Brewed a dry stout for St. Pattys day. Fermentation was slow to start i was using yeast i had saved from a previous batch but i don't think that was the culprit. Beer tasted fine so I racked to a keg below the infection and put it on co2 immediately. Hopefully the absence of o2 will keep it at bay. Anyone know if this looks like lacto, brett or otherwise
First infection
- Thread starter Ryfi
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BrewinHooligan
Well-Known Member
I'm no expert, but that looks alot like lacto to me.
Scandalous
Active Member
Take a draw off the keg. The sourness of lacto should be readily evident.
Pulled a pint and haven't perceived any sour flavor. After some research i learned lacto can grow under anaerobic conditions but, since the beer is now in the keezer the low temp should slow the infection. Just gonna drink it as is and not wait for St. Patricks day...i will however wait another week to get a little more carbonation. Thanks to all who answered my post.
I only did a primary and once I found the contamination, 10 days in, I racked it to a keg so I could get it cold and slow the spread. I can usually go grain to glass in 3 weeks with a dry stout so 10 days in the primary isn't far off. If it sours in the keg and have to dump it I will post a pic but hopefully I won't have to. I know I got my infection from opening the bucket to take a grav reading during another brew session; there was grain dust in the air from mashing in. I just hope the contaminant doesn't stay in the bucket. I'm gonna brew a red and if it gets the same bug I will just ride it out to see what happens and get a new fermenter.
harrymanback92
Well-Known Member
Try a camden tab?
Regardless of what you do, sanitize the **** out of your keg before you add anything to it.
Regardless of what you do, sanitize the **** out of your keg before you add anything to it.
Scandalous
Active Member
Ahhh the keg, stainless steel, can be refrigerated and is anarobic. Perfect conditions for stabilizing beer. If it tastes good, drink it up. I agree with harrymanback (what a name!), but don't freak about it, a good post kegged beer regime of pbw or straight-A and star san on all the pieces parts after the beer and no worries.
Don't know what it is, but it's the cold that stops the bugs from reproducing, not the lack of O2.
If you pitch your bugs with your primary strain, you won't get as nice a pellicle. The pellicle exists so that the bugs can regulate oxygen- if there's no oxygen (bugs pitched in primary) there's no reason to form a pellicle.
im actually doing souring in 2ndary only (primary fermented with belgian strains only). Roeselare carboy has some nice pellicle after two months but 655 mix is clean as on the transfer day (i know they work cuz there was visible activity days after pitching and there is constant co2 bubbling)
WileECoyote
Well-Known Member
If it is infected, it will stay in your bucket, from personal experience the only way to get rid of an infection is to pitch all plastic's that have come in contact with the infected brew, unless maybe I just had a super bug, even extreme bleach bombing didn't faze it in the plastic's, Stainless steel and glass you can clean/sanitize and reuse.
Good luck and Cheers
The cold definitely stopped the infection. The beer has continued to taste as it should. I will probably replace the gaskets in the keg in case that one gets conditioned at room temp during a future brew. I have 6 kegs so its bound to be left out of the keezer at some point. Thanks for the advice and info i can always depend on HBT!
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