About to give in...Need your help and support please

[balrog]

I can remember years ago being able to actually smell the infection in the bucket one time. Usually my problem is not bacteria but wild yeast strains that produce a sharp unpleasant clove flavor.

Oh SNAP! My last two batches taste like clove and shouldn't at all.

It's new bottling bucket time.

 

[Cubslover]

Thanks all, definitely making me feel better.

I am going to brew 5 gal this weekend and split it into 2 - 1 gallon glass carboys and put 3 gallons in my standard fermenter. From there, I will bottle via a racking cane for the two glass carboys and half of the bucket, and use my extra cleaned bottling bucket for the last 1.5 gallons, marking all bottles so I can see if I can pinpoint the offender. HOpefully I can do that AND get some good beer out of the process.

 

[helibrewer]

You don't happen to crush your grain or leave your grain stored near those fermenters do you?

 

[tturner77]

Good luck. Having recurring issues really sucks, especially when you think you know the issue are making the right adjustments to fix it. Just keep at it, you always learn from each new batch, and eventually this will get worked out.

As another note, I move alot, and when Im traveling for a few months at a time I brew in 1 gal growlers. I see your planning on doing that too. Its a great way to take everything out of the equation, start fresh, and make a few cheaper batches as well!

 

[Cubslover]

You don't happen to crush your grain or leave your grain stored near those fermenters do you?

No I don't. I buy crushed grain and it goes in the freezer if I don't brew right away.

 

[gingerdawg]

Another vote for spigot issues. See here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/spigot-infection-121734/

 

[dnslater]

Wow. This thread has me freaking out about my bottling bucket. Used the same one for the past 3 years and 40+ batches without issues. Have never disassembled the valve. Now I want to run home and take it apart !!!

 

[chuckcomm]

Wow. This thread has me freaking out about my bottling bucket. Used the same one for the past 3 years and 40+ batches without issues. Have never disassembled the valve. Now I want to run home and take it apart !!!

Same here...i clean and sanitize the bucket but have never removed the valve

All I can think of now is to remove and clean it ASAP lol

 

[jfr1111]

I have a bottling bucket without a valve, I just rack to the bucket using the autosiphon, transfer the autosiphon to the bucket and attach my bottling wand to the length of tubing. I get the convenience of bottling spigots, but they seem to be a pain to keep clean and sanitary at all times. That last pitcure is disgusting.

 

[unionrdr]

I remove my spigots (like the ones shown) & soak in PBW for a while. I went to Petsmart & bought a set of 3 aquarium filter "lift tube" cleaning brushes to scrub the spigots inside with. Rinse & soak all the cleaned parts in Starsan & reassemble wet right before use.

 

[biochemedic]

Bingo! That's exactly the one I have. The red piece pulls right out.

And when I reassemble mine, I use a bit of keg lube on the red part...I think it seems to work better now and I think the lube also keeps the liquid out of the crevices and makes it even easier to clean...

Edit: oh, and I've had the single same valve since I started brewing over 8 years ago...no issues with infections if you clean it out promptly and thoroughly (read: take it apart...) after use...

 

[b-boy]

The only thing I can think of is that I've overlooked is that I haven't replaced or even removed the valve from my bottling bucket. I really hope that has been my problem.

I guarantee it's your spigot. I had the exact same thing happen to me. I lost 2 batches. I tossed the bottling bucket.

Now I bottle from a keg using CO2 to push the beer at low pressure.

I'd take the spigot apart and soak the hell out of it.

 

[balrog]

These come apart too. Turn the valve half way from on to off and either pull on the valve handle or push from the spout end.

Well for those of with one of these, the spout is part of the body. But I have determined that disassembly is fairly easy. To wit:
Spigot:

Use screwdriver:

Twist:

Pull:

Inspect:

Gasp with horror, if, like I have, you've PBW soaked, StarSan soaked and even boiled the mofo.

 

[unionrdr]

None of the pics show?...

 

[balrog]

finally fig'd out the att img thing.

 

[unionrdr]

OK now. Seems like soaking is never enough. I use brushes to get'em clean inside. I even scrub the seals & lock nuts.

 

[MaxStout]

To the OP: be sure to remove the spigot from the bucket after use. Don't leave the spigot in place when you store it. Whatever moisture stays between those nooks and crannies will turn that spigot into a petri dish by the next time you use it. Also, give the inside of the bucket a good inspection. If there are lots of scratches, time to replace it. Buckets are cheap, beer ingredients aren't.

 

[Cubslover]

To the OP: be sure to remove the spigot from the bucket after use. Don't leave the spigot in place when you store it. Whatever moisture stays between those nooks and crannies will turn that spigot into a petri dish by the next time you use it. Also, give the inside of the bucket a good inspection. If there are lots of scratches, time to replace it. Buckets are cheap, beer ingredients aren't.

Thank you sir.

I had never removed the spigot.

I've removed it, disassembled it, soaked everything in Oxyclean (no PBW), scrubbed the buckets with an aquarium pad, boiled the spigot for 10 minutes, now everything is soaking in a high bleach concentration. Tomorrow it gets rinsed, soaked in StarSan and I brew.....

 

[DennisinIowa]

You also said you used bleach and them rinsed with water. Is your tap water clean? I'm on a well and would not use the water till boiled.
my 2 cents
D

 

[gingerdawg]

Spigots are cheap, I just grab a couple of extra when I'm in Midwest, and replace every year or so.

 

[GarageDweller]

thought this thread was going to be about the Cubs from the title.
I have nothing more

 

[sputnam]

The only thing I can think of is that I've overlooked is that I haven't replaced or even removed the valve from my bottling bucket. I really hope that has been my problem.

i started with mr beer. I'm sure you are aware they have a bottling valve as well. I had 3 ruined batches back to back. I got pissed off and threw mr beer out, and got better bottles. Before my new bb's arrived I ran across a post which said to remove and clean the valve each time. Like you, i had never done that. I think you answered your own question. Clean (or perhaps replace at this point) your spigot and get back in the saddle!

 

[Cubslover]

Brewing right now. A simple mash of 2 row and carapils. Missed my temp by a couple and took a few minutes to get it in. Getting ready to sparge. Feeling pretty decent.

In the garage, Pink Floyd - Wearing the inside out playing on the stereo (Spotify)

 

[stpug]

I'd rather be in West Lafayette right now then at home

 

[sputnam]

have not brewed to Ol' Pink yet, may have to give it a go. Good luck with the brew, let us know how it goes.

 

[Cubslover]

I bottled this yesterday. The 1 Gal batch in the glass carboy smelled and tasted great, the 4 gallons in the fermenter smelled a little "sour/green". I may have forgotten what green beer smells like so it might be a false alarm.

I racked the 1 gallon batch into another 1gal carboy and bottled via tubing. I racked 1 gallon from the fermenter into the carboy and bottled via tubing. Then I racked the remaining into my bottling bucket (more than likely was the culprit to begin with) and bottled as per normal.

I had disassembled and boiled the spigot for 10 minutes a couple weeks ago. I boiled it again before reassembling and installing in the bottling bucket, it then got a bleach soak, rinsed, then a starsan soak.

Bottles and sulfiter got a bleach soak and rinse, before starsan.

All bottles are marked and I'll give them a couple weeks to carb, if I can wait that long.

This was a honey ale Partial Mash kit.

5lb 2-row
.5lb Carapils
3lbs Minnesota clover honey (late boil - 20min)
1oz Perle - 60min
1oz Saaz - 15min
Notty yeast @ 66*

I wanted to use a neutral yeast to assure nothing weird came in from the yeast.

Fingers crossed.