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Pale Ale Dale

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Im finding that some of my beers are getting a weird taste after 2-6 weeks of age.

The problem seems its not every bottle from a batch its just like the odd one!


Early days they taste great but as they mature some are getting slightly more gassy (but not volcanic!) and are tasting slightly suspicious without being totally undrinkable.

The only error I can see is that I have been using too much sterilizer when cleaning the bottles and equipment although I have been rinsing.

Other than this Iam at a loss.

Could there be a bacteria in my fermenter?

Or is to much sterilizer the culprit?


Confused:confused:
 
I clean and sanitize my bottles. I use a 2 step process. How do you prepare your equipment? An description of your process would be helpful.
 
I make up a solution of sterilizer with hot water and half fill a bottle then cap and shake and pour the solution into the next bottle via a funnel.
I repeat the process until ive done 15 bottles and then I make up another solution.
I have not ever scrubbed my plastic bottles.
Should I?
Maybe after every 3-4 brews?

Ive just tasted another one beer from the batch and it is fine.
The only difference is that I poured into a jug first..
 
Are you using bleach? I soak my bottles a few minutes in the sink and run and bottle brush inside and let them drain out. Before filling I make a solution of iodaphor and soak them again for 2 minutes, allow them to drain and fill.
 
I would go get some glass bottles. If for any reason one of those plastic ones gets a scratch in it that can harbor serious bacteria and when passing solution from one bottle to another you may be also passing bacteria. But then i would wonder how that can happen if it is sanitizing solutuion you are using?
I read somewhere that everything needs to be immersed in the sanitizing solution for at least 30 min.

I usually just make 5 gallons of the stuff after using good ol' soap and water to clean and then when i have let the fermenter or bottler sit for 30 I "bottle" all the bottles with sanitizing solution and let them sit for 30. Knock on wood, but i have not a problem yet.

Reverend
 
Ive been advised that soaking is not required.

The product even states that its not required.

The problem has been more apparent in my stouts and darker styled beers.

If it is a bug it is only very mild and not present in all bottles..
 
I would suggest going through all your bottles and giving them a very thorough cleaning. I had the exact same thing happen to me, where some bottles would be great, some would be extra fizzy... then one was sour. VERY sour. I rinsed out that bottle, and found there was what looked like a dried ring of yeast on the BOTTOM of the bottle. Yep, I hadn't washed it out enough before bottling, and there was old dried yeast with who-knows-what munching on em while the bottle was empty.
 
If you are using plastic bottles and individual bottles are infected, I would discard the offending bottles.

Once a bug gets into plastic you will not get it out. Scratches harbor bacteria and sanitizers will never get there. You don't have to see a scratch. Scrubbing plastic will scratch it.

Bacteria in the fermenter would ruin the whole batch. You are safe to assume it is bottles.

One other thought. Storing your beer at too high a temp can cause the yeast to try to ferment the unfermentable sugars. This would explain the stouts and darker brews being hit hardest. They have more unfermentables as a rule. Under 70 degrees is best. Gave a few beers to a friend once and he stored them on the top shelf. 3 months later, kaboom. mine were fine for a year.

Castawayales
 
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