Cleaning for Diastaticus Infection

[Devin Wagner]

Howdy:

My last 7 batches have all been either finishing 50% lower than what was scheduled and/or all the bottles have been gushing. I realized that this has all been since I used a French Saison yeast. I consider myself a pretty sanitary brewer, but does anyone have any recommendations on how to clean up this mess? I think I should re-evaluate my cleaning/sanitation regime going forward.

What is the best course of action to take for equipment and bottles?

Discouraged...

 

[Smellyglove]

Some of the diastaticus strains leave a biofilm, so you need to actualy be physical about it, getting rid of that biofilm. Just washing and sanitizing if not enough, you need to scrub or scrap.

Can I take a guess that you used a dry yeast? Like Belle Saison? That bugger leaves a good biofilm.

 

[RPh_Guy]

Bummer

Here's my process:
I use warm PBW 24h soak and StarSan (pH tested).

Everything cold side gets broken down after each batch for cleaning and sanitizing.
Equipment touching high-risk microbes gets both sanitized and PBW before being put away. I heat pasteurize the equipment I can with hot water (HDPE, silicone airlocks, pyrex flasks, etc).
Bottles are visually inspected for residue, besides being rinsed and sanitized. Most get a PBW soak. Dried upside-down with nothing touching inside (FastRack).

@Smellyglove is right but Belle saison is the only commercial one I know that leaves a biofilm.
Though, the contaminant could be wild I suppose.

 

[ncbrewer]

Here's a podcast that discusses diastaticus in the brewing industry:
http://masterbrewerspodcast.com/068-diastaticus-part-1

I saw that there is a part 2 to this (#69), but I haven't listened to that one yet.

 

[Devin Wagner]

Thanks to all for your replies.

 

[Devin Wagner]

Some of the diastaticus strains leave a biofilm, so you need to actualy be physical about it, getting rid of that biofilm. Just washing and sanitizing if not enough, you need to scrub or scrap.

Can I take a guess that you used a dry yeast? Like Belle Saison? That bugger leaves a good biofilm.

No, I used Wyeast French Saison. It finished at -0.009FG
Now I just have to figure out how to clean my bottles.

 

[ncbrewer]

I just read the Part 2 of the Master Brewers Podcast. I didn't find any advice for cleaning up diastaticus in the podcast, but someone commented that pasteurization is the way to do it.

 

[Smellyglove]

No, I used Wyeast French Saison. It finished at -0.009FG
Now I just have to figure out how to clean my bottles.

So you haven't had a problem? I thought you had an diastaticus infection and needed to get rid of it, hence the Belle Saison question. 3711 is AFAIK not that much of a hassle.

 

[RPh_Guy]

3711 is a diastaticus strain. Don't want it lingering around.

 

[Devin Wagner]

I just read the Part 2 of the Master Brewers Podcast. I didn't find any advice for cleaning up diastaticus in the podcast, but someone commented that pasteurization is the way to do it.

Yeah, i can't really pasteurize, but I did read/hear about Hydrogen Peroxide and it's efficacy for sanitation and killing unwanted bugs. Might just throw that into the mix of PBW soaks, and Iodphor/StarSan.