gbuttar
Member
*warning, long post ahead*
Hello
I am new to brewing and to this forum, and recently finished my second batch, a Honey Basil Ale (http://www.tastybrew.com/newrcp/detail/507) an extract with steeped grains. I followed the recipe exactly. My first batch, a very simple extract pale ale went very smoothly (no off flavors). I am fairly certain however that this bath has some sort of infection
I first noticed it in my secondary just before bottling an almost invisible thin film. Smelled and tasted great so I racked from under it anyway and bottled it most of the film stuck to the sides of the glass carboy I was racking out of. I came very close to my calculated OG and FG. After about a few days in bottles, the film reappeared (translucent frosty film, around neck of bottle about ¼ up past the liquid). Now, after almost 3 weeks, the film has disappeared (dropped out or got washed out when I moved the bottles), but the sour taste (acidic, not really vinegary) had gotten much more prominent (pretty much undrinkable, couldnt finish a whole bottle). The last one I opened also gushed I moved the bottles to the bath tub as a precaution (fear of bottle bombs).
I followed the recipe exactly, and fermented 2 weeks my primary (plastic ale pale) and 2 weeks in my secondary (glass carboy) before bottling, with tap water filled airlocks in place. All my equipment is new except my fermenters (from a friend, both in excellent shape, no serious scratches on the plastic). I did a partial boil which I topped off in the primary, all water being store bought spring water.
Im guessing I should dump these, because theyre only getting worse, and now pose a potential hazard. Im posting because Im worried that I may have a problem other than basic sanitation, because I think I go way overboard already.
Ive been using regular dish soap and iodophor, gentle cleaning with a soft sponge and complete filling/submerging in iodophor solution for sanitizing (fresh batch each time). My grains were milled at my LHBS, and I do not siphon by mouth (I prime it with iodophor solution).
There were only a few things that concerned me with regards to possible infection sources. The turkey baster and strainer I used for sampling/straining wort were previously used in the kitchen for their respective originally intended purposes, although I cleaned and sanitized both before use). I also condensation on my kitchen fume hood during the boil dripping back into my wort, although I would think that any nasties that might have been picked up would be killed upon falling back into the boil.
My plan:
-replacing all cheap plastics
-no secondary going forward (just glass primary)
-switching to oxiclean and starsan, and keeping a starsan spray bottle
-bleach bombing (bleach-water-vinegar carefully following mixing instructions) everything that Im not throwing away
-purchasing a wine thief and autosiphon (versus used turkey baster and racking cane)
-using a grain bag and funnel to filter instead of spaghetti strainer
-filling airlocks with starsan going forward
-getting desk fan to help ventilate my stove area
Do you guys think that I may have an issue other than basic sanitation? With how thorough I think Ive been, Im just afraid of buying all new plastics just infect them again with a new bad batch. Should I be worried about a house bug/airborne contamination? Im fairly certain that I was as careful as I could be regarding contact contamination, although any suggestions regarding things I may have overlooked as a beginner, or steps I could add to my action plan, would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance for helping out a nervous noobie, sorry for the seemingly endless post!
-Gus
Hello
I am new to brewing and to this forum, and recently finished my second batch, a Honey Basil Ale (http://www.tastybrew.com/newrcp/detail/507) an extract with steeped grains. I followed the recipe exactly. My first batch, a very simple extract pale ale went very smoothly (no off flavors). I am fairly certain however that this bath has some sort of infection
I first noticed it in my secondary just before bottling an almost invisible thin film. Smelled and tasted great so I racked from under it anyway and bottled it most of the film stuck to the sides of the glass carboy I was racking out of. I came very close to my calculated OG and FG. After about a few days in bottles, the film reappeared (translucent frosty film, around neck of bottle about ¼ up past the liquid). Now, after almost 3 weeks, the film has disappeared (dropped out or got washed out when I moved the bottles), but the sour taste (acidic, not really vinegary) had gotten much more prominent (pretty much undrinkable, couldnt finish a whole bottle). The last one I opened also gushed I moved the bottles to the bath tub as a precaution (fear of bottle bombs).
I followed the recipe exactly, and fermented 2 weeks my primary (plastic ale pale) and 2 weeks in my secondary (glass carboy) before bottling, with tap water filled airlocks in place. All my equipment is new except my fermenters (from a friend, both in excellent shape, no serious scratches on the plastic). I did a partial boil which I topped off in the primary, all water being store bought spring water.
Im guessing I should dump these, because theyre only getting worse, and now pose a potential hazard. Im posting because Im worried that I may have a problem other than basic sanitation, because I think I go way overboard already.
Ive been using regular dish soap and iodophor, gentle cleaning with a soft sponge and complete filling/submerging in iodophor solution for sanitizing (fresh batch each time). My grains were milled at my LHBS, and I do not siphon by mouth (I prime it with iodophor solution).
There were only a few things that concerned me with regards to possible infection sources. The turkey baster and strainer I used for sampling/straining wort were previously used in the kitchen for their respective originally intended purposes, although I cleaned and sanitized both before use). I also condensation on my kitchen fume hood during the boil dripping back into my wort, although I would think that any nasties that might have been picked up would be killed upon falling back into the boil.
My plan:
-replacing all cheap plastics
-no secondary going forward (just glass primary)
-switching to oxiclean and starsan, and keeping a starsan spray bottle
-bleach bombing (bleach-water-vinegar carefully following mixing instructions) everything that Im not throwing away
-purchasing a wine thief and autosiphon (versus used turkey baster and racking cane)
-using a grain bag and funnel to filter instead of spaghetti strainer
-filling airlocks with starsan going forward
-getting desk fan to help ventilate my stove area
Do you guys think that I may have an issue other than basic sanitation? With how thorough I think Ive been, Im just afraid of buying all new plastics just infect them again with a new bad batch. Should I be worried about a house bug/airborne contamination? Im fairly certain that I was as careful as I could be regarding contact contamination, although any suggestions regarding things I may have overlooked as a beginner, or steps I could add to my action plan, would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance for helping out a nervous noobie, sorry for the seemingly endless post!
-Gus