Second Straight Batch Lost to Contamination :(

[mitsitsad]

Hey all,

I've been brewing for about 2 years now and probably have brewed around 20-30 batches of beer. But the past 2 beers I have brewed (both extract) - a porter and a strong ale have both been victims of some sort of off/bitter flavor in the aftertaste.

I notice it right away but tell myself that I might be crazy, but as the beer ages it gets even worse. I can pick it up in the nose right away.

The thing about this last beer is I didnt notice it when I smelled into the fermenter right before kegging, but after taking a sample out of the siphon I could immediately taste it...my siphon tube is a little old but I'm religious about cleaning and sanitizing everything. I'm using the plastic better bottle carboys and usually have it airlocked with a carboy cap connected to a blowoff tube

I really don't know what is wrong here...again, I'm very mindful of sanitization but can't pinpoint what is going on. In the past I lost a batch due to a broken airlock, but this doesnt appear to be the case. Do I need a new glass carboy? I broke my original but am intrigued by the new big mouth bubblers. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[InLimbo]

Granted I don't know what kind of environment you're fermenting in, but hopefully you're not fermenting out in the open in the middle of a swamp. So with that said, I honestly kind of doubt that your broken air lock lead to a bacterial contamination. Historically breweries from big to small have conducted fermentation in open vessels with nothing other than a blanket of CO2 to protect the beer from outside contaminants. This makes me wonder if you picked up the contamination prior to even pitching your yeast.. Re-check everything that the wort comes in contact with from flame out until you pitch.

You have such a high percentage of success that I'd wager that some piece of equipment is harboring the bacteria that's giving you grief. I wonder if it's the better bottle? Check it for scratches that might be harboring some nasties!

 

[Pie_Man]

I would start by replacing your disposable type plastic equipment, any tubing, maybe your bottling bucket, or at least the spigot to the bucket. Give your equipment a good clean and sanitize, also sanitize your fermentation area. If you're not using StarSan, you may want to use that. Make your next batch something simple and relatively cheap, then see if the off flavor is still present. If it is, you may need to replace the better bottle. I too highly doubt it is the airlock. Good luck.

 

[biggmatt]

I agree with pie man. Especially hoses. The are difficult to get clean. You may not be able to see a slight stain on the imside. New one are cheap at any hardware stores.

 

[mitsitsad]

how do you guys feel about this fermenter? its plastic but HDPE so I'm thinking:

Larger, so a simple 3 piece airlock should work even with vigorous fermentation

Removable Lid, so easy to get in there and clean

Spigot, no need for a siphon = easier to keg

http://morebeer.com/products/speidel-plastic-fermenter-30l-79-gal.html


I am definitely going to start by replacing all the vinyl tubing as recommended, but I'm also in the process of converting to all grain (which my next kit on hand is) so I want to make sure I will be good - I don't mind spending the money on a good reliable fermenter

 

[Pie_Man]

I don't know enough about the speidel or plastics to comment. I will say, I'm not sure it's your fermenter at this point, so you may want to save your money. How do you clean your better bottle? You should avoid cleaning with a bristled bottle brush as that can scratch the plastic.

 

[cersit]

There are a lot of fermenters out there working well, so use what you feel good about. That being said I have a Seidel 60L and love it, it's easy to clean, sanitize, and move

 

[mitsitsad]

Thanks for the advice

I'm going to start by replacing all the tubing as well as retrofitting my wort chiller - I think that my current setup (clamped with vinyl tubing) may be tough to avoid an occasional drip of hose water from getting into my wort which could lead to issues

Any advice on cleaning the better bottles? I'm currently using the bristled carboy brush included with my original glass carboy which I am learning may be causing problems

 

[Pie_Man]

The bristled bottle brush likely scratched your better bottle, either from the bristles themselves or the metal part of the brush. These scratches can harbor bacteria that the cleaners and sanitizers miss. I'd probably purchase a new fermenter since the BB is likely scratched and you are having infection issues. You can keep the BB around if you want to test the other components first, but you very well may need a new fermenter. Plus, you cannot have too many fermenters, right

Tips for cleaning plastic fermenters like better bottles (basically use either just PBW or oxiclean, or incorporate a mircofiber cloth):