened? I'm theorising that there was a small amount of beer suspended in the outside of the tap (Cooper's DIY fermenter with old tap) and that was what got infected.

 

[warra48]

I'm intrigued as to why are you drawing samples and tasting them through fermentation?

 

[philmud]

I'm intrigued as to why are you drawing samples and tasting them through fermentation?

I always taste my hydrometer samples & if dry hopping, use this as a guide to how long to leave the hops there for.

 

[calobes]

Me too. Can't help myself, have to have a sip.

 

[Ruddager]

Yep, it was a hydrometer sample I tasted. I wouldn't have normally taken one at that stage but in this case I was adding the kiwi fruit and I got a bit curious

 

[TimT]

You've got to taste the samples! That's the best way to get to know all the flavours you brew with - before, during, and after fermentation.

Indeed, I believe many traditional ales were drunk very soon after fermentation - as in, a day or so after introduction of yeast. You'd get much more malt sweetness than modern ales, less carbonation but more yeast activity (which is a sort of carbonation), and I guess lower alcohol content.

 

[black_labb]

Could have been an intermediate compound formed by the yeast metabolising something in the kiwi that has since been fully metabolised. Don't ask me what though

 

[Dips Me Lid]

I always taste my samples as well, good for gauging how well the yeast is cleaning up towards the end of fermentation, I spray starsan into the tap after every sample I take and I haven't had an infection problem as far I can tell.

 

[Ruddager]

Could have been an intermediate compound formed by the yeast metabolising something in the kiwi that has since been fully metabolised. Don't ask me what though

Nah it was pre-kiwi, which I added a few days in

 

[Florian]

Are you sure it might not have something to do with you having the flu? I know when I'm all sick and clogged up things taste different.
You haven't used any nasal sprays by any chance or been snorting salt water up your nose to clear the gunk out?

 

[Ruddager]

Are you sure it might not have something to do with you having the flu?

Yeah, gave it to my girlfriend to try as well.

Me: Here, try this
Her: ...

Me: Yeah, I thought so

 

[Jens-Kristian]

Tasting the beer along the way is one of the main charms of homebrewing to me. I taste the original liqour, I taste it right after the boil, I taste it when it's cooled, just before adding yeast and I taste it at daily intervals until the main fermentation is complete. Then at racking to secondary, too.

This way, I feel I know better what the process is, that has led to that one bottle I actually get to carbonate at the end.

OK, I'm not that bad, but I usually find that when it gets to bottling time, my sampling and testing has removed a good 2-3 litres.

 

[Grott]

Good one, was going to ask if any left to bottle.

 

[Ninegrain]

So adding the kiwi...does that make the finished beer sour??

Could it be that you had a lacto infection in its early stages (stinky vomit stage) when you tasted and which then matured out to a cleaner finish?

Just throwing it out there...I havnt used lacto but I recently read the thread on Berliner wiesse which got me thinking...

 

[Ruddager]

Bottled this on Monday and yeah, the Kiwi fruit has made it a bit tart. In fact, 1kg was way too much, but oh well - I've wound up with a refreshingly fruity summer lager.

What is a lacto infection?

 

[Ninegrain]

Lactobacillus. Bacteria used in sour ferments. Also the critter behind sauerkraut, Kim chi and such..