Dry Hopping infection

[AJC16]

In the past two out of three batches I have made I have had an infection from what I believe is from dry hopping. My first batch a czech lager I dry hopped and had a band aid taste. Next my Belgian Wit with no dry hopping and finally my pale ale that was dry hopped and band aid plasticy taste has returned. I sanitized my hop bad in star san along with my kegs. I have dry hopped once prior with no problems. Next time I plan on dry hopping can I boil my bad along with the hops for 5 minutes before adding to my keg?

 

[jmkratt]

Are you dry hopping in a secondary?

 

[MikeRLynch]

Band aid, plastic flavors are often a result of stressed yeast in the presence of chlorine from your water. If you're using city water, I would suggest running it through an activated charcoal filter (a normal Pur water filter on the tap is perfect). If you're running your water through a garden hose, switch it out for one that won't leach plastic flavors. Also, be sure you're pitching enough healthy yeast. One 5 gallon batch requires at least two Wyeast smack packs or two White Labs vials. I have a friend who has the same problem with his beers, and it was because he was severely under-pitching his yeast. Plastic/band-aid isn't usually an off flavor associated with infection, though some wild yeasts can produce it. Do the changes I mentioned above and see if it improves. If not, it may be a sanitation issue somewhere in the process.

 

[AJC16]

I am dry hopping in a keg

 

[jmo88]

Band aid, plastic flavors are often a result of stressed yeast in the presence of chlorine from your water. If you're using city water, I would suggest running it through an activated charcoal filter (a normal Pur water filter on the tap is perfect). If you're running your water through a garden hose, switch it out for one that won't leach plastic flavors. Also, be sure you're pitching enough healthy yeast. One 5 gallon batch requires at least two Wyeast smack packs or two White Labs vials. I have a friend who has the same problem with his beers, and it was because he was severely under-pitching his yeast. Plastic/band-aid isn't usually an off flavor associated with infection, though some wild yeasts can produce it. Do the changes I mentioned above and see if it improves. If not, it may be a sanitation issue somewhere in the process.

Agreed. Bandaid flavor or aroma is caused by chlorine in your water. You can filter it as mentioned or treat all you brewing water (sparge, mash, top-off) with campden tablets. That's what I do. No bandaid taste anymore. Campden tablets are cheap.

 

[Rip]

+1 on Campden tabs... cheap and easy insurance.

OP - loose the hop bag if you can, just another source of possible bacterial contamination. If you absolutely need that bag due to your process - then please make sure you soak the nasty thing in some Oxiclean overnight. Rinse VERY well with clean water and then sanitize with Startsan or sumthin' similar...

A little technical reading if you're in the mood (H20 & Bacterial sources of Phenolic compounds):
http://www.probrewer.com/resources/library/siebel-phenolics2.php

 

[AJC16]

So I think I figured it out, I thought I had silicon tubing but it turns out that it is latex, I think that is where I am getting that taste from...

 

[bendavanza]

You can always boil the bag to sanitize it but I usually just soak it in starsan. I doubt that flavor is coming from your dry hop.
Latex tube? Yuck. Sounds like the culprit. On the water, I charcoal filter and use campden tablets. My water has chloramine which charcoal does not effectively remove. Beer tastes much better then before using the tabs and filter.

 

[ScubaSteve]

I think chlorine is definitely a factor, but usually there is something wrong before you need to start troubleshooting water. The latex (most likely pvc) tubing you describe will definitely leach some plastic flavors at high temp. I see guys using the braided stuff in their builds with hot wort and I can never understand how they don't taste the difference!

Change your tubing (silicon or norprene are best) and it should resolve.