Had to dump my first batch

Well, it happened, I brewed a NB Surly Cynic clone partial mash batch, all went well, hit all my temps, OG, etc. Fermentation was vigorous about 8 hours after pitching, the FG stabilized after about 2 weeks. The temp was always between 69-71 deg F. Snuck a sample at 3 weeks and it tasted wonderful. Then there was an avalanche of work, got sick, wife got sick, etc so it stayed in the fermenter about 6 weeks, yesterday before bottling I tasted it and it had a strong vinegar smell and tasted like a whiskey sour, almost puked that stuff out! Could not see it getting any better so dumped it right there

It was in a Cooper's fermenter that has never done me wrong before. All I can think of is that since I cannot get starsan here I use One Step to clean and chlorine to sanitize and then rinse that I did not sanitize well enough? What is that god awful taste/smell and what caused it? Thanks guys!

 

Have any fruit flies around?

If it tasted wonderful at first, but then it didn't, it's possible you picked up an infection. Fruit flies carry acetobacter which makes acetic acid, aka vinegar. Probably the right move; vinegar doesn't age out. Major bummer though. Get going on #2.

 

Sorry to hear about your infected batch. Infections get worse, so if it tasted good early on, that is most likely the problem.

I would highly recommend ordering StarSan from one of the online homebrew stores. Brewmasterswarehouse.com is the closest to you and they flat ship for $6.99, so you can order whatever and it still ships at $6.99. Once you use it, you'll never go back. I personally can't see the effectiveness of a sanitizer that you have to rinse off with unsanitary water.

 

Forgot to mention, I mix 2.5 gallons of StarSan in an old bucket and use it for months. I also keep it in a spray bottle and spray EVERYTHING at brew time and when I rack or keg.

 

I use Starsan, but also rinse with tap water. Havent had any issues thus far. I know you can rack right on the foam and everything, but I guess I fear the foam. I just cant do it, I need help...

I mix about 5 gallons of the stuff and use it for months as well. The stuff is awesome. If you dont fear the foam, you dont even need to rinse.

 

In fact, you shouldn't rinse Starsan unless you've boiled the rinse water. Your tap water has bacteria in it, so you're adding back in bacteria that you were trying to kill.

 

I finally got some foodsafe iodine based sanitizer here so should be good from now on.

 

A guy in NH owns a LHBS and was telling me that he left about a half gal of Starsan in his BK and didnt realize it until after he had put his runnings on top of it...spent some time on the phone with support and they told him it was fine. I guess all of the bubbles used to creep me out as well but knowing half a gal of mixed solution will not ruin a batch is comforting. I dont remember if it was a 5 or 10gal batch.

 

From what i remember the acid in Star San is neutrelized by the PH of the Wort and Beer. Whats left over is actually food for the yeast. I just spray and shake and then rack right on top of it. SaniClean is almost the same thing it just doesnt have the foaming agent in it.

If your really parinoid about sanitation you could SaniClean/Rinse/PBW/Rinse/StarSan

The swing from an Acid to a Caustic and back to an Acid will kill about everything.


Rock Chalk

Chris

 

I read my notes of that brewing day and I think my contamination came from my wort chiller as when I first opened the tap water (unfiltered) one of the hoses was not on tight enough and dripped some tap water into my cooling wort in the kettle. Sucks!

 

Possible I guess, but I have sweated in my kettle while it was cooling and had it actually start raining into the cooling wort before without issue.

 

That's not it. A few drips of potable water into near-boiling wort? No way. Check your fermentor and/or sampling sanitation.

It's also possible it wasn't an infection, but an incredible off-flavor (residual chlorine perhaps, oxidation, fusels, etc)

 

I use Starsan and I manage to keep the foam to a minimum. I submerge the small parts. For sanitizing carboys I'll siphon the starsan in from a bucket. Makes a few bubbles, but not many. Then I roll it around instead of shaking it. Just slosh it gently to wet the surfaces and you won't get the foam. Then gently pour it or siphon it out. Don't let it glug when you pour it and it won't bubble.

I used to be hit or miss on making good beer until I switched to StarSan. Been making great beer ever since.

 

I thought the starsan lost its effectiveness after in solution. You guys are mixing it up and keeping it?

 

Your tap water should not have bacteria in it.

I agree with the no rinse, but tap water from a municipal source should be clean of bacteria.

I also use star San solution for a few months. If it gets cloudy or I think it's been a while, I add a little more star san and I'm good to go.

 

You can mix a batch of starsan and keep it on hand for quite some time. All you need to do is test the pH and as long as its over 3 you are good to go!

 

I should start doing this. I have been using about 7-10 gallons of mixed sanitizing solution per 5gal of finished beer...

 

I go though way less since I built my carboy/keg cleaner. But it's still enough to save

 

Depends on the water. If it's high in alkalinity it won't last long (ever see it turn cloudy?). Distilled will last indefinitely...get a few jugs at Walgreens (99 cents) and keep it around. And fill a spray bottle - VERY handy.

Too much. Remember, nothing needs to be soaked. Just wet contact. I usually halfway fill my 5g homer bucket, and even that seems like too much.

 

*as long as it's not over 3

 

Yes! Sorry about that.

 

I didn't realize it would keep that long...I am glad that I stopped in today

 

+1 for StarSan and keeping a handy spray bottle of StarSan/distilled water around.

Interesting related story- To date my best brew was racked on top of 5x over-concentrated foam of StarSan. (Read the directions too quickly and mixed 1oz/1gallon, should have realized when it foamed like CRAZY). I didn't even realize until two following batches, at which point all of the previous beer was happily drunk. So I personally say that StarSan foam does not impact taste at all!

 

I'm one of those types who used to fear the foam and always cringe as I put wonderful beer into foamy bottles. I used to rinse it out. Then I stopped. I try to shake out all the StarSan I can, but it never comes out totally.

 

I used to rinse it, then I read all the forums here and started trying to make the foam snakes I see in the pics....and coincedentlly I brewed three bad batches of beer in a row. I think high fermentation temps were the problem, but either way it made me nervous to leave all that foam

So over the past few months I have been working back to no rinse