Plastic fermentor and diastaticus yeast

I haven't had any problems with diastaticus contamination, but I'm also not fermenting in plastic. But from talking with members of our homebrew club (some of whom do use plastic), I get the impression that it must be unusual, at least with good cleaning and sanitation. None of them seem to have had any issues.

 

I can just tell you that from my experience, I've fermented a few batches with diastaticus strains (Omega Tropical IPA, and Imperial Rustic) in the same plastic bucket that I've fermented non-diastaticus strains, and haven't noticed it finding its way into my non-diastaticus beers. I just do a thorough cleaning with star san between batches. Hope this helps!

 

I have used var. diastaticus many times in my plastic buckets and I have never experienced any issues in subsequent batches. For cleaning I just use hot water and a wet paper towel. For sanitation I follow my usual practice: a weak solution of bleach (Clorox).

I am of the opinion that as long as you have good sanitation practices there is no reason to worry here.

Cheers!

 

I can't provide any useful experiences with these Safale yeasts, but since you are using plastic feel free mix up a mild bleach solution and scrub the bucket with a greeny or a sponge. Then rinse, rinse, rinse. Try not to scratch the plastic, just try to get the solution well distributed within the entire bucket.

Nothing is going to survive contact with bleach.
Cheers

I see @JackHorzempa is a fellow traveler in the sodium hypochlorite arts.

 

This is pretty much true, if contact can be made, which is where the cleaning/scrubbing comes in. Bugs can hide behind biofilms (which are not always visible). This is a thing (some) commercial breweries are concerned about, resulting in all kinds of fun things like alternating acid and alkali washes.

 

Yeah that's the one.
And you're probably right, it's not the best choice as they do tend cling to things.

Here is where I tell you and anyone else who will listen that you can shower with your brew equipment. Yes. Just use a soft brush, some neutral bar soap. Wash and rinse. It's like a giant slop sink. Perfect for Corney kegs, tubing etc. And the shower door is doubles as a convenient hose drying rack. And I do indeed shower with my brew equipment.
Cheers

 

You knew this was coming, right?

 

the image did not go through, but it's Kramer. Right?
Of course it is.
Cheers

 

Well...

Heh.

 

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^ What browser are you using? I can see it fine in chrome and in the Samsung browser, and it's a "direct link" in the image tag.

Does anyone else not see the Kramer pic?

 

+3 or whatever to bleach. Usually after every 4-5 batches the buckets get. SOak overnight, same with any bottle I use after several refills, then rinse, starsan an dROCK

 

At least in my experience, paranoia about infection is far more prevalent than actual beer spoiling infection, which I have only experienced in 2 ways, as bottle infections, in my early bottling days, and once as kettle souring gone bad. The bottle infections met the description of a diastaticus infection, but who knows?

The best way I've found to address the paranoia is to prevent it from creeping in by periodically doing two things: (1) double-sanitizing cold side gear, with back to back treatments of iodophor and star san and (2) replacing hoses.

 

I use plastic Speidel fermenters. I clean with a soak in hot pbw solution until all the crud is dissolved, followed by a hot rinse. No scrubbing of any kind. Sanitize with Starsan on brew day. No problem with diastaticus carryover. Cheers!

 

WB-06 and BE-134 do not seem to be insanely high attenuators like some other yeasts. So, while you could theoretically end up with problems down the road if your sanitization isn't stellar... I'd say you'll probably be okay. I guess what I'm saying is, I'd be a little more concerned if you said you were using Belle Saison for a while and now decided to brew with a different yeast. That one is the real bugger, and if you have contamination at all, you'll know it for sure after using that one.

 

Drew's Brewfiles podcast had someone on from Whitelabs recently talking about sasion yeast. I remember contamination with var. diastaticus came up and and she said if reasonable cleaning protocols are being carried out, you shouldn't have any more likelihood of contaminating a batch than any other sacch yeast. Its not all of a sudden as hardy as Brett, its still a sacch yeast.

Now if your yeast pitch is already contaminated with var diastaticus, then that is another story !