Using a "dirty" fermenter

[oylerck]

"I'll just chime in and say that I've met professional brewers that do the same thing."



A professional, professional brewer won't tell you anything. They sign a nondisclosure agreement. So, if you spoke to a professional, professional brewer and not to a PR man. The brewer told you something 180 degrees in reverse. He may think that you have ideas of opening a brewery and becoming his competition. Plus, he knew that whatever he told you would end up on the internet.



In my opinion, as long as the method doesn't negatively impact the final product, do it. However, many things have a use by date, especially home made beer and perhaps, the beer is still green when it is tapped and gone before any negative impacts are perceived.

If you email some breweries, they'll give you the recipe. In percentages and AAUs, but you can figure that all by yourself. Competition is healthy for the craft world and I think most breweries believe that.

 

[Stillraining]

I'd like to see that. Not that I doubt you, just curious.


I've wondered about the "dirty keg fill" scenario myself. I just can't get past the OCD side of me to do it. Same with the dirty fermenter method.

LOL...Yah I get that...so here you go..a little harder to see then looking down a gun barrel due to the curve but pretty clearly shows a shiny clean surface. It was a lot easyer to see then to photograph.

 

[mesooohoppy]

A professional, professional brewer won't tell you anything. They sign a nondisclosure agreement. So, if you spoke to a professional, professional brewer and not to a PR man. The brewer told you something 180 degrees in reverse. He may think that you have ideas of opening a brewery and becoming his competition. Plus, he knew that whatever he told you would end up on the internet.

NDA huh? So all of the breweries I've called or talked to in the tap room are just outright lying to me?

Its funny because I read a lot that there are brewers out there that don't want to share info with anyone and will do anything to keep their 'secrets' or 'techniques' a secret. Sure, you may have the some breweries that don't want to tell you what hops they used in their award winning DIPA, or the pound to bbl ratio they dry hop with, which is understandable.

But, here's the thing: you've got to realize that every brewery makes beer the same (general) way with the same 4 ingredients; mash, boil, cool, pitch. Its science, but its not like quantum physics or something only a handful of people in the world are capable of understanding.

 

[RPh_Guy]

So to get back on topic, the OP is simply suggesting that beer can be made with less than "standard" sanitation procedures. I don't think anyone is contesting this fact. The thing is... After enough brew cycles through the same yeast cake the yeast will mutate and other microbes (bacteria, mold, yeast) will colonize your brews and cold-side equipment. As already mentioned, these wild microbes may not cause immediate gross spoilage, but they may still have effects on flavor and shelf life.

On the other hand sanitation obviously and undeniably reduces the risk of contamination from wild microbes. Pretty sure no one is trying to deny this either. Yes it is "unnecessary" extra work but you will have drastically lower risk of unknown microbes in your beer.

 

[Dcpcooks]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1494969061.907991.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1494969087.655610.jpg

Can't get more open and dirty than this.

I brewed this last Friday night, transferred 10 gallons to an open coolship and opened the windows. Didn't pitch a thing and the barrel was cleaned with caustic so it's not a source. It needed a blowoff tube this morning.

Basically you can make beer with inoculation from Wild yeast, bacteria, sacc yeast and whatever is floating in the air. You can even get past inoculation from E. coli and enterobacter if you allow the beer enough time to process it out.

So can you constantly reuse a fermentor and a yeast cake, sure you can. I doubt you could repeat the same beer or guarantee it's ability to age well ( or maybe you get lucky and it's amazing) But you could make beer with it.

I have a solera from 2015. I haven't done more than pull some out and add fresh wort since. It's always changing and usually very tasty.

You'll see a shift in the yeast and it will mutate as well. But that's ok sometimes. My buddy has an awesome mutant from a 001 pitch. It's cloudy and fruity and makes a great east coast IPA. It still eats sugar like 001 which is great. I'm sure if plated, it would be different than the original yeast.