Infection question....

My last batch, a brown ale, got infected somehow. Basically, I pop the top and everything's OK, but then I start pouring and the foam starts.

I'm leaning towards a sanitizing error. Does that sound right?

MCH said:

My last batch, a brown ale, got infected somehow. Basically, I pop the top and everything's OK, but then I start pouring and the foam starts.

I'm leaning towards a sanitizing error. Does that sound right?

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Does it taste bad? How long has it been in the bottle? Do you think your sanitation procedures failed?

Take a couple of bottles and place them in the refrigerator. Let them sit for a couple of days and try one. It may not foam.

Need more info...Like how long it has been in the bottles? How long are you chilling them for? How much sugar are you priming with, and how are you priming them? What IS your sanitization process? Did the beer taste okay after the foam went down?

Things like that, we really can't help you with little to go by.

A lot of times new brewers THINK they have an infection, when in reality, they are opening them too soon, have perhaps over carbed them, or are not letting them chill for a minimum of 48 hours (but preferable a week) before opening them......all those factors can cause beer to gush, WITHOUT it actually being infected.

Also, how long was it in primary or secondary before you bottled it? Did you make sure with a hydrometer that fermentation was complete before bottling?

Fermentation was complete according to my hydrometer. I let it set in a secondary for 4 weeks and then bottled. After my first 6 pack foamed over, I started waiting a couple of weeks and then placing another 6 pack in the refridgerator. And I also varied my refridgerator time as well. Still foam.

The beer tastes fine after the foam goes away.

The only thing I did different from my other batches was that I mixed the priming sugar, poured half into the bottom of my bottling bucket and the poured the rest in after siphoning out a little over 3/4's of my brew.

I've also got my last 6 pack in the fridge right now. It's been in there for 6 months and I opened one last week and still foam.

So you used half your priming sugar to carb one-quarter of your beer? That's probably the issue -- dig around to find a sixer you bottled in the beginning to see if it's a little flat.

no he poured have the priming sugar into the bottom of his bottling bucket and then put like 3.5 gals into the bucket. then added the rest of his priming sugar and then the rest of his beer

sean102385 said:

no he poured have the priming sugar into the bottom of his bottling bucket and then put like 3.5 gals into the bucket. then added the rest of his priming sugar and then the rest of his beer

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Exactly. Thought I would get better distribution that way?

Well I hate to say it, but you did everything right...which means you have an infection issue...It's no big deal, I've been there...I had a late onset gusher infection myself (on a contest entry no less)

You just need to try to locate the source of the infection. Some people have lately discussed the spigot in the bottling bucket as a possible source...nasties can lodge in there over time.

I would remove it from the bucket and examine it carefully, maybe hold it up to a light....I would then fill a bowl with hot water and oxyclean and let it sit in their for a few hours...also examine by feel you bottling bucket for any scratches.... also look at your bottling wand, and auto siphon. Check all your fermenters for scratches as well....

I would replace every hose that comes in contact with my beer.....then I would consider replacing all those other plastic things, like auto siphon, wand, maybe even the spigot.... barring that I would do a scorched earth sanitization using the bleach/water/vinegar recipe that Charles Talley, the creator of starsan recommends...JUST BE SURE TO FOLLOW HIS RECIPE IN EXACTLY THE ORDER HE DISCUSSES OTHERWISE IT COULD BE DEADLY

http://media.libsyn.com/media/basicbrewing/bbr03-29-07.mp3

and soak all your gear in it...first all your bottling gear, then all your fermentation gear...

After that I would temporarily switch sanitizers...if you are using starsan, switch to iodophor, or vice versa (if you don't use either, I can't stress enough choosing to use one, the other or alternating between both) in case you have a house bug.....

Again it's no big deal...but you need to nip it in the bud...

ALso read this old post of more on infections;

I alternate sanitizers now, since my own infection issue last summer. I don't use the same sanitizer thorought the entire batch...if I use starsan on brewday I use iodophor at bottling, and vice versa...

Even Chris Colby as an aside in a BB podcast mentioned switching sanitizers, a "house" bug can mutate to become accustomed (like with pennicilin) to your sanitiziation regimen. So switching, at least temporarily will knock it for a loop.

Honestly, it ain't a big deal, it happens to us on occasion.....On Craftbrewer radio they said it usually happens around the 10th, the 30th and the 50th batch...even the pro's deal with it (the Brewer at New Glarus said in an interview on Basic Brewing once, that a commercial brewery operation gets a 3 year grace period before their first infection)

It's called a house germ...and it develops over time...
The hosts of the podcast in Australia have 60 years of brewing experience...This is a very good discussion on infection and infection control.

They talk about the "timeframe" of infections, and how it is less likely for a first batch to be infected...it tends to occur around the 10th batch and the 50th...When the equipment gets more used up, and "house germs" start to build up. They used the term "house mouth" in the discussion, how we may not even notice, because we're sort of used to the taste of our beers, it's usually NOT a regular drinker of our beers that notices it.

December#2,2006

“What is sour mashing?” I hear you ask. So said our brewmaster as he guides you thru this most interesting of ways of making a beer. In a nice compact show, we also cover feedback, Kit and Kilo infections, our beer superhero turns “gay”, and a faviourite beer song is requested yet again. Not enough, well also hear about WHO stuffed up his brew day.

http://radio.craftbrewer.org/shows/December2-06.mp3

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It's a pretty good discussion.


Hope this helps