Question about Infections.

**Reverend JC** · 11-27-2006, 12:05 AM

So, my first attempt at a lager has gone poorly. The first batch of yeast did barely anthing as far as fermentation. second batch seemed to be doing next to nothing until i moved it from my basement ( 65 degrees) to upstairs (72). It began fermenting again. When i tested with the hydro before i moved it upstairs i sampled some of the beer and it tasted off.

I think it may be infected due to the off flavor.

Can a beer be infected and show no signs of it visually? i.e. stuff growing on the surface.

The beer looks perfect.

**the_bird** · 11-27-2006, 12:55 AM

I'm wondering if the high temps resulted in off flavors that you may be perceiving as infection. Even 65 is too high for a lager (unless you're going for a steam beer). You really need to be closer to 50 to truly be making a lager (which is why I haven't tried making one yet!)

**Reverend JC** · 11-27-2006, 04:40 AM

Yeah, i know. With the first batch of yeast pitched fermentation got going and 2 days later i placed in a 50 degree controlled area. when i checked on it the fermentation had stopped so i moved it to the 65 degree basement and it still did not start up after 4 days, so i pitched some more yeast and nothing. So i brought it up stairs prepairing to give it a final good bye down the drain when i saw a the airlock move...............bubbles, one about every 10 seconds when it was really going and that lasted for about 5 days and today it is about 2 bubbles a second. Where i went wrong was with the intial pitch which we will not get into here.

But, i suppose i will taste it when i do a hydro tomorrow. If it is good, great. If it is off, i will bottle and let sit. If it is bad its going down the drain.

boo boo · 11-28-2006, 12:01 AM

You will not see the amount of activity in your airlock from a lager that you would see in a ale. All this moving your primary around is disturbing the yeast and it is doing its best to work for you. When you change the tempertures it is fermenting at, it takes a while to adjust.

**Reverend JC** · 11-28-2006, 02:18 AM

Well, i took the Hydro and it is at 1.01. Seems to have done a fairly good job. the only problem is i think it is infected due to the off flavor. now, keep in mind i have had beer from a local brewery that is ver very crappy and tasted like a band aid smells. My brew is not as potent of a taste but is similar, and yet still different.

Oh well, it tastes off so i suppose it is down the drain it goes!

**the_bird** · 11-28-2006, 02:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reverend JC

Oh well, it tastes off so i suppose it is down the drain it goes!

You had better be joking, or we're coming to your house to beat you up.

Give it time, my friend!

Torchiest · 11-28-2006, 02:48 AM

How long did you leave it to lager before you moved it back out again? I thought lagers showed very little activity and took much longer to go through primary fermentation. Perhaps just leaving it in a lager temp environment for a month or two could fix things up.

**Reverend JC** · 11-28-2006, 04:15 AM

Well yeah, longer time will fix it, but in the month it was at lagr temps it went from 1.054 to 1.034 and stopped. i brought it up to 65ish and it was still stuck, so i added more yeast, healthier yeast, and it brought it down to 1.01.

BUT........................it still has that faint taste of a medical product. Not as strong as i have tasted in tainted beer before but there is something there.

I am afriad to waste all of that time cleaning bottles only to have it taste like ass. and i only have the one keg right now so i can not waste it on this when i have the Cheese Carmel cream waiting to go in there.

If it tastes like ass going in will it loose that ass flavor?

**Yuri_Rage** · 11-28-2006, 04:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reverend JC

If it tastes like ass going in will it loose that ass flavor?

It depends on the ass flavor.

Ass with bandaids will not heal.
Solvent-soaked ass will always burn.
Bitter ass may mellow.
Unbalanced ass might find itself an even keel.
Fruity ass is up for debate (in so many ways...).

The medicinal ass you mention probably falls somewhere between bandaids and solvent. Not looking good for your ass.

**Reverend JC** · 11-28-2006, 04:59 AM

So, Yuri, with your sage wisdom would you recommend tossing it and going on about my brewing life?

I have a coulpe anchor steams i can wash me sorry away with, oh and one of their holiday brews.