Infection Finally Hit me!

[josers]

Yeah finally got a little what looks like "brett" on the top of my vanilla smoked porter. I will probably dumping it. Some questions about dumping the batch, should I use the siphon or just pour it straight from carboy down the sink. Discard air lock? Also to clean the carboy after should I use my regular brush or something else. I'm trying to minimize my eqiupment that comes in contact with the infection. I think what happen is some of the water in the airlock evaporated leaving an airflow inside. Man I'm bummed!!!

 

[LVBen]

Picture?

 

[sudsmcgee]

Did you taste it yet? Why dump it if it tastes good?

 

[Revvy]

I wouldn't dump it, if it truly is infected, I'd maybe dump some cherries or something in it and see what develops. You might have a great funky beer in a year.

 

[Jtd6628]

How do you know when beer is infected?

 

[josers]

Bad picture but has the white characteristics of brett. I have search around for other pictures of brett and pretty confident that's what I have here.

[/URL]

Uploaded with ImageShack.us[/IMG]

 

[Pivzavod]

As someone who had "infections" before and as someone Revvy reassured it was good - Dont throw away your beer. Taste, package it, let it sit.

What I've learned from my infections is that you can taste / smell it early on. You should be able to detect off flavors early on and discard accordingly. In my cases the infections I traced to bad yeast. One batch was bad Nottingham yeast which didnt start for 5 days and finished below FG it still had off flavors. Another batch I used harvested yeast which was old and was not all kosher sanitary wise. Other "infections" were newbie impulse judgments.

 

[jonmohno]

That picture looks like its only a few days into fermentation,is it?

 

[josers]

no it's been in this secondary since june.

 

[mrk305]

I agree with sudsmcgee.... taste it

 

[josers]

Better pics

 

[kh54s10]

Another vote for taste, smell, check it out well before dumping it.

In answer to another of your questions, if you do decide to dump it I would not let it touch ANY of your other equipment. Dump it straight out of the carboy.