What's my possibility of infection?

[don_bran321]

So my fermentation chamber went down months ago and I finally got a new one and brewed my first batch of pumpkin beer for the fall today.
As I was cleaning up I saw that the threads of the elbow on my whirlpool ball valve had nasty black mold in them. It wasn't a lot but enough to make me mad that I missed it during my pre-brew cleaning the day before.
Before I whirlpooled I sprayed the inside of the ball valves with star san.
What do you think my chances of infection or off flavors is?

 

[Gameface]

So my fermentation chamber went down months ago and I finally got a new one and brewed my first batch of pumpkin beer for the fall today.
As I was cleaning up I saw that the threads of the elbow on my whirlpool ball valve had nasty black mold in them. It wasn't a lot but enough to make me mad that I missed it during my pre-brew cleaning the day before.
Before I whirlpooled I sprayed the inside of the ball valves with star san.
What do you think my chances of infection or off flavors is?

I'd have to see where this mold actually was. Do you recirculate hot (nearly boiling) wort through that ball valve before using it for whirlpool? Do you transfer cool wort through this ball valve? Was it actually mold? I've seen thread tape turn dark after use, especially the gray kind that's meant for use in potable water systems. .

 

[Gnomebrewer]

Your chance of bad flavours is about 100% because there's pumpkin in the beer

Being sensible, the black stuff is probably just gunky sugar residue. I have it in most of the fittings on my mash setup, so you're probably ok. If it is mold, you'll be OK as long as you pitched enough yeast - the yeast will out compete the mold. Mold needs oxygen, so as long as it doesn't take hold early and you don't get oxygen in later, you'll be OK.

 

[don_bran321]

Well that's a much better response than I imagined. Yes I did start recirculation of the near boiling wort through the valves initially which gives me hope.

 

[don_bran321]

Well that's a much better response than I imagined. Yes I did start recirculation of the near boiling wort through the valves initially which gives me hope.

The black stuff was on the inner parts of the thread. I can't keep calm and drink a homebrew haha had too many batches with a fuel alcohol taste to them

 

[Dland]

It may turn out OK, but better cleaning is in order. There should be no residue, and don't rely on heat of wort to substitute cleaning your gear after brewing.

Your fermentation chamber is cold side, and bad things can happen to your beer and subsequent batches if you let things fester...ask me how I know,..as they say.

Fuel taste not usually an infection, aging cold and temp control will usually help with that.

 

[Gameface]

Yeah, fuel flavors are not infection. That's something yeast do when they get too hot.

 

[augiedoggy]

So my fermentation chamber went down months ago and I finally got a new one and brewed my first batch of pumpkin beer for the fall today.
As I was cleaning up I saw that the threads of the elbow on my whirlpool ball valve had nasty black mold in them. It wasn't a lot but enough to make me mad that I missed it during my pre-brew cleaning the day before.
Before I whirlpooled I sprayed the inside of the ball valves with star san.
What do you think my chances of infection or off flavors is?

if it was on the hot side the chance of infection are negligible, boiling temps would kill it. if many people cut open their chillers they might find the same mold inside... gross but a reality.