2 rancid batches

[Hamsterbite]

Status Update: SUCCESS!!! I brewed a brown porter, simplifying the steps as suggested (no secondary, etc.) AND put water in my airlock... and VOILA! Good beer Thanks for all of the responses on here. They were a huge help!!

Right on!

As 31Fifty mentioned a few posts back, I have also made the switch from Iodophor to Starsan after I got an infected APA batch.
I found myself grasping at straws to figure out the source of this infection, so I'm not saying I know for sure it had anything to do with Iodophor, but here's why I think it might have:

With my clear vinyl transfer tubing, I had been soaking it in warm PBW overnight, and then soaking it in an iodophor solution after that. Then I'd drip dry, and wrap it up in aluminum foil. Whenever I needed to use it again, I'd give it another dip in iodophor. (2min contact time minimum)
The problem is, on a couple of occasions I left it soaking in the iodophor too long...once for about 24 hours. Well, the iodine will stain clear vinyl brown/red when left in too long. That didn't seem like a big deal, but upon closer inspection, that tubing had to be chucked as it had devoloped a scaly coating inside that could not easily be removed. I'm sure that was a breeding ground for god knows what.
I suppose if you wanted to take the time with a line brush you could do it, but it's not worth the time IMO.

If you mess up and leave something sitting in Starsan too long, no harm done. Unless of course it's something metal...that can be a different story.

 

[31FIFTY]

Really no secondary? How long in primary? Throughout talks with local brewers at the LHBS, the veterans anyways, they say to always use a secondary. Yeasts need to eat something and of there is no more sugar, they'll eat each other and produce off flavors. Also the hops decompose and what does decomposing plant matter do? It gets funky.

Just some thoughts that seem to make a ton of sense.

 

[Hamsterbite]

Yes sir. Check this out... https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/secondary-not-john-palmer-jamil-zainasheff-weigh-176837/

There are many other threads like it.

 

[Hamsterbite]

Really no secondary? How long in primary? Throughout talks with local brewers at the LHBS, the veterans anyways, they say to always use a secondary. Yeasts need to eat something and of there is no more sugar, they'll eat each other and produce off flavors. Also the hops decompose and what does decomposing plant matter do? It gets funky.

Just some thoughts that seem to make a ton of sense.

I think we've got our threads crossed though. Is it possible you were tying to response d to this thread? https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/what-should-i-do-next-other-questions-newbie-362230/

 

[BrewerBear]

Really no secondary? How long in primary? Throughout talks with local brewers at the LHBS, the veterans anyways, they say to always use a secondary. Yeasts need to eat something and of there is no more sugar, they'll eat each other and produce off flavors. Also the hops decompose and what does decomposing plant matter do? It gets funky.

Just some thoughts that seem to make a ton of sense.

Have you ever tried not using a secondary?

 

[cycling8r]

Right on!

With my clear vinyl transfer tubing, I had been soaking it in warm PBW overnight, and then soaking it in an iodophor solution after that. Then I'd drip dry, and wrap it up in aluminum foil. Whenever I needed to use it again, I'd give it another dip in iodophor. (2min contact time minimum)
The problem is, on a couple of occasions I left it soaking in the iodophor too long...once for about 24 hours. Well, the iodine will stain clear vinyl brown/red when left in too long. That didn't seem like a big deal, but upon closer inspection, that tubing had to be chucked as it had devoloped a scaly coating inside that could not easily be removed. I'm sure that was a breeding ground for god knows what.
I suppose if you wanted to take the time with a line brush you could do it, but it's not worth the time IMO.

If you mess up and leave something sitting in Starsan too long, no harm done. Unless of course it's something metal...that can be a different story.

Since I've been worried about cross-contamination, I've used new tubing with all three batches. Got to looking at my tubing from the last batch, though, and it does look like there's some sort of film/residue left on the tubing. Hopefully it will clean up. Just another reason to switch to starsan once I finish my current bottle of iodophor. Thanks for info!

 

[cycling8r]

Really no secondary? How long in primary? Throughout talks with local brewers at the LHBS, the veterans anyways, they say to always use a secondary. Yeasts need to eat something and of there is no more sugar, they'll eat each other and produce off flavors. Also the hops decompose and what does decomposing plant matter do? It gets funky.

Just some thoughts that seem to make a ton of sense.

It sat in primary for a little more than 3 weeks. I couldn't taste any noticeable off flavors (especially compared to my last two batches!!!) :cross: Even brought a bottle to my LBHS (some of them swear by doing only primary) and they gave it two thumbs up. With regards to the hops, I would imagine that would be much more important for hoppy beers like Pale Ales or IPAs.

 

[dbrewski]

Congrats on your success! Not to pile onto the 'primary vs. secondary' debate but I have never had off flavors and I don't use secondaries. In fact leaving it in primary allows it to work out some funkiness. It doesn't add to it. And doing a secondary is just another chance to expose your beer to oxygen. My biggest improvements have come from controlling ferment temps, checking out my water chemistry and filtering to remove chlorine, and rapid wort cooling to trap in hop flavors. My biggest improvement to the workflow was getting into kegging, but it takes some $$ to go down that rabbit hole...

Actually, my biggest improvement was probably joining this site and getting tons of input, ideas and inspiration. Cheers!

 

[Kingfish]

Really no secondary? How long in primary? Throughout talks with local brewers at the LHBS, the veterans anyways, they say to always use a secondary. Yeasts need to eat something and of there is no more sugar, they'll eat each other and produce off flavors. Also the hops decompose and what does decomposing plant matter do? It gets funky.

Just some thoughts that seem to make a ton of sense.

I just cracked open a bottle of a batch of Brown that was 27 days in primary. In fact it was "no chill" and I just dumped the entire boil kettle into the bucket and let it slowly cool. Turned out amazing.