Infected again >(

I don't know what the deal is. I think it's something with the filter bag. I soak it in the sanitizer but it clogs up so fast I have to squeeze the bag for the wert to come out. I dip my arms in the sanitizer but I don't know if that is enough. Maybe I should wear gloves or skip the filter. This is frustrating, I've had no problems in the past and this is now the second batch in a row to get infected.

Tell us a little buy more about your process? At what stage in the process are you using the filter bag?

What exactly is the filter bag for, and why/when do you use it?

Looks like someone hit the carboy with a hammer!

if you are concerned about trub/hops try either not straining at all post cooling, you can use a bag for your hops in the boil to keep the hop particles out of the kettle

The black center doesn't have any funk in it that's why it looks darker.

The airlock got low for some reason. I've never had one get low that fast, but I doubt that's where it came from.

I have a filter funnel but it clogs up so fast it's pointless. I filter the cooled wert when going into the bucket. Even that plugs up very fast, and I have to squeeze the bag or move it around to parts of the bag that are still clean.

Simple solution - put your hops in a bag during the boil (as others have said) and/or dont filter at all! Dump it all in there, it wont hurt.

Skip the filtering in that step and you will most likely solve your problem. If you have a lot of hops in your wort, use hop socks.

You need a solid cleaning and sanitizing regiment. Everything that touches your wort should be sanitized. First make sure everything is visually clean, then use your sanitizing solution. Make sure your sanitizer is the right strength and doing its job (using starsan or iodopher?). Make sure you cool your wort down quick and minimize the contact with it (hands, bags, etc.) and get an active yeast pitched into as soon as cooled and aerated.

I got into a contamination funk a year or two ago. Had like three batches go wrong. I went for a total overhaul. Cleaned everything, sanitized everything, threw away all scratched plastic, stained hoses, stoppers, etc. and replaced them. I haven't had a problem since.

Check your hoses if you use any. Might be time for a replacement instead of a cleaning effort. Also, reaching into the wort...if I understood it right...is not something I'd be comfortable with. Just let any particulates settle during the primary.

Did you topp of with water.I think i had a lacto infection from this because it is only in that batch and i used the same yeast twice after that batch. I should have sanitized around the rim of the jug of water i had been using the last few weeks as a rinse for my no rinse sanitizer, either that or those stupid damn fruit flys,or nats.

What does it smell and taste like? don't be afraid it wont hurt, taste it. looks like acetobacter to me, but thats just a SWAG.

Fruit flies are a common source for acidobacter infections, especially if the air lock goes dry they can get into the carboy. they are attracted to the smell of fresh beer and go right to it, and are specialty prevalent in the summer months.

Also Id cut out the filtering, do some reading on whirlpooling its a good way to separate the hot break and hops from the wort.

jonmohno said:

Did you topp of with water.I think i had a lacto infection from this because it is only in that batch and i used the same yeast twice after that batch. I should have sanitized around the rim of the jug of water i had been using the last few weeks as a rinse for my no rinse sanitizer, either that or those stupid damn fruit flys,or nats.

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Yea I top off with tap water. I've never had a problem with it before and Sacramento's water is some of the best in the nation even if it's a little hard. I just got around to cleaning the primary fermenter today and the small amount of beer in the bottom still looked good. It was the nice brown color it was supposed to be and not black like the beer in the secondary.

It may have came from the racking cane and tubing? I never brush them out but I always run water through them when I'm done, and before I use it I run 5 gallons of sanitizer through it.

77bawls said:

Yea I top off with tap water. I've never had a problem with it before and Sacramento's water is some of the best in the nation even if it's a little hard. I just got around to cleaning the primary fermenter today and the small amount of beer in the bottom still looked good. It was the nice brown color it was supposed to be and not black like the beer in the secondary.

It may have came from the racking cane and tubing? I never brush them out but I always run water through them when I'm done, and before I use it I run 5 gallons of sanitizer through it.

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How do you get the rap water from the faucet to the wort? Maybe the vessel is the problem?

In my house we call them "beer flies" - you offer them a choice between a glass of beer and a piece of fruit and they'll drink every time. Mine are probably addicted, but they don't drink much.

normzone said:

In my house we call them "beer flies" - you offer them a choice between a glass of beer and a piece of fruit and they'll drink every time. Mine are probably addicted, but they don't drink much.

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those are some smart flies lol:cross:

hey bawls (just had to say that)...this may or may not apply to your situation. There's already been some very good advice posted in this thread. I just have to stand up on my soap box for a minute:

Here's a recent report on Sacto Water - it of course depends on where you live in the Sacramento area but generally the water here is quite soft.
There's some variability in water sources. You'll have seasonal variations that depending on the whim of the district and their needs/forecast, etc. My water changes between two different sources which happen to be well water or surface water. The Well water is a little harder (165ppm vs ~90pmm). I sometimes build water for special brews (stouts or dark brews) but haven't noticed much difference in the results between the two sources...


Tested 1/20/2010
Sacramento, CA 95820

pH 8.0
TDS 165

Sodium (Na) 12
Potassium (K) 1
Calcium (Ca) 15
Total Hardness (CaC03) 71
Nitrate 0.2
Sulfate (S04-S) 6
Chloride (Cl) 11
Carbonate (C03) 6
Bicarbonate (HC03) 78
Total Alkalinity (CaC03) 74

(all measurements ppm)


BTW, I live a few miles south-east of midtown (not too far from Brew Ferment Distill, which is a great LHBS btw. check them out if you haven't already). < http://brewfermentdistill.com/ >

Two bit's of advice that I might offer:

Make sure to treat all of your brewing water with something like Campden tablets. This will add some sulfates to your water (probably a little low anyhow, shouldn't affect the flavor) but it will also remove any chlorine or chloramine. Chloramine will cause off flavors even when in the parts-per-billion range! This is my personal soap box because I quit brewing for a few years due to the off flavor this crap creates - HBT finally drove the point home for me. I quit topping off with tap water and started using 1/4 campden tablet per 5gal brewing water. Off flavors gone, friends will now ask me for samples of homebrew (where they used to just say 'oh, more beer').

Check out this thread:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/campden-tablets-253747/

Now regarding the water quality (not flavor) - Sacramento water is just ok IMO. There's been problems, er.. 'challenges' with everything from elevated perchlorates to cryptosporidium. If you compare sacto water with other areas of the nation, it might rank pretty high - but still, this doesn't mean that you won't get organisms in your tap water. If you're getting water from a surface-source, who knows what kind of bacteria and spores might be present*. Keep in mind that the water testing is based on levels of these organisms, not whether or not they are present.. I think that's because they are expected to be present but in low quantities.

Your newly born beer is like a playground for all kinds of bacteria and yeasts, it's your job to help the desired yeast to be the bully and kick all those other kid's asses. Do everything you can to give your preferred yeast a head start.

$0.02

- Mike

ps. It's safe to drink I'm sure (hell I drink it all the time).
pps - If you'd like to know more read this, see section on Coliform bacteria MCL's http://tinyurl.com/3ar2lfb

JonM said:

How do you get the rap water from the faucet to the wort? Maybe the vessel is the problem?

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A one gallon crystal geyser jug.

normzone said:

In my house we call them "beer flies" - you offer them a choice between a glass of beer and a piece of fruit and they'll drink every time. Mine are probably addicted, but they don't drink much.

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I thought they were called bar flies. lol
I don't think I have them tho.

So I brewed again the beginning of October and the same thing happened. It's getting a skin on top. I didn't filter the wort this time. The only thing it could be this time is the bucket, the Irish moss, or the water. I've used the tap water before without any problems, and I used 1 tsp Irish moss in each of the three that went bad.

I'm going to make a cider here this week and that hopefully will rule out the bucket.