PeteOz77
Well-Known Member
This looks like bad news
I had a friend ask me to make 2 X 16 gallon kegs of beer for an upcoming Bush Dance. I decided what I was going to brew and it finished up in the primary last week. I did a bit of shuffling because I only have one big fermenter (hold up to 75 litres!) and racked everything from the big primary into 2X secondaries, then cleaned the big primary and racked the 2 X 23 Litre primaries back into the big fermenter as a seconday. Good thing I had 2 X spare fermenters.
Because it's Summertime in AUS, and it's been warm, I have been keeping these fermenters in a bathtub with about a foot of water in it, then wrap towels around the fermenters and keep a fan blowing on them. I add ice as required to keep the ferment temps around 70°F. About once a week, I dump about 1/2 cup bleach into the water to keep the nasties at bay.
It was cool last week, so after racking everything into secondaries, I waited a few days before adding more water and bleach to the tub.
BTW, I am using plastic buckets with spigots on them and sediment reducers. I always spray sanitiser on the spigot before I start racking. I spray it all around and up inside etc, then slip the racking hose on and decant gently into my kegs. When keg is full I gas it, purge it, and gas it again, the let it condition in the kegs for a few weeks before force carbing them.
Here's the problem:
All 94 litres are kegged and gassed and conditioning quietly. I go to clean the fermenters.. a long and tedious task. I am finishing up by cleaning the spigots, and I turn the spigot off the large fermenter over.... and I see MOULD in it! AARRGGHHH!!!
There are 3-4 small mould spots inside the spout on the spigot, one is right on the edge of the opening up inside the spout.
In an effort to make sure that both kegs were tasting the same, I racked half of all 3 fermenters into each keg. So there is definitely beer in both kegs that has been run straight past this mould.
I have no idea how this could have happened when the entire spigot was under the level of the water that had bleach in it, but it was definitely not there when I installed the spigots, and it was there when I took it out to clean it.
So, what's the concensus? do you think both of these 16 gallon kegs of beer are likely to turn out BAD?
A racked 3 X 750ml bottles off each keg, so I will be able to check the bottles for off tastes etc, but my main concern is if I need to start another 2 X double batches. I only have 5 weeks left now, and I just don't think that's enough time to brew, ferment and condition another batch.
I know everyone is going to say "Wait and taste it" and I will of course do that, but does anyone think the beer will be OK?
I had a friend ask me to make 2 X 16 gallon kegs of beer for an upcoming Bush Dance. I decided what I was going to brew and it finished up in the primary last week. I did a bit of shuffling because I only have one big fermenter (hold up to 75 litres!) and racked everything from the big primary into 2X secondaries, then cleaned the big primary and racked the 2 X 23 Litre primaries back into the big fermenter as a seconday. Good thing I had 2 X spare fermenters.
Because it's Summertime in AUS, and it's been warm, I have been keeping these fermenters in a bathtub with about a foot of water in it, then wrap towels around the fermenters and keep a fan blowing on them. I add ice as required to keep the ferment temps around 70°F. About once a week, I dump about 1/2 cup bleach into the water to keep the nasties at bay.
It was cool last week, so after racking everything into secondaries, I waited a few days before adding more water and bleach to the tub.
BTW, I am using plastic buckets with spigots on them and sediment reducers. I always spray sanitiser on the spigot before I start racking. I spray it all around and up inside etc, then slip the racking hose on and decant gently into my kegs. When keg is full I gas it, purge it, and gas it again, the let it condition in the kegs for a few weeks before force carbing them.
Here's the problem:
All 94 litres are kegged and gassed and conditioning quietly. I go to clean the fermenters.. a long and tedious task. I am finishing up by cleaning the spigots, and I turn the spigot off the large fermenter over.... and I see MOULD in it! AARRGGHHH!!!
There are 3-4 small mould spots inside the spout on the spigot, one is right on the edge of the opening up inside the spout.
In an effort to make sure that both kegs were tasting the same, I racked half of all 3 fermenters into each keg. So there is definitely beer in both kegs that has been run straight past this mould.
I have no idea how this could have happened when the entire spigot was under the level of the water that had bleach in it, but it was definitely not there when I installed the spigots, and it was there when I took it out to clean it.
So, what's the concensus? do you think both of these 16 gallon kegs of beer are likely to turn out BAD?
A racked 3 X 750ml bottles off each keg, so I will be able to check the bottles for off tastes etc, but my main concern is if I need to start another 2 X double batches. I only have 5 weeks left now, and I just don't think that's enough time to brew, ferment and condition another batch.
I know everyone is going to say "Wait and taste it" and I will of course do that, but does anyone think the beer will be OK?