Wild Yeast Problems - How you overcame

[TimT]

Yep. And I heard secondhand that it happened to another commercial brewery too.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

If someone isn't doing their job in major breweries I could imagine they would have problems, Gage Road was commissioning new plant, how well was it cleaned before hand, and it must have been quite easy to eliminate the problem if they are back on track.

 

[Blind Dog]

Not sure 'quite easy' would be their description after dumping 500,000 litres of beer and losing $2m in gross profits, but take your point.

 

[clintonforster]

Makes me feel a little more sane knowing there are others that have had this same problem. Stakka82 seems to have been dealing with the same issue i have been dealing with and has completely hit the nail on the head with his description of the taste and characteristics of the problem. Though it leaves me little hope that I am going to be able to beat it and if i do move next year.. will all my stuff i move with take it with me? I'm renting right now and am very reluctant to go and blast different chemicals all over the place! I have Stains on me bench from undiluted star san which is probably already going to take my bond.

All seems a bit hopeless and yet still all i can think about is what can i do next to get back to where i was brewing awesome beer after awesome beer.

 

[stux]

True story,

So I'm in the middle of stepping up some lager yeast to 1.2 trillion cells. Went to grab the preprepared 3L step in a 5L flask and it has a pelicle that's clinbing up the side walls! Damn.

What I find confusing is that the step was prepared by adding DME and saved wort in a flask, then boiling with tin foil in place for 25 mins! The tinfoil was never removed while it cooled, yet a few days later it's infected.

Must've been drawn in as it cooled :-/

Knocked my dunkel plans sideways while I nuke my flasks

After having a previous yeast batch destroyed when vinegar flies found their way up past the foil I'm thinking I need to resort to bungs and air filters on my flasks

 

[Eagleburger]

At what mate?

The bugs, to possibly indentify them.

 

[stakka82]

Makes me feel a little more sane knowing there are others that have had this same problem. Stakka82 seems to have been dealing with the same issue i have been dealing with and has completely hit the nail on the head with his description of the taste and characteristics of the problem. Though it leaves me little hope that I am going to be able to beat it and if i do move next year.. will all my stuff i move with take it with me? I'm renting right now and am very reluctant to go and blast different chemicals all over the place! I have Stains on me bench from undiluted star san which is probably already going to take my bond.

All seems a bit hopeless and yet still all i can think about is what can i do next to get back to where i was brewing awesome beer after awesome beer.

My advice would be to leave everything behind and start fresh in the new place.

That's what I'll do if and when I move. Just not worth the risk otherwise. Having a BM makes it a bit harder though.

The bugs, to possibly indentify them.

I thought about that but I have no knowledge of yeast nor the requisite equipment. I entertained the notion of emailing some foremost expert and arranging to send a sample but never got round to it...

 

[clintonforster]

So i left a few glasses of wort in glasses that i'd sanitised with star san and then covered with glad wrap around the house and one outside. After a few hours they had all developed a sediment layer like picture 1, I assume this is just normal and the sugar is settling.

over the first two days the "wort" smell dissapeared and all 4 of the samples in the house developed mould on them and got a hint of that familiar off smell and also a much stronger smell of off baked beans. such as in picture two.

The third picture however which is the one i left outside has no mould but the same smell, it has become carbonated and has bubbles rising through it like if i'd just poured a can of coke into the glass.

I've then included a picture of where my brew stuff is and my backyard where the outside wort was left.

What this all tells me I have no idea. If anyone knows a scientist that knows how to kill this stuff send them my way.

 

[Camo6]

Was the test wort produced on your system? Just to rule out equipment.

If it really is an environmental cause I really feel for you. Not sure if it's been asked but any farms/parks/nurseries around you?

 

[clintonforster]

Was the test wort produced on your system? Just to rule out equipment.

If it really is an environmental cause I really feel for you. Not sure if it's been asked but any farms/parks/nurseries around you?

It was just some extract and water. And I'm in Footscray up the road from grain and grape :/

 

[manticle]

So just some stinky oil refineries then?

 

[Camo6]

And lots of fruit trees covered in bird netting, I'll bet. Will the mesh gap in bird netting trap wild yeast?

 

[Eagleburger]

I thought about that but I have no knowledge of yeast nor the requisite equipment. I entertained the notion of emailing some foremost expert and arranging to send a sample but never got round to it...

I can get PCR done on the subject if its a good cause.

 

[Pogierob]

I can get PCR done on the subject if its a good cause.

Could there be a more desperate situation than a man not being able to brew his own beer? This sir is not a good cause,it would be a noble cause..

 

[TimT]

Interesting. I wonder: is the infection perhaps a mould, then - not a wild yeast at all?

What's the plant hanging over the back fence? I do wonder if it's harbouring any wild beasties.

 

[TimT]

Sunshine tends to kill mould. If the infection is principally mould, a long hot dry summer might be the best thing to kill it off - exactly the reverse of what we just had, unfortunately for you.

I suggest another experiment: leaving out *fermented* beer wort to see if it develops the infection - or if the alcohol actively repels it.

 

[Nizmoose]

Whilst I do think Tim's suggestions are a good way to try and narrow it down surely getting a biologist to give this thing a proper looking over would be the best way to properly define what this thing is and how to combat it? Once you know exactly what it is I'm sure there's a way someone knows to obliterate it

 

[TimT]

Some suggestions here for how to get rid of mould in the kitchen. Basically, de-humidifying, circulating air, and scrubbing with acid.

 

[wide eyed and legless]

Some suggestions here for how to get rid of mould in the kitchen. Basically, de-humidifying, circulating air, and scrubbing with acid.

The circulating air reminds me of Fawlty Towers when a woman asks, 'Is the room airy' Basil replied,'Well there's air in it'

 

[clintonforster]

Hi Guys,

It's been almost 2 years since i started having my problems, i never gave up and brewed at least once a week.

The house i was living in had terrible water from old piping, a rising damp and mould growing in the walls. I got rid of ALL my equipment. Moved house when the wife and i could finally afford it and bought all new gear.

I am now 5 brews in and everything is tasting amazing like the first time i started brewing. Thanks to everyone that tried to help me through these troubled times.

I'm the happiest guy in the world now that i can brew again.