I promised myself I would never make one of these threads ... infection.

[chefchris]

I had the most perfectly perfect sweet stout in the secondary. Went to take a sample today to see if the nibs had done their job. #$**%$)^%#(

So I panicked, cleaned/sanitizied a keg and racked underneath the top layer. Threw it in the fridge and on the CO2.

The beer actually didn't taste bad. But I was wondering if I could add potassium sorbate or camden tablets to kill the infection and keep it from spreading further.

I'm sorry that I've added another one of these threads to the board.

 

[steelerguy]

An infection like that will just add "complexity" to a stout!

 

[PlainsBrew]

Why do you think it happened? Any ideas to the cause?

 

[chefchris]

Well, I added cocoa nibs to the secondary. So either it was the nibs or the transfer that did it.

 

[GunnerMan]

How does the infection taste? If it sours it nicely it might make a great sour stout to mix with other stouts such as a Guinness Clone.

 

[chefchris]

It did taste a bit off, but not horribly bad. I've got it in the keg now chilling down.

 

[JoeMama]

Dude, thats a big beer too so it may be premature to worry about the off flavoring of it. I had a stout that tasted almost salty and not so happy at first. 2-3 months down the road it was one of the tastiest brews I have drank.
-Me

 

[smizak]

I just heard on a podcast that cocoa nibs are harvested after fermenting on the forest floor. Pretty nasty. You need to pasteurize them in 175-180F water for 30 min, or soak them in vodka. The vodka will extract some of the flavor as well. Hope it turns out. If it just sours slightly, it could be a good thing.