Another "Does this look infected?" Thread

[dzamba]

Sorry. I was hoping to bottle today, but I think I caught something. Does anyone recomend bottling today anyway.

 

[flyangler18]

I'm inclined to say yes; looks like lactobacillus.

Given enough time, it will look like the carboy on the right:

And a close up:

 

[JoeMama]

I would say just rack below that 'skin' on top of your beer. Once your beer is bottled, I would suggest taking a couple of extra precautions like wrapping your box of bottles in a plastic bag, or putting them into a rubbermaid storage container (just in case) you have bottle bombs.

Have you tasted a sample of the brew pre bottle?
-Me

 

[dzamba]

I have tasted it. It tasted like a fantastic barleywine till I racked to a secondary. Now it has a bit of an apple smell.

 

[flyangler18]

Let's discuss your sanitation regimen; I'm not sure that a sourness from lactobacillus in a barleywine will be particularly pleasant.

You have two things working against you in this case: (1)barleywines need an extended aging to mellow and become balanced and (2) lactobacillus will continue to sour in the bottle, chewing carbohydrates not consumable by the yeast.

The risk of bottle bombs is significant because the lacto bugs will continue working for a very very long time.

Normally, I would recommend that the beer be consumed young but that may not be possible with a beer as big as a barleywine, I'm afraid.

Jason

 

[dzamba]

Seems like I'm in a bit of a pickle.

For sanitation I've been using C-brite and then rinsing with water.

This barleywine has been aged in the primary for 2 months. I wasn't even gonna rack it, but I figured if I did I would areate it and fermentation may kick in again. Since I was planning on bottling with champagne yeast I wanted to make sure that it wasn't gonna go anymore. In the past 2 months I had a bottle bomb and a growler bomb so I racked it into the bucket.

Thats when the problems started.

But basicly I should rack it again and hope it clears, right?

 

[flyangler18]

For sanitation I've been using C-brite and then rinsing with water.

Problem #1. If you use a no-rinse sanitizer and then rinse, you are undoing the effects of that sanitizer. I would highly recommend that you switch to either Iodophor or Star-San. These are the only two FDA recognized food-safe sanitizers on the market.

This barleywine has been aged in the primary for 2 months. I wasn't even gonna rack it, but I figured if I did I would areate it and fermentation may kick in again. Since I was planning on bottling with champagne yeast I wanted to make sure that it wasn't gonna go anymore. In the past 2 months I had a bottle bomb and a growler bomb so I racked it into the bucket.

You are correct that you didn't want to aerate once fermentation is finished, oxidation is particularly destructive to the flavor of your beer. Wet cardboard, anyone? Are you using a hydrometer to insure that fermentation is complete? If you have reached FG according to your recipe, then the bottle bomb could be attributed to either overcarbonation from excess priming sugar or a bottle infection. My money is on the latter given the way that you sanitize.

But basicly I should rack it again and hope it clears, right?

It is not going to clear, and will only get progressively worse. You need to make changes to your sanitation practices or I'll say with certainty that you'll be plagued with infection again and again.

Some comments,
Jason

 

[dzamba]

Re Prob #1: It is actually a rinse sanitizer, but I see how rinsing after sanitizing can undo the process. Actually I just heard about the Star-San on BrewStrong. I think I will start using that.

Now if I racked to the bottling bucket (and the bottling process itself) , doesn't that aerate it as well?

So, you think it won't go away... should I dump?

Thank you for your input,
Ed

 

[EvilTOJ]

Racking does aerate, but the effects is minimal if you reduce splashing as much as possible. Now if you poured from one bucket to another, then yea it'll taste like wet dog rolled in newspaper some time.

If it were me (and I'm actually in your position with an infected brew or two) ask yourself if it tastes good now? If it doesn't, then it's not going to get better and turn it into lawn food.

 

[michael.berta]

Just for the sake of argument I'm going to disagree and suggest that you keep it. What is wrong with re-racking to a propertly sanitized carboy (but leaving the gross stuff on top) and letting it sit for 6 months?

Read this post:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/ne...virtue-time-heals-all-things-even-beer-73254/

 

[Dr Vorlauf]

Just for the sake of argument I'm going to disagree and suggest that you keep it. What is wrong with re-racking to a propertly sanitized carboy (but leaving the gross stuff on top) and letting it sit for 6 months?

Read this post:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/ne...virtue-time-heals-all-things-even-beer-73254/

+1 this could be the best beer you have ever made. Hold on to it and drink it.

 

[dzamba]

I will keep it.
Thank you.