Sanitization question... beer ruined?
 

Just sanitized my bottles using the oven-bake method with tinfoil (340F for 1.5 hr.). Once they cooled I began bottling my so-far delicious-tasting gingered IPA. About half way through the process I caught a whiff of a foul odor wafting from the bottles. I realized too late that I had just dumped almost my entire batch of beer into bottles that smelled like rotten... I don't know what. (The bottles had smelled fine before I baked them). I know there have been a few posts about this already, but I'm just curious if anyone knows if the beer is safe to drink despite the foul-smelling bottles. And if anyone with experience knows if any of my beer will turn out in drinkable form or is salvageable in any way?

It's probably still safe to drink although it might not taste good. I'd let the beer carbonate and give it a try. Did you examine the bottles after noticing the odor? Were these bottles cleaned prior to sanitizing?

I've been given bottles that weren't rinsed out and there was mold growing on the bottom of the bottle, you could see the mold when holding the bottle to the light. In this case, sanitizing alone will not help, the mold or crud needs to be cleaned prior to sanitizing. My guess is the heating process released a smell from your bottles, baked mold, idk...

Perhaps something else caused the smell? You might not have anything to worry about. I'd examine the bottles, if all you see is beer and some yeast, everything might be just fine.

I don't think you'll have any problems. I think I know what you are talking about - that foul odor is specific to baking bottles with tinfoil over (not sure what kind of reaction does it or what it is but I've had that every time I baked bottles). I bottled several batches with this , never tasted anything off. On a side note - I stopped baking bottles a while back, I think it's an overkill.

+1 I would agree, I stopped baking also. I now use the dishwasher to sanitize. Bottle right on the dishwasher door. Clean up is a snap.

Yup, exacly how I bottle these days - dishwasher on high temp with heat-dry. The OP might not have the dishwasher though, but dunking bottles in a bucket of starsan will do just fine.

Interesting, I did not know this. I've never baked bottles with tin foil though.

Also, I too recommend the dishwasher sanitize setting if you have it. If I have any doubts that a bottle isn't clean, I first wash and scrub the bottle in some hot water and oxiclean using a bottling brush. I then load up the dishwasher. Nice and easy.

Submerging in starsan works too.

Thanks for the tips! I live and learn. I s'pose all I can do is wait and see if the burnt chemically presence persists after carbonation. Maybe it well lend a "roasted" flavor to my beer :D