Infected beer

[jp27300]

So, I made a 1.090 russian stout. I pitched my yeast starter, which was reclaimed (washed) yeast.

Pitching the yeast, I forgot to take my OG, so I did and then per usual I tasted the beer used to test the reading. For the next week+ I was ill with gastric things. I blamed it on something else at the time.

I took an FG when fermentation ended. Transferring to a new carboy I noticed kinda crystal shaped floaties through the neck of the carboy sorts like yeast rafts, but..not. while transferring there was a slight sour milk smell.

I tasted a small portion of the FG sample in the morning, it was bitter, but not sour. by evening I had that familiar gastric distress of 3 weeks prior.

Im pretty sure it was/ is something wrong with the starter.

Several questions.

DO I keep the beer in secondary to see what happens?

DO I bottle it and see what happens?
Do I pitch it?

Secondly, Is my equipment forever infected?
Do I try and snaitize it well and try again, or do I buy new? It is 2 plastic carboys and a siphon tube. I think I can fit them all in my dishwasher and run on sanitize rinse, along with a full Star san soak.

Its my first infection and DAMN its disappointing.

Any thoughts on what happened here?

JP

 

[ong]

So, I made a 1.090 russian stout. I pitched my yeast starter, which was reclaimed (washed) yeast.

Pitching the yeast, I forgot to take my OG, so I did and then per usual I tasted the beer used to test the reading. For the next week+ I was ill with gastric things. I blamed it on something else at the time.

I took an FG when fermentation ended. Transferring to a new carboy I noticed kinda crystal shaped floaties through the neck of the carboy sorts like yeast rafts, but..not. while transferring there was a slight sour milk smell.

I tasted a small portion of the FG sample in the morning, it was bitter, but not sour. by evening I had that familiar gastric distress of 3 weeks prior.

Im pretty sure it was/ is something wrong with the starter.

Several questions.

DO I keep the beer in secondary to see what happens?

DO I bottle it and see what happens?
Do I pitch it?

Secondly, Is my equipment forever infected?
Do I try and snaitize it well and try again, or do I buy new? It is 2 plastic carboys and a siphon tube. I think I can fit them all in my dishwasher and run on sanitize rinse, along with a full Star san soak.

Its my first infection and DAMN its disappointing.

Any thoughts on what happened here?

JP

I really, really doubt you picked up anything from a taste of beer that made you ill for a week. Drinking an imperial pint of sour milk wouldn't make you ill for a week. Keep the beer around and see how it tastes. Seems maybe a little psychosomatic to me.

 

[Hello]

^ I'm with this guy. I don't even think an infected beer can make you sick for a week. I'd almost guess you're reacting to something else and while it could be beer, it could also be any beer. Are you drinking any other similar beers? Try one and see if you get sick.

Have someone else who likes beer smell and try your beer. I bet they're fine after they do.

 

[masskrug]

Yeast will give you intestinal distress for a day or two, but I've never had it any longer than that.

 

[jp27300]

I have other gastric issues, not caused by beer, but are caused by bacteria. I assure you my gastric distress was not psychosomatic. Frankly, that's not helpful nor answered any questions.

I drink plenty of stouts and porters with no issues.

I really, really doubt you picked up anything from a taste of beer that made you ill for a week. Drinking an imperial pint of sour milk wouldn't make you ill for a week. Keep the beer around and see how it tastes. Seems maybe a little psychosomatic to me.

 

[Hello]

I have other gastric issues, not caused by beer, but are caused by bacteria. I assure you my gastric distress was not psychosomatic. Frankly, that's not helpful nor answered any questions.

I drink plenty of stouts and porters with no issues.

In that case, is this your first try at drinking home brews? Home brewed beer obviously isn't filtered (commonly) and perhaps you just can't handle the yeast period. With your gastric issue likely pre-dating your hobby, I think you know that your beer isn't infected but your belly cannot handle that beer.

 

[jp27300]

*Sigh* :smack:

I've been home-brewing for several years. Drank others homebrews and my own with no issues.

I believe it to be an infection. Local folks have commented they think so too, but I came here for some additional advice. I'm not really asking if its an infection, and its not in my head. I tolerate home-brew fine, there is something wrong with this batch.

I will have someone else try it to see what they think.

'Several questions.

DO I keep the beer in secondary to see what happens?

DO I bottle it and see what happens?
Do I pitch it?

Secondly, Is my equipment forever infected?
Do I try and sanitize it well and try again, or do I buy new? It is 2 plastic carboys and a siphon tube. I think I can fit them all in my dishwasher and run on sanitize rinse, along with a full Star san soak.'

In that case, is this your first try at drinking home brews? Home brewed beer obviously isn't filtered (commonly) and perhaps you just can't handle the yeast period. With your gastric issue likely pre-dating your hobby, I think you know that your beer isn't infected but your belly cannot handle that beer.

 

[WileECoyote]

Hello,

Tasting a Imperial Stout at 1+ week old ?, Its going to taste like $***tinski, beers often taste really bad until they are done fermenting/aging/conditioning.

I just did a orange hefe that I thought I was going to have to dump at week 6, and after it finished it is now great.

Cheers

 

[WileECoyote]

*Sigh* :smack:

I've been home-brewing for several years. Drank others homebrews and my own with no issues.

I believe it to be an infection. Local folks have commented they think so too, but I came here for some additional advice. I'm not really asking if its an infection, and its not in my head. I tolerate home-brew fine, there is something wrong with this batch.

I will have someone else try it to see what they think.

'Several questions.

DO I keep the beer in secondary to see what happens?

YES !

DO I bottle it and see what happens?

YES Too !

Do I pitch it?

NO !

Secondly, Is my equipment forever infected?
Do I try and sanitize it well and try again, or do I buy new? It is 2 plastic carboys and a siphon tube. I think I can fit them all in my dishwasher and run on sanitize rinse, along with a full Star san soak.'

Your equipment might be infected, it might not be infected, only way to know is to let that beer age long enough to make sure its not just Green beer.

If it is infected, do not use any of that equipment on another batch or it will become infected too.

I found that soaking infected equipment in a 50/50 mix of Hydrogen Peroxide/Water for 3 days will eliminate the infection and you should be able to reuse it.

Hope this helps !

Cheers

Dang It ! I can never get the multi quote to work ! lol so I underlined my replies in your quote.

 

[jp27300]

I'll let it sit for a bit. Should I sit in in secondary or bottle? Or both



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[WileECoyote]

I would secondary it, that way if it is infected you won't get bottle bombs !

Cheers

 

[MindenMan]

There are no known human pathogens that grow in beer. I agree that whatever it was that made you ill did not come from tasting that beer.