I managed to pin the nylon paint strainer hopsack under my immersion chiller. It burnt to the bottom of the kettle. Ever done that? Am I fuct? Experiences, Opinions and Ridicule welcome. It is an all TF Pearle Barleywine OG 105 or so bittered to 52 IBU with Nugget fermented with WY1728.
Maybe it only melted enough to stick to the bottom? The best case scenario is it did not actually burn and release a lot of toxic "burned taste" chemicals into the wort. You might plan your re-brew now if you think the damage went beyond that. Like smoke and oak, once it's in there, it's there for the long haul.
Personally, I have not worked with the nylon hopsacks in the brew kettle itself, but I have been considering it for a more hoppy beer that I am hoping to do soon. Based on your experience, I may just accept the additional trub losses as I have been all along. I hope you find it to be salvageable, but I would plan to re-brew anyway, since you already know it will be quite some time and additional investment in it before you know whether the wort was contaminated flavor-wise by the incident.
I believe the majority of what was missing is burnt to the bottom of the kettel. I am thinking like you are that maybe it stayed stuck to the bottom and not in the wort. I did smell some burning, but I thought is was just someone getting their fireplace going . I did not smell anything in there this morning when I performed my Yorkshire Square routine. I probably could taste a bit and see. good idea.
I extend my sympathies and regrets. But it's better to know now, and you can probably re-brew within another week and still have a good batch ready when you were planning for this one to be done. You could also try finishing this one in a long-term secondary and see if it might be o.k. after it matures. But that's a good ways off and better safe than sorry if you were counting on this batch for a certain time or occasion.
If there's any off flavor, I would dump it. Compromised plastics are not something I would take a chance with. And that blows, sorry dude.
No special occasion other than a tasty barleywine. I am beginning to think Pearle and I are not meant to be together. I bought a sack and I am 2 for 2 with messups. Last week was a Porter where bees did the backstroke during the chill. Wait, I take it back. I did an Amber that was very tasty, and really had me amped for this barleywine. I will probably ride this one out and rebrew also. I am not sure I can get past the thought of burn nylon and what it may or may not be doing to my innards every time I have one of these.
Yeah, that's how I feel about it, too. Everything near the flame is made of stainless steel on my setup, and I am careful that nothing hotter than 170 degree water goes into my Igloo mash tun, which along with the vinyl tubing coming off of it is my only "hot side" plastic.
I remember the bee porter! I have wondered how many people have problems with insects brewing outside, but so far, I have been lucky. I am almost done brewing before winter, myself. Maybe 1 or 2 more batches. The weather won't let me stand outside for 2 hours at a time much longer. But we had a frost yesterday, and I think I am going to have the last 2 brews bug-free, at least.
I use this technique also. My last beer I made I did this but I fished it out with my spoon. I would cry if I screwed up a Barly Wine! My condolences!
Thank you for all the kind words. I am letting it ferment out uncontrolled. I am going to bottle it and set out for bums on Halloween. A bit of mischief.
