Sherlock Holmes and Infections

[Gilbey]

I wrote a week or two back about problems I was having with non-clearing/sour tasting batches. I could NOT find the source. I assumed it was yeast temps and lack of attention to detail with yeast washing.

After some careful investigative work I have determined that the source of my problems with 99% certainty is an older primary bucket that must be holding some nasties in the scratched surface. I combed through notes, beersmith files, and ransacked my keg fridge. I replace hoses, gaskets in kegs, and other equipment. I bought new yeast and set up a swamp cooler to control temps.

I brewed a 10 gallon batch two weeks ago, identical, brand new yeast was pitched. 2 weeks in primary, and one is nearly perfectly clear. The other is cloudy and sour. With that information I traced back the use of that bucket, and I am pretty gosh darn sure that all my bad batches came from that fermenter!!

So, lesson learned the hard way. I have ditched both plastic buckets and will buy two new ones from my HBS. I think I will soon move up to fermenting in only glass or stainless steel.

I always read about nasties becoming a problem in older plastic buckets....now I believe it. Hope this helps someone else along the way!

Brew on.

Alan

 

[jfrank85]

Sherlock Homes suffered from Asperger's fyi, anywhoo good sleuthing agent!

 

[nefarious_1_]

There's always Better Bottles. They're harder to scratch because of the small opening at the top. Unless, of course, you deliberately put something in there that could scratch it.

 

[Homercidal]

Good reason to only use oxiclean and soft sponges or wash cloths in your buckets and plastic fermenters.

Buckets are a cheap item to replace compared to the loss of a single batch of beer.

 

[BillyBock]

Glass carboys! I know there are a few horror stories, but I love mine compared to my Better Bottle and plastic bucket. Easier to clean, IMO.