I was making beer from extract pretty regular several years ago. After 31 good batches, I started having failed batches (fifteen total) and stopped. There was a baby in diapers in the house. Im planning to get back to brewing, but am worried about the timing. Now we have a grandbaby in diapers whos here a lot, and Im wondering if home brewing and baby diapers are a bad combination. Maybe I should wait until the baby is through with diapers (should be just a few months) before going back to brewing - any opinions?
Baby Diapers and Homebrew
- Thread starter ncbrewer
- Start date
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Not sure how that would be an issue unless you are changing the baby right over top the fermenting beer.
Typically your beer will get infected from parts of your system that are hard to clean and/or sanitize - tubing, raking canes, plastic bottling valves.
Another source can be airborne contaminants from grinding grain near the fermenters on brew day.
What sort of infections were you getting?
Typically your beer will get infected from parts of your system that are hard to clean and/or sanitize - tubing, raking canes, plastic bottling valves.
Another source can be airborne contaminants from grinding grain near the fermenters on brew day.
What sort of infections were you getting?
Mongrel
Well-Known Member
Something might have changed with your water supply.
My nephew is around all the time, and he's just getting out of diapers.
My nephew is around all the time, and he's just getting out of diapers.
iron_city_ap
Well-Known Member
Are/were you using your fermenter to store used diapers in or something? I can't think of why having diapers around would effect brewing in any way.
jmhart
Well-Known Member
Diapers wouldn't have anything to do with it, so no need to worry about that now.
theonetrueruss
Senior Member
diapers are not the issue... well. not the issue with your beer. I have 2 kids in diapers right now and no problem with my beer.
Jtc2811
Well-Known Member
+1 to this.
My first couple of batches were fermented in (I am ashamed to say) pretty filthy environments. I was very very careful about cleaning and sanitizing my gear, though, and as such never once had an infection. What is your set up? Maybe there is a cleaning issue (or maybe the kid was slobbering on the fermenter
)
My first couple of batches were fermented in (I am ashamed to say) pretty filthy environments. I was very very careful about cleaning and sanitizing my gear, though, and as such never once had an infection. What is your set up? Maybe there is a cleaning issue (or maybe the kid was slobbering on the fermenter
)joeldp144
Well-Known Member
The only issue with babies and brewing is that babies really cut into your brew budget. In all seriousness, I have twin 9 month olds, and we fly through packs of diapers like crazy. I maintain a constant flow through the fermenters.
IrishBrewer74
Well-Known Member
I'm still new to this but have a two year old who just started potty training... Plenty of dirty diapers still. I haven't had a bad batch yet. I'd look over equipment for a source such as a worn plastic fermenter that may have scratches upping the potential for infection. Then again I'm new.
Stop fermenting in a Diaper Genie and you should be OK...
AR-Josh
Well-Known Member
If it were me I'd go buy new equipment. A new fermenting bucket, racking cane (auto siphon), tubing, whatever. That's got to be less expensive than 15 bad batches.
Do that then make an easy 3 or 4 week turn around beer. That should bring back the confidence.
Do that then make an easy 3 or 4 week turn around beer. That should bring back the confidence.
StittsvilleJames
Well-Known Member
My wife is going to be pretty mad that we have to give up our 10 month old daughter to preserve my homebrew integrity.
How attached can we really be after only 10 months though?
How attached can we really be after only 10 months though?
pksmitty
Well-Known Member
And we thought placenta beer was gross!!
This thread is hilarious!
I don't get what the OP would think the correlation is though? Those are two totally independent things that apparently have nothing in common except they're both in the same house. I suppose you could even blame your wife if you wanted to.
I don't get what the OP would think the correlation is though? Those are two totally independent things that apparently have nothing in common except they're both in the same house. I suppose you could even blame your wife if you wanted to.
PA49erFan21
Well-Known Member
Reads like a post from a BMC rep trying to scare people away from homebrewing.
Up next: "My homebrew made me sick!"
Up next: "My homebrew made me sick!"
Thanks for the feedback. I dont really know if it was an infection or not. I started getting a few good tasting but overcarbonated batches. Then I got flat and very astringent tasting beer a lot like raw beer before conditioning. Tried longer fermentation times (up to 38 days) and longer conditioning times (up to 36 days), but it didnt make any difference.
Guess Ill replace any suspect equipment also check on the water issue and try a basic recipe. Thanks again.
Guess Ill replace any suspect equipment also check on the water issue and try a basic recipe. Thanks again.
joeldp144 said:
You should look into reusable cloth diapers if you have a washing machine in house-- they are WAY easier than you think-- trust me i have an 11 month old. We put her in disposables for the night To make it easy in case of leaks- but we do cloth all day.
scoundrel
Well-Known Member
May also be worth looking into a keg setup. That way you can control carbonation and you can bottle straight from the keg. There's nothing wrong with bottle conditioning and I do it occasionally for special beers, but I found it to frustrating and the wait excruciating.
As for the astringency, was it a beer with specialty grains? If so, did you ring the grain bag out when you removed it? That can cause that to happen.
Also, in my opinion its worth shelling out a few extra bucks for PBW and StarSan/Iodophor for cleaning and sanitizing. I don't know if you already use them but that's one area where I never skimp.
One last thing. Just to put your mind at ease, I have a 9 month old and have brewed 50 gallons without a problem.
PA49erFan21
Well-Known Member
We use reusable cloth diapers on our twins. Saves a bunch of money buy does it ever add to the laundry load.
As for the astringency said:
TheDawg28
Active Member
I made a baby once while drinking a beer! Im starting to understand this now.
Germelli1
Well-Known Member
Are you measureing priming sugar by weight or by volume? How are you mixing it into the beer when bottling?
william_shakes_beer
Well-Known Member
There was a thread once where the brewer found his toddler had been pushing crayons through the airlock hole "because they fit right in"
Found any suspicious debris after racking?
Found any suspicious debris after racking?
scoundrel
Well-Known Member
It is much better. It's a no-rinse sanitizer that foams up and coats all of your equipment. The foam left behind is harmless and should not be feared
Bleach can cause off flavors if residue remains and it may be what your tasting. It can build up over time. It's important to note that StarSan is strictly a sanitizer. It won't clean. For cleaning PBW is the way to go. Both leave no off flavors and were developed for brewing.
Iodophor is a cheaper alternative to StarSan. It's only drawback is that it has Iodine in it and will stain plastic equipment like tubes and buckets. It's also no-rinse.
grant-robison
Active Member
If anything i say you Need a good homebrew. start it up again. Might i suggest an extremely bitter IPA, i've noticed after a sip of a hoppy beer, i can't smell anything! might make changing diapers and potty training a little easier.
prrriiide
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For most of the batches I used 3/4 cup of corn sugar boiled in 1 cup of water. From my notes, it looks like it was still hot when added to the wort. The beer never carbonated - bottles were left at room temperature, but still flat after 2 weeks or longer.
doctorRobert
Well-Known Member
used diapers work great for yeast starters... just rack on top on brew day.
scoundrel
Well-Known Member
ncbrewer if you decide to switch out any old equipment, this thread is very helpful. It's just one more awesome sticky in this forum and worth reviewing.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/vs-pro-con-analysis-109318/
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/vs-pro-con-analysis-109318/
flywallyfly
Active Member
I sometimes wear a diaper while brewing so I dont have to make those pesky trips to the bathroom and i never have a problem...j/k !!!!!!
Vance71975
Well-Known Member
+ 1 if your sanitation is up to snuff you shouldn't have to worry. Soak anything that will touch the beer in Star San and you should be golden!
Star San is gentle, but it's still very rough on the sensitive baby skin...
Sidenote: Nottingham dry yeast does not a baby powder maketh.
TheBroonery
Well-Known Member
We just had our first baby last October. I've made 8 or 9 batches since then and haven't had any issues.
Breast milk makes a great fermentable adjunct too. It's guaranteed to increase your OG by at least .02!
Breast milk makes a great fermentable adjunct too. It's guaranteed to increase your OG by at least .02!
Vance71975
Well-Known Member
I really hope you are joking i really really do!
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