infection under way in keg..what can I do?

[snowveil]

A few months ago I brewed a partigyle English bitter and it developed an infection in the keg that got worse over time...the flavor can only be described as vomit. I have 10 gallons of blonde ale that I fear is beginning to develop this same infection. The flavor is not overbearing but I am worried that it will become undrinkable if left alone. Normally I would just cut my losses but this beer is for my wedding next weekend.

Can I hit this beer with campden tablets and stop the infection? If not, what (if anything) can I do?

If all else fails, I still have some IPA and saison, but I'm really hoping to keep the blonde.

 

[badhabit]

I just got done doing a wedding.....not mine...so at least have and idea where you are comming from but you might want to think twice about serving bacteria.

 

[snowveil]

I just got done doing a wedding.....not mine...so at least have and idea where you are comming from but you might want to think twice about serving bacteria.

No doubt. This is why I'm asking if I can kill it with campden. If I can't i'll dump it.

 

[broadbill]

If the Eng. Bitter is infected, nothing can be done. If the blonde ale has escaped infection thus far, than it is probably OK. But DON'T let it touch anything that has come into contact with the Eng. Bitter, even if it means buying new equipment to handle the Blonde Ale. Basically you need to sequester the bad Eng. Bitter from the rest of your uninfected brews. I would avoid doing anything with the Eng. Bitter...don't touch, don't open, don't dump it. Let it be until after the wedding.

 

[broadbill]

No doubt. This is why I'm asking if I can kill it with campden. If I can't i'll dump it.

You can't save it with campden...you might kill the bugs (although probably not 100%) and the off-taste will still be there. Its going to need to be dumped.

But don't dump it now....you risk contaminating the area where your other brews are, or otherwise cross-contaminating the uninfected brews in some way. Its safe sequestered in its fermenter. Keep it that way until after the wedding.

 

[sidboswell]

...the flavor can only be described as vomit.

-1

 

[snowveil]

Thanks for the advice guys. I failed to mention that I dumped the bitter before the blonde was brewed. Batches since then haven't been affected with the exception of this blonde....which shared the same primary. I'm probably going to ditch the primary and bleach bomb my autosiphon.

Here's hoping that does it :/

 

[BrewNow]

"bleach bomb my autosiphon"

I just tossed my 10 year old autosipon in the trash and bought a new one. You might consider spending the $15 for a new one too!

 

[broadbill]

Thanks for the advice guys. I failed to mention that I dumped the bitter before the blonde was brewed. Batches since then haven't been affected with the exception of this blonde....which shared the same primary. I'm probably going to ditch the primary and bleach bomb my autosiphon.

Here's hoping that does it :/

Wait, so you were going to drop some campden on a beer that isn't even infected? Why?

 

[snowveil]

Wait, so you were going to drop some campden on a beer that isn't even infected? Why?

The bitter was heavily infected, and thus dumped. The blonde is *developing* the same off-flavor.

 

[broadbill]

Well, if off-flavor is truly due to an infection I'm not sure there is anything you can do. Campden might knock the infection back, but probably isn't going to fix it permanently. I'm not sure what other effects it might have....

 

[heckels]

I'm not saying you should do this but could you heat the infected beer for a short period of time to try to kill it? The thought is along the lines of flash pasteurization and would hopefully kill the bacteria without boiling off all the alcohol.

I have no idea how this would change the flavor of your blonde though??