I know I know I know, but really, just hear me out. I would really appreciate another perspective on this, or confirmation that I'm not missing anything. Background:
I brew extract. Various styles. Various yeasts. Been doing 5-gallon batches for going on two years now. I boil outside on a propane burner. Cool outside with copper immersion chiller.
Over the past two years, I've had three batches get the dreaded gusher bugs: a kolsch (last summer), wee heavy (this winter), and an English brown (now). I have brewed many successful batches both before and in between these beers. I *think* my sanitation procedures have improved over time: after the kolsch gushers, I made it a point to got a little crazy with the bottle sanitation. Yet it's happened again.
These are definitely infections. I take gravity readings before bottling, I am very careful with the priming sugar amount, and I don't open bottles too early. Also, the caps of some of the bottles pop out like an outy belly button. And even the ones that don't are WAY overcarbed and thin and bitter.
Now here's the odd thing: I bottled the currently gushing English brown and a Saison on the same day, with the same equipment. The saison is fine, the brown is not. I don't remember which one I bottled first. Also, the brown tasted great at bottling. So here are my questions:
1. Could these bugs be getting into the wort/beer pre-bottle? I find this hard to believe, since the gravities are stable and there's no airlock activity prior to bottling. I would think that if they were in the carboy, they'd be eating away and I'd be able to tell with gravity readings and taste.
2. Related to the above, what about sanitation of the wort chiller? I stick it in the boil for about 5 or 10 minutes, but maybe that's not enough. I mean, I also clean it off, but it's not like I soak it in PBW and use Star San on it. Could this be the problem?
3. Also related to pre-bottle opportunities, what about using top-off water? I almost always do.
4. I believe I am really meticulous with all my bottling equipment, so I would be surprised if it's in there. But to me, all signs point to that. Thoughts?
I just bottled another kolsch this past Saturday, after going REALLY crazy with all my bottles and equipment. If that ends up gushing, I'm going to be VERY disappointed, as it tasted great at bottling (like they all do).
I really need to pin down my problem. So please lend me hand, fellow brewers, and let me know what you think.
Cheers!
I brew extract. Various styles. Various yeasts. Been doing 5-gallon batches for going on two years now. I boil outside on a propane burner. Cool outside with copper immersion chiller.
Over the past two years, I've had three batches get the dreaded gusher bugs: a kolsch (last summer), wee heavy (this winter), and an English brown (now). I have brewed many successful batches both before and in between these beers. I *think* my sanitation procedures have improved over time: after the kolsch gushers, I made it a point to got a little crazy with the bottle sanitation. Yet it's happened again.
These are definitely infections. I take gravity readings before bottling, I am very careful with the priming sugar amount, and I don't open bottles too early. Also, the caps of some of the bottles pop out like an outy belly button. And even the ones that don't are WAY overcarbed and thin and bitter.
Now here's the odd thing: I bottled the currently gushing English brown and a Saison on the same day, with the same equipment. The saison is fine, the brown is not. I don't remember which one I bottled first. Also, the brown tasted great at bottling. So here are my questions:
1. Could these bugs be getting into the wort/beer pre-bottle? I find this hard to believe, since the gravities are stable and there's no airlock activity prior to bottling. I would think that if they were in the carboy, they'd be eating away and I'd be able to tell with gravity readings and taste.
2. Related to the above, what about sanitation of the wort chiller? I stick it in the boil for about 5 or 10 minutes, but maybe that's not enough. I mean, I also clean it off, but it's not like I soak it in PBW and use Star San on it. Could this be the problem?
3. Also related to pre-bottle opportunities, what about using top-off water? I almost always do.
4. I believe I am really meticulous with all my bottling equipment, so I would be surprised if it's in there. But to me, all signs point to that. Thoughts?
I just bottled another kolsch this past Saturday, after going REALLY crazy with all my bottles and equipment. If that ends up gushing, I'm going to be VERY disappointed, as it tasted great at bottling (like they all do).
I really need to pin down my problem. So please lend me hand, fellow brewers, and let me know what you think.
Cheers!