Infections and Suggestions

Well, it sure sounds like you are having infection issues and the high attenuation rates after primary fermentation seems to indicate that the infection is occurring during the fermentation process. Do you smell/taste the beers after fermentation has completed (e.g., the hydrometer sample)?

Hopefully a new fermenter will be the fix?

Best of luck.

Cheers!

 

Yes, you could. But that would take longer to show up than if the infection was happening earlier in the process. Have you tasted your beer before bottling by any chance? If it didn't taste infected at bottling, but did after a just a couple weeks of carbonation... maybe leave your next batch in the primary/secondary longer than normal, and see if you still get the off flavor at bottling time. If you do, you'll know it's happening in the primary or secondary fermenter.

That would be sort of the opposite of what I'm suggesting above, but if you decide to go this way, pretty much anything low gravity, fermented at a not particularly cool temp (within reason), could work for a quick fermentation. Maybe a bitter, or a mild, or a hefe.

 

I would say that you should never taste Vinegar in a non infected batch. Cidery (as in apple cider) is different. Which were you tasting in your early batches, and which were you tasting in your later batches? Sometimes people describe acetaldehyde as cidery, though I thing "green apple" describes it better. Acetaldehyde is often a sign of a beer that needs more time with the yeast to clean it up.

 

IMO that indicates an infection which occurred during the primary fermentation phase.

Cheers!

 

Plastic fermentors can produce clean beers for many years. How are you cleaning your fermentor? Which soap are you using? Do you use a scrub pad or brush? How do you prepare your starsan? Do you check the pH of the starsan before using it?

 

I have used plastic bucket fermenters for over a decade with no problems. My cleaning regime is wiping the krausen ring off with a wet paper towel under a 'stream' of hot water in my utility basin.

Needless to say but I sanitize the bucket prior to primary fermentation.

Cheers!

 

I can't vouch for the efficacy of your scent free off brand detergent. PBW, Oxiclean free and 7th Generation free and clear laundry powder all work well. Basically, you want a detergent that will dissolve what the beer left behind without the need to wipe or scrub.

If your tap water contains a lot of bicarbonate, the starsan might not get to the optimal pH. The easy way around this without measuring pH is to use distilled water for starsan or use tap water with Iopdophor.

 

How do you get your beer from the brewpot to the bucket? Do you strain the wort?

How do you chill the wort?

Do you mix Starsan fresh for every batch?

 

I tend to agree with the probable source-finding mentioned above, but it's curious to me that this problem started when you went to all-grain brewing and started using a mash tun. Any liquid that comes out of there will have to go thru your boil and be sanitized, but is there any opportunity for you to be using the same thermometer, stirring spoon, etc. that has touched the mash tun and may get loaded up with bugs from there?

 

From the facts in evidence, Inspector Clouseau deduces your primary bucket merits the most attention. For routine cleaning I suggest you ditch the soap and use liberal amounts of hot water, PBW, and Starsan, coupled with elbow grease and a soft cloth. I don't even know how to spell microbiology, but pretty sure soap will not kill any bacteria. When my gear became infected I cleaned with Clorox until the bucket begged for mercy . . . then doubled the routine cleaning schedule. This worked, but an easier way would be to just replace the bucket for 15 bucks.

If using an auto siphon to rack to fermenter, suggest you treat it the same as above (to include replacing).

Treat the prep'ing of your yeast (starters or rehydrating) like your beer's life depended on it. I'm guessing you aren't reusing your yeast . . . that's a pathway for unwanted little devils to enter your precious wort.

For a quick turn-around batch shoot for a low OG (1.040'ish) and pitch lots of yeast . . . this should allow for bottling in as little as two weeks. Patersbier is an good way to go here (search for recipe, but it's PDS).

Please keep the Forum posted . . . it's important the case is sol-ved.

 

When I get an infection I get rid of all plastic that has been in touch with the beer. I do not use soap to clean my buckets just hot water and a towel. Most beer does not need to be secondary fermented. Any time you transfer openly you risk infection. Good luck.

 

A few years ago I had a string of batches that were infected. At that point I got a new bottling bucket and valve, replaced other plastic parts, and Chloroxed the crap out of everything else. I don't really know where the bugs were harbored, but I always suspected the valve on the bottling bucket, which could not be taken apart. There are numerous stories out there of a valves causing infection problems; a very good read about a dirty valve can be found on the Brülosophy blog. Cheers!

 

Bingo.

Bleach does have its place in a brewery, and this is one of those times. Plastic is a great environment for bugs. Good thing plastic is also compatible with bleach.

Soak everything in a bleach solution. A few ounces to 5 gallons and let it soak. And i mean EVERYTHING that is not stainless steel. Every o-ring, valve, spoon, fitting. Everything. Drain through the bucket. Rinse everything well numerous times. Do that with every plastic bucket you use. I take a shower with my equipment.

Good luck.

 

Just out of curiosity are you advocating that bleach is 'better' at sanitizing? Would your post above have been just as 'accurate' if you substituted the term of Star San or Iodophor for bleach above?

Cheers!

 

One beauty of bleach is that, in addition to sanitizing, it is also a very effective at breaking down biomaterials. So if some nook or cranny is harboring some biogunk, it will help to get rid of that material. The downside to bleach is that it is best to rinse after using, unlike Starsan or Iodophor. Cheers!