Have had a citrus off flavor all summer in at least 4 batches and had a couple of fellow brewers confirmed i have a infection. I try to be very careful but some how it has happened and my question is how to get it cleaned up. we currently use PBW to clean and easy clean for sanitizer.
first infection
- Thread starter LKHA
- Start date
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Bleach. I'm sure a lot of people will cringe at the thought, but it's cheap and it works.
You only need a weak solution, about 1 teaspoon per gallon. Fill up your fermenters and bottling buckets with it, and soak all your plastics in it. Leave it for a couple of days (overnight would probably be OK), rinse with hot water and you are good to go. Leaving it to soak will allow the bleach solution to get into any scratches.
Bleach is not good for anything metal. Boil anything that is metal.
I use Idophor for general use, such as bottling, but I keep all my fermenters filled with bleach solution when not in use. When I use one, I rack the solution out with my racking canes (this helps keep them clean), and rinse them out a couple of times with hot water (just pour a pint in swirl it around and then pour it out - no need to completey fill it with hot water).
You only need a weak solution, about 1 teaspoon per gallon. Fill up your fermenters and bottling buckets with it, and soak all your plastics in it. Leave it for a couple of days (overnight would probably be OK), rinse with hot water and you are good to go. Leaving it to soak will allow the bleach solution to get into any scratches.
Bleach is not good for anything metal. Boil anything that is metal.
I use Idophor for general use, such as bottling, but I keep all my fermenters filled with bleach solution when not in use. When I use one, I rack the solution out with my racking canes (this helps keep them clean), and rinse them out a couple of times with hot water (just pour a pint in swirl it around and then pour it out - no need to completey fill it with hot water).
If you have an infection then you will want to us bleach as stated above. It should kill off anything. Although if it was me, I would replace all tubing and soft plastic items, including stoppers, just to be safe. Buckets and carboys I would just soak and scrub.
