I just dumped 5 gallons of beer down the drain

[rodneypierce]

really, its not that big of a deal.... seems on here everyone thinks that "it will get better with time". I dont buy that one bit honestly. now, 9 days is abit young, but sour tasting....hmmm.. I would have dumped it too.

 

[Verio]

For me, the few bucks that gets dumped I take it as a "learning experience". I'm not going to experiment with fruit and beer anytime soon. I'm dumping mine tomorrow.

 

[passedpawn]

Nothing wrong with dumping a batch. Life is too short to drink sub-par beer. When you get a bit of experience, you know when a flaw will age out and when the batch is truly hosed.

Exactly.

 

[COLObrewer]

All I can say is:

How boring would be the experience of beer if everyone dumped "subpar" "tasting" beer, at any stage of fermentation or experience.

Honestly, what a waste.

 

[jonmohno]

In most cases it seems time will heal but sour is probably the exception. Alot of the characteristics of bad tasting beer get cleaned up some. 9 days? i wouldnt have dumped it give it a month and try it. I would have at least still stuck it away and forgot about it and moved on an tried it after a while.

 

[Hockeyhunter99]

I have a batch of beer that i brewed and bottled a year in Feb. tried one the other night and it still tastes like rat p!$$. i agree that when a beer is infected you can't do anything. i will still keep the last 5 bottles until they are gone. i WILL NOT dump a beer.

The OP, IMHO, dumped way too soon. even if they thought it was "sour" they didn't even give it a chance. 6mo is too soon. but then again, i am the forever optimist. All beer is beer until proven otherwise

 

[Weapon-X]

Ok. Thanks everyone for the input. I'd say the general consensus is that it probably wouldn't have gotten better, but I probably should have waited longer just to make sure. Lesson learned.

 

[SwampassJ]

If you're not into sour/funk dump it. I don't have the tongue for those kind of beers and prefer my sour in the form of Key Lime Pie, not beer. I would of waited a little bit though, maybe a month tops to see if the sourness is lessening.

I almost dumped my Kolsch starter because it tasted and smelled acidic but someone on here said it's normal for some starters to smell sour (to a point) so I pitched it in. The Kolsch would be perfect had I bittered it with another 10 IBUS.

 

[StittsvilleJames]

For 30 bucks and 9 days, whatever, dump it.
It's not like it was the last batch of beer ever, and now whatever it was in (primary, secondary, keg, bottle) can be used for a new creation which doesn't taste horrible.

"Wasting" beer is a high schoolers problem. Adults can generally afford more.

 

[balzern]

I would have probably dumped it too. Honestly, if it is (likely) to be sub par why keep it along and waste space. I mean, sure, it could technically turn into great beer like many of you have stated. But what are the chances of this? I have tasted my beers after a week and none have tasted sour....At any rate learn from this. I have always been a stickler for sanitation and I sometimes sanitize things more than I need to and lose my temper when my girlfriend doesn't sanitize things enough for my liking when brewing with me Yeah, I am annoying about it and probably don't need to sanitize to the degree that I do but I have never had an infection KNOCK ON WOOD!

 

[ndsgr]

So how is it that the OP had sour beer in 9 days, but it takes me a year to make one?

Maybe OP never actually had a proper fermentation take place? Forgot to dump the starsan out?

My first batch was probably infected and light struck. It didn't taste sour, it just tasted horrible.

 

[Bigjuicy]

NEVER GIVE UP ON A BEEEERRRRRRRRR...Revy had a realllly reallly reallly good story about his "bubble gum beer" https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/ne...virtue-time-heals-all-things-even-beer-73254/

 

[EoinMag]

I've just dumped a sour beer. I drink lambics, I don't drink 5 week old bitter that is soured and smells of vinegar. I can't pretend it's lambic and just get on with it or wait for it to mellow or any of that waiting game rubbish.

I took a sample to test OG and flavour but forgot to sanitise, I remember hoping at the time that I'd get away with it, I didn't.

Drink whatever crap you want guys, but sour and infected is....sour and infected whatever way you dice it.

 

[Hockeyhunter99]

"Wasting" beer is a high schoolers problem. Adults can generally afford more.

the high schooler's problem is not being patient with beer. dumping is being impatient

 

[Verio]

the high schooler's problem is not being patient with beer. dumping is being impatient

Not necessarily. If you can afford it, why not? Do you ever throw out left overs at home? Do you always finish that loaf of bread you bought before it molds?

Stuff gets thrown out all the time. In his defense, I tossed my Raspberry Wheat because it's downright nasty. I'm not going to have it take up 1 of my 2 kegs. I'll just dump it, clean the keg out, and fill it with a beer i'll actually enjoy today... instead of waiting a year.

In a year, I could brew 10 beers that I actually enjoy, instead of waiting for one, that may or may not turn out 'ok'

 

[PintOfBitter]

For 30 bucks and 9 days, whatever, dump it.
It's not like it was the last batch of beer ever, and now whatever it was in (primary, secondary, keg, bottle) can be used for a new creation which doesn't taste horrible.

"Wasting" beer is a high schoolers problem. Adults can generally afford more.

Right on. Why muscle through a batch that isn't enjoyable, or waste carboy/keg/bottle space letting it age for a year?

 

[flabyboy]

the high schooler's problem is not being patient with beer. dumping is being impatient

Beer will not always improve with time, especially if it's infected. Sour vinegar taste is not right. I would dump it after 2-3 months if it didn't improve

 

[Torg]

If a beer is infected, time will not help it. In fact it can actually get worse.

The most common infection is lactobacillus. This is what makes things like sour kraut and is what is in sour cream and butter milk. It is a very common bacteria that you bring into your home just about any time you bring in vegetables. It lives on the leaves of cabbage which is why all you need do is add salt and let it ferment to make sourkraut.

If it is infected with lactobacillus it has lactic acid in it. This tastes and smells sour. There are beers that have this intentionally put in. Think of the smell of sour cream and you will get the idea. It also will leave white waxy looking rafts or a layer on top of the beer. If this is what you have use it for marinade and to cook with. Really there is nothing wrong with lactic acid. Except that it is sour.

If it is infected with Clostridium it contains butyric acid. This smells like vomit. And it one of the main ways it makes a mammal wretch from smelling it. The Clostridium germs contain some of the very nasty ones. Some of them are deadly. And if it smells like vomit, sulfur or is otherwise vile I highly suggest you dump and and sterilize everything. If you want to know what it smells like leave your expended grain open to air for about 3 days. Just do it outside, and do not eat or drink any of it.

If it is infected with Acetobacter, it contains acetic acid. This is what makes vinigar. If this gets into anything you brewed again sterilize everything. It is a bacteria that metabolizes ethanol. The longer it goes the worst it will get.

If it i not infected and smells like fake butter, bananas or fake butterscotch you have Diacetyl in it. This is what people refer to when they say, leave it. It is from normal fermentation and is removed by simply letting the beer rest (usually at a higher temp).

 

[smiddy]

Sorry to see you had to dump a homebrew.

I am curious how you can determine infection. I just bottled a Scotch ale a couple of weeks ago. It was my first all grain. I had to brew it outside, although I was anal too about sanatizing when I bottled it, it was sweet, but, there were some floaties, it didn't look like yeast, and I let this monster ferment for 20 days, it smelled and looked awesome. I am leery of the floaties, so how do you know a beer is infected?

 

[COLObrewer]

Wow, alot of unneccessary alert going on here. FWIW ALL BEER IS INFECTED, most of it with one or more fungus of the Saccharomyces family (Yeast). Other beers(Lambics, Flanders, etc) happen to be infected also by wild yeast(s) (Actually bacterium) such as those of the Brettanomyces and Lactobacillus families.

Just like the Saccharomyces family, the Brettanomyces and Lactobacillus families have strains that may contribute to undesireable traits in certain styles of beer.

Due to the PH level of beer, nothing that is harmful to humans can live in beer.

Keep on brewing my friends

 

[Bacon]

Wow, alot of unneccessary alert going on here. FWIW ALL BEER IS INFECTED, most of it with one or more fungus of the Saccharomyces GENUS (Yeast). Other beers(Lambics, Flanders, etc) happen to be infected also by wild yeast(s) (Actually bacterium) such as those of the Brettanomyces and Lactobacillus GENUS.

Just like the Saccharomyces GENUS, the Brettanomyces and Lactobacillus GENUS have strains that may contribute to undesireable traits in certain styles of beer.

Due to the PH level of beer, nothing that is harmful to humans can live in beer.

Keep on brewing my friends

fixed that for you

 

[Sardoman]

So what? He dumped some beer. I've done it. Most of us homebrew because we like to make and drink delicious, quality beer. Why suffer through two cases of garbage when you can buy two cases of not-very-good-but-drinkable BMC? Why waste the space in your pipeline when you could be fermenting a new batch?

I think newbs are told to wait it out because most of the time it does improve. Also, it's a learning experience. But if you have made outstanding beers in the past and you know it's contaminated, why wait? It isn't gold, it isn't holy water. Just dump it and move on.

 

[Hoppus_Poppatopolis]

If you want to know what it smells like leave your expended grain open to air for about 3 days. Just do it outside, and do not eat or drink any of it.

Aaahhh... I left some grains in my cooler/mash tun last summer and, well, kinda forgot about them for a few days. When I opened the cooler, I was smacked in the head with what smelled like a blenderized mixture of baby vomit and dog crap. Now I know what it was.

Nice write up by the way. Thanks.

 

[Torg]

Just like the Saccharomyces family, the Brettanomyces and Lactobacillus families have strains that may contribute to undesireable traits in certain styles of beer.

Due to the PH level of beer, nothing that is harmful to humans can live in beer.

Look up C. difficile, a cause of colitis. It can live in as low as a ph of 4. And I was meaning the grain, which most certainly can have a ph high enough to grow Clostridium. It is why leaving it on the porch will grow it nicely. It is why StarSan sells 5.2 buffer.

 

[COLObrewer]

fixed that for you

Thanx buddy:rockin:

 

[COLObrewer]

Look up C. difficile, a cause of colitis. . .

Did this, it only make me want to stay away from hospitals and nursing homes etc.

It can live in as low as a ph of 4. And I was meaning the grain, which most certainly can have a ph high enough to grow Clostridium. . . . . .

Well, this means it can live in dirt and the air, maybe we should stop using those.

Honestly there are a ton of different microflora that reside in our bodies like this does (Colon). For those interested I will just post a link to some info: http://www.medicinenet.com/clostridium_difficile_colitis/page2.htm

I'm kinda glad I don't know about all these micro-organisms but you'll have to step up your scare tactics with some other form of bacteria-mongering to make me dump my beer, I'm sure you can find something.

BTW, I believe this is why we boil our wort after mashing, sour or otherwise. (Most of us anyway)

Keep on brewing my friend

 

[Verio]

Did this, it only make me want to stay away from hospitals and nursing homes etc.



Well, this means it can live in dirt and the air, maybe we should stop using those.

Honestly there are a ton of different microflora that reside in our bodies like this does (Colon). For those interested I will just post a link to some info: http://www.medicinenet.com/clostridium_difficile_colitis/page2.htm

I'm kinda glad I don't know about all these micro-organisms but you'll have to step up your scare tactics with some other form of bacteria-mongering to make me dump my beer, I'm sure you can find something.

BTW, I believe this is why we boil our wort after mashing, sour or otherwise.

Keep on brewing my friend

I don't think he was "bacteria-mongering". No need to be rude on here. If you don't like the fact someone dumped their beer, don't respond to the thread.

 

[passedpawn]

COLO is the man. He's built beer on wild yeast along the roadside, so he's not gonna be idle in conversations fearing unexpected guests in our brew.

 

[Verio]

COLO is the man. He's built beer on wild yeast along the roadside, so he's not gonna be idle in conversations fearing unexpected guests in our brew.

lol, I hope this is sarcasm

 

[passedpawn]

lol, I hope this is sarcasm

Errr... nope. I've done the same. Here's some links to bring you up to date:

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f163/can-i-culture-yeast-juniper-berries-169156/

and of course the epic Happiness is Home Malting thread...

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/happiness-home-malting-107409/