Vinegar smell in ESB

[northernlad]

When I popped open the lid to my ferm bucket I was surprised to meet the smell of vinegar. Odd fermentation smells are not foreign to me but this one concerns me. I took a sample while racking it to my keg and there is some cider/vinegar followed by a little astringency. The nose from the keg after racking was more alcohol than vinegar so, fingers crossed. I plan to ride it out and see what happens then dump it if I have to. I imagine I will have to bleach bomb the keg and all of its components if it turns out to be Acetobactor?

Full disclosure:
Old 1098 yeast that took a while to start and a crack in my ferm bucket lid at the airlock hole.
The other half of the batch was in a glass carboy with tight airlock, no off flavors even with the same yeast.
I know its not in my racking cane because I don't use that to transfer from boil kettle. However I did nuke it with bleach between racking the bucket and carboy.
Not too worried about having to get rid of the bucket as I ordered the Spiedel 15 gal fermentor from More Beer so I can finally stop splitting my 10gal batches.
Should I replace the autosiphon after this batch, ya think?

I'll let you know what happens in the keg.

 

[helibrewer]

I've never had to tackle an acetobacter infection but I would think OxyClen or PBW would take care of it...or pastuerizing it in +160F water if possible.

 

[Grantman1]

I'm with you in thinking ahead, but couldn't it just be green beer at this point? I always get all kinds of funny smells from English strains coming right off of fermentation.

 

[Yooper]

It doesn't sound good.

I had a lacto infection a couple of years ago, and I bleach bombed all glass and got rid of all plastic, including my autosiphon. I didn't keg that beer, though, so I didn't worry about my beerline or anything like that. It might have been overkill, but it never came back.

 

[northernlad]

Grant, it could just be green beer which is why I am choosing to give it time to play out. However, I have never smelled vinegar before and the other half of the batch that fermented in a well sealed glass carboy is totally different in taste and smell. ie, it presents like i have come to expect from this recipe.

 

[pdxal]

Vinegar=infection.

 

[socencounter]

My beer tasted like **** while I racked it to secondary, was very bitter and a bit astringent. I let it sit there for a month and now it tastes way better! So, I wouldn't be worried if I were you. Just wait it out, time heals everything !

 

[northernlad]

Yeah, thats going to be vinegar right there...
Gave my wife a taste and after practically scrubbing her tongue with a sponge she says "I can't believe you made me put that in my mouth".

 

[pdxal]

Gave my wife a taste and after practically scrubbing her tongue with a sponge she says "I can't believe you made me put that in my mouth".

-Man, if I had a nickel for every time I heard that from a woman...

 

[northernlad]

Ended up doing some research about homemade vinegar. Racked some into a 3 gallon carboy, added some Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar, and put it in the corner for about 9 months. Its actually pretty good. I pasteurized it today and put it in a few 2 quart mason jars.
I figure I'll try it in some BBQ sauce, Dressings, maybe pickles.