So, I got my first infection...

[Damoxemus]

and I'm wondering if there's much I can do to save it or if I should just toss it, as well as trying to get advice on what to do with the gear I used.


It was a stout that fermented out to 1.010 (from 1.054) - I had it in primary for about 30+days and when I went to bottle it I saw a layer of "scum" on top and it gave off a sour/vinegar like smell. I racked it to secondary (glass) and bottled a bit too, just to try it out (it'll be 2 weeks on Saturday).

a) Is this beer safe to drink? I don't mind if it takes a few months, or even a year, I just don't want to poison anyone

b) Is there anything I can do to make it more of an authentic sour or more drinkabel? Pitch some brett or lacto, blend it... I dunno?

c) Is the ale pail and racking cane, airlock etc. I used still safe for other batches or should they be retired/allocated to sours only?

Any tips/advice would be great. Thank you.


BTW, after I racked it, very little of the pellicles reformed, but there are some there. And a bit of red stuff, which I'm not sure about.

 

[midfielder5]

Sorry to hear. It is safe to drink (nothing toxic can live in alcohol) but vinegar like flavors will only get worse.

I would bleach bomb all your plastics, or replace or relegate to sour beer usage only. People have different budgets and views but I personally would not want to waste all the time, effort and money to contaminate the next batch.

Taste the bottle and come back with a detailed description if you want help with altering the main batch in secondary. Maybe wood chips or ?

 

[Damoxemus]

Thanks for the reply.


I tried the beer and it's actually really good- at first. You can taste the sourness after the second pour (1 liter bottle). I'll probably add coffee, as was planned, and maybe that'll even it outa bit more.

I'll probably buy new plastic as I'm due for new ones anyhow and relegate this stuff to other duties.

 

[midfielder5]

You could be tasting nasty yeast/trub.

I would not bottle in such large containers (1 L = 33oz) going forward, as you mix up the yeast and crap with the second pour. Best is to pour slowly without stopping into several glasses and stop when you see the yeast come to bottle's shoulder and leave the yeast behind. I do this with bombers (22oz), for the same reason.

 

[Damoxemus]

Well, it's been many weeks now - I added some hazelnut coffee and bottled it about 16 days ago and cracked one the other night. It tastes pretty goddamn good. Not perfect, but a hella lot better than I thought it would.

So ya, never give up on a batch.

 

[The_Nid_Hog]

I just caught the first post in the thread now and I was wondering how something as bitter as coffee would work. Nice to see that it turned out well!