Huge smell and taste of vinegar after primary

[Foller]

After a month in primary, I wanted to keg my smoked porter but when I opened my bucket to check the gravity, a huge draft of vinegar came out.

Then I checked my gravity and it's a bit high : 1.020 (OG:1.054).

I hoped for the best when I tasted it, but it's like drinking vinegar...

Is there any hope that the taste will dissipate after a while or is this batch ruined? I included a picture of the bucket to help if you can recognize the bacteria that did it.

 

[BlackGoat]

I suspect infection. What were your fermentation temps?

 

[Foller]

Around 66 for the first week or two. After that it may have gone up in the low 70s

 

[rgauthier20420]

The most telling part of this is your tasting it. Some beers can look gross and smell even worse when you first pop the lid. But, if you taste it and it tastes like vinegar, then something went wrong along the way and it's likely a dumper. Don't give up!

 

[RHFUK]

I had a porter that looked v bad - I'd got the mash temp way out of control and basically boiled the mash ( I was at the learning stage) - I had a similar problem with vinegar smell but 3 months later it is quite drinkable (but with plenty of sediment) - worth holding patience I think

 

[rgauthier20420]

I had a porter that looked v bad - I'd got the mash temp way out of control and basically boiled the mash ( I was at the learning stage) - I had a similar problem with vinegar smell but 3 months later it is quite drinkable (but with plenty of sediment) - worth holding patience I think

I agree in that something that smells bad is worth holding on to just in case. But, something that tastes bad is another story. Never had this happen (crosses fingers), but I'm just saying.

 

[paraordnance]

Did you seen a fruit flies around your fermenter? They just swarming with acetobacter which will turn alcohol into vinegar real quick. Just dump it and get over it. You not going to get a beer from vinegar no matter how long you wait.

 

[DemianBinder]

It could be Acetobacter. Fruit flies carry it and it only takes one fly to take down a batch and make vinegar. But like RHFUK said, it may just need some time...

 

[duboman]

A huge waft of vinegar or CO2? CO2 would be normal, vinegar, not. If it tastes like vinegar it would mean an acetobacter infection, it's hard to tell from the picture if thats a beginning pellicle or yeast rafts.

If infected it leads to sanitation issues.

 

[Foller]

The more I think about it, the more I believe it could be fruit flies. I remember we had some in our appartment a few weeks ago.

Thanks for the help guys! Next time I'll be more prudent.

 

[MarcusKillion]

lucky you . that is my favorite infection . your sink will really love it . been there done that .

 

[RM-MN]

I don't know what you have done but it should be really hard to get an acetobacter infection in the primary since acetobacter is an oxygen loving bacteria that converts alcohol to vinegar. Your primary should have had a blanket of CO2 that would have protected the beer. What happened to the CO2?

Getting one of these infections is much easier in the secondary as when you transfer the beer you lose the CO2 blanket.

Now, the real question is it really vinegar? Could it be "green apples" or "cider"? Those smells and flavors would indicate that the beer isn't done fermenting yet. It is caused by acetaldehyde, an intermediate product the yeast makes from the wort on its way to making alcohol. If this is what you notice, time will be in your favor as the yeast will continue to break it down into alcohol.