Experienced Homebrewer Turned Beginner! Help!

[Fantastical]

Hello fellow homebrewers!

Due to a busy schedule... I took a year long break from brewing and just started back up again at the end of 2014. I had been brewing for many years and have 50+ batches under my belt. I always found it funny reading on here that people stopped brewing for whatever reasons and would NEVER have thought that I would need to take a break. Go figure!

Anyways, I am now struggling with my brews! I have rarely had an infected batch or a batch go bad on me. Sanitation has always been top notch.

However, after starting brewing again, I brewed four 5 gallon batches one weekend. Awesome! However... after kegging three of them, they all went cloudy and terrible tasting. Tasted good before the kegs. I've had this happen before but to have it happen to three beers at the same time is a terrible feeling. Nonetheless three batches down the drain!

Today I went to keg a Kolsch and it has turned completely sour! After some research I figured it is acetobacter as it has a sour green apple flavour. I kegged it anyway.

This weekend I brewed another 2 batches. They both went great! But I am scared for the future...

I haven't been stumped in a long time but perhaps you guys can shed some light on my issues.

1. I've taken my kegs apart, taps, and washed everything. Keezer scrubbed and cleaned. Lines replaced. Is there anything else I should consider doing?

2. Is it possible that the beers that I kegged got infected from the lines then spread to each other in the kegs? Maybe from my co2 lines? Is there a chance that other beers could turn sour if I keg them at the same time as the sour beer?

It's good to be back!

 

[lazarwolf]

Not likely that an infection could travel through CO2 Lines. I think your first instinct was probably correct, there is a sanitation problem somewhere in the process. You dont use a wooden spoon or stick do you?

 

[midfielder5]

wow bummer!!

I would bleach bomb all the plastics you can't afford or don't want to replace. I would not omit that the bugs could be in the fermenters and however you siphon, as acetobacter need oxygen and a sanitation issue to flourish. So it could take while for it to show and you may not be eliminating the issue by focusing on the kegs alone.

good luck!

 

[FoxPaw]

Fantastical great to see that you are back to brewing, sorry to hear that you are loosing so many batches in a row that sucks. 1) You say that everything is cleaned well, are you then sanitizing everything after the clean right before it is all put back together? 2) CO2 lines could be the source, Try cleaning/sanitize gas lines and gas quick disconnects as from what you have said that is the point of possible contamination. 3) Look into your transfer equipment as also a possible source. Hope that you can get this issue cleared up quickly as loosing batches is not good, as I said sucks. Let us know how it goes with the next batches.
David.

 

[flars]

The three bad beers, is it infection or oxidation? What did you do with the fourth beer?

 

[Fantastical]

Thanks for the replies guys!

Not likely that an infection could travel through CO2 Lines. I think your first instinct was probably correct, there is a sanitation problem somewhere in the process. You dont use a wooden spoon or stick do you?

No wood anywhere. Everything is plastic and soaked in starsan.

Fantastical great to see that you are back to brewing, sorry to hear that you are loosing so many batches in a row that sucks. 1) You say that everything is cleaned well, are you then sanitizing everything after the clean right before it is all put back together? 2) CO2 lines could be the source, Try cleaning/sanitize gas lines and gas quick disconnects as from what you have said that is the point of possible contamination. 3) Look into your transfer equipment as also a possible source. Hope that you can get this issue cleared up quickly as loosing batches is not good, as I said sucks. Let us know how it goes with the next batches.
David.

1. I use starsan on everything. I know it is no rinse sanitizer but is it safe to leave it on parts like rubber keg seals and such? Would the acidity wreck the rubber?

2. I took all the lines apart and cleaned them. Same question as the last. Could I starsan these and leave them to dry?

3. I think I might just replace all of my siphoning equipment.

The three bad beers, is it infection or oxidation? What did you do with the fourth beer?

Definitely infection. I am very careful with my beers to not allow them to become oxidized.

I forgot to mention... The fourth beer also became infected but not sour, the beer had white blobs on top. See attached for the picture I took. Different infection then the other three which showed no signs.

A lot of bad batches lately...

 

[flars]

Is this the primary pictured or a secondary vessel?
The actual infection may be occurring just after the boil. Some where between chilling the wort and moving the wort into the fermentor.

 

[lazarwolf]

have you ever brewed sour beers on purpose? if so, did you use a separate set up? entirely separate fermenters, tubes, racking cane, everything?

How are you chilling your wort / beer?

Where are you brewing, I know this may sound crazy but the greasy crud on the underside of a stove hood / microwave is fully of live wild cultures...

 

[FoxPaw]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FoxPaw View Post
Fantastical great to see that you are back to brewing, sorry to hear that you are loosing so many batches in a row that sucks. 1) You say that everything is cleaned well, are you then sanitizing everything after the clean right before it is all put back together? 2) CO2 lines could be the source, Try cleaning/sanitize gas lines and gas quick disconnects as from what you have said that is the point of possible contamination. 3) Look into your transfer equipment as also a possible source. Hope that you can get this issue cleared up quickly as loosing batches is not good, as I said sucks. Let us know how it goes with the next batches.
David.

Originally Posted by Fantastical View Post 1. I use starsan on everything. I know it is no rinse sanitizer but is it safe to leave it on parts like rubber keg seals and such? Would the acidity wreck the rubber?

2. I took all the lines apart and cleaned them. Same question as the last. Could I starsan these and leave them to dry?

3. I think I might just replace all of my siphoning equipment.

Fantastical,

1) that is great, I do not use starsan as I use one step, but what I've read from others should not be a problem, maybe someone else can answer that better.

2) should not be a problem.

3) maybe something to look into.

David

 

[LLBeanJ]

That carboy has way too much headspace if it's a secondary vessel. Not an issue if primary, though.

Does your kettle have a ball valve? If so, take are real good look (as in completely disassemble it) to see if it's clean.

 

[Fantastical]

That carboy has way too much headspace if it's a secondary vessel. Not an issue if primary, though.

Does your kettle have a ball valve? If so, take are real good look (as in completely disassemble it) to see if it's clean.

Hmm no ball valve on any part of my system.

 

[kickflip_mj]

I bet its your siphoning equipment. I couldnt see having issues with it in the kegs. Make sure to soak the kegs in PBW, rinse with clean water, id use bottled or RO to rinse (just to make sure you arnt leaving chlorine from a hose) then spray with starsan (dont fear the foam). and transfer with your new siphon.

I had some issues recently and dumped 45 gallons in a week. **** happens.