Infected beer twice in a row?

[yeastyboy]

Hey there guys,
I was wondering if you could help me figure this out, in my last two beers when adding my dry hops I opened up the carboy everything looked awesome, added my dry hop bag, which I bleached overnight and then before going into the carboy I washed it again with idophor, but both times 5 days later after opening up the carboy, I found this. This is an infection right? Its so frustrating.

 

[fartinmartin]

That looks like a cotton bag, mine are like nylon.
Get new bags for next time

What was the last brew like?
Didi it still drink well ?

 

[yeastyboy]

the last batch was/is ok.... its a gusher, but not terribly,when I open a bottle it foams for a bit and then stops. At first I was being optimistic and hoping that I maybe just over-carbonated it and was just being paraniod, but I think that might be a bit too optimistic

 

[yeastyboy]

FYI I used different bags for the dry hopping in the two different batches

 

[yeastyboy]

Infection yes?

 

[webby45wr]

I've never had an infection, so I can't say definitively that this is infected, but it seems like it.

Are you dry hopping in the primary or moving it to secondary and then dry hopping? If so, could be something growing in racking tube, hose, etc. This would explain using two different bags but still getting an infection.

 

[kombat]

Are you dry hopping with leaf hops, or pellets? If you're using pellets, why bother with the bag at all? I just dump my pellet hops directly in.

As for infection, it looks suspicious, but not conclusive.

 

[fartinmartin]

I don't know if it is or it isn't , but it sure is undesirable , I would be removing the bag, then skimming the nasty off. Then totally clean and sanitise every item of kit , and the environment.
Star San is so cheap when used well (in a spray bottle) !!!!

 

[BeerLoverHere]

I would recommend dry-hopping straight into the primary after most all fermentation is done next time; I use pellets and just throw them in so the surface area can be maximized around the beer producing the most aroma. After a week they all settle out and when I siphon it's clear as can be after a cold crash. I've dry-hopped in a grain bag before in a secondary, but they seem to clump up (similar to a stuck mash) not allowing the beer to circulate around the goodness of the hops. Also, I prefer not to do dry-hop in secondary because you have to handle it again; the more times one transfers and containers you use, the higher the risk oxygen and infection could impact results. To each his own though!

 

[boydster]

Looks infected to me.

 

[MindenMan]

I also had two batches that were volcano type gushers. They tasted fine, but what a terrible loss of beer. Did you pull the spigot out and bleach it? That is waht I do now, I pull the spigot, soak it in bleach until it is perfectly clean, rinse,and run through the iodophor along with everything else

 

[drunde77]

Are you using the same bucket? Maybe it is a scratch in the bucket causing this. Maybe the nasties are just now rearing their heads after primary fermentation is done. I am so paranoid after having infections, I switched to all glass...

 

[BeerLoverHere]

Get a class carboy; if this is a hobby you plan on sticking with, this is the most sanitary way too to keep an infection from happening. I'd replace all plastic tubing too and/or soak everything in super potent PBW for a few days.

 

[RM-MN]

I just bottled a beer that had that "broken ice pack in the artic" look to it. It had been in the fermenter since November 18th so it had plenty of time to get infected but it tasted fine when I bottled it. I'm thinking it might be a reaction to the hop oils and the water I used but it sure wasn't an infection that soured the beer.

 

[Vigo_Carpathian]

What kind of transfer equipment are you using? Contaminated tubing is notorious for causing this. Take a look at the inside of your valves, testing equipment, post boil additions, etc... You'd be surprised at the nasties that can survive in a in a small pocket in a kettle valve through the boil. Check your bucket valve as well. I would recommend taking it all apart (including the o-rings) and boiling the pieces so no pockets can hide those little guys.