Lacto/Bacteria infection is taking over my brewery

[permo]

I have an infection running across my brewery that is driving me nuts and I am become an insane cleaner and actually losing some sleep worrying about my beer! 25 gallons (five batchs) have been affected.


1. The orignal (my first infection ever after 40 batches) (drank maybe 1/3 before I recognized the infection and dumped)

2. I did not realize the original was infected and pitched unto the cake (India Brown ale, total loss..dumped it SOUR)

3. Infection lingered in keg and infected third beer after racking to keg (invited friends and polished off the whole batch in two days)

4. Pale Ale in fermenter from bad batch (after oxiclean soak) has infection that lingered in the ale pale (bottled and put in cellar to age into sour)


5. Didn't realized pale ale was infected and top cropped some yeast during active fermentation for a wheat ale.....I am assuming this wheat ale will be infected too (the verdict is out....yet) 1.045 OG, and still bubbling after 10 days with pacman....me thinks it's infected...should have been long finished



Here is what I have done to combat as of today:

1. Keg and Kegging equipment ( all three kegs, o-rings, beer lines (disassembled) have been soaked in acidulated bleach for 24 hours, rinsed and doused with sanitzer for storage.

2. Beer fridge emptied and cleaned with 50/50 bleach water solution

3. Infected beer either dumped or quarantined in bottles

4. Plastic fermenter that harbored original infection and spread to subsequent batches has been discarded

5. All racking canes, tubings, hydrometers, etc.etc..etc.. has been soaked in acidulated bleach.

6. Switching to glass fermenters for better visual monitoring of fermentation and sanitization. Also less likely to harbor residual bugs


I am thinking about scaling back my brewing.....getting frustrated.


If the fifth one is infected I am going to lose it...... does anybody have any advice, outside of tossing all equipment, that could help me nuke this thing?>


Sorry, had to vent to some folks who would understand.

 

[Pappers_]

I agree about ditching the fermenter and going to a carboy. As for tubes and canes, you might consider ditching them too, just in case.

As for the kegging, you could try bottling half of your next batch and kegging half of it. See if the infection occurs in one, both, or neither. Would help to narrow down where the problem is, perhaps, if there still is one.

 

[permo]

I agree about ditching the fermenter and going to a carboy. As for tubes and canes, you might consider ditching them too, just in case.

As for the kegging, you could try bottling half of your next batch and kegging half of it. See if the infection occurs in one, both, or neither. Would help to narrow down where the problem is, perhaps, if there still is one.

I suppose that (new canes/tubing) is a good option too...I have a hard time believing anything survived the acidified bleach hot water bomb...heck I almost didn't make it...the fumes are nasty!

 

[Tobes54]

I feel your frustration!!! I lost my last four batches due to infections. I went back to the basics, and limited that items that touched my wort. I even stop using my IC chiller, and used the old bag of ice in the sink method. Come to find out it was my wooden spoon I use to stir my wort. I tossed the spoon after 4 years of use, and replaced it with a stainless one...............problem solved.

 

[permo]

One of the beers I bottled because of "infection" is starting to clear up after three days in the bottle, no rings around the neck or anything. There may be hope!! There may be hope!