Wild Yeast Infection?

[J-Pizzel]

I know, I know, another "is this infected post?" but its different cause I know it is. A friend and I brewed a SMaSH with wet hops, what a PITA!!! Ball valve was clogged from the boil kettle so my friend dipped his hand in StarSan and then unclogged it. We siphoned it into the carboy, tossed the mountain of hops and then reboiled the wort for 5-7 mins and resanitized the carboy. Something came up, and I wasnt able to pitch my yeast in the AM, so I had to wait until this AM (approx 24 hrs after the 2nd boil) but there was already fermentation activity, crap. Should I have boiled the wort longer the 2nd time? Where was the most likely cause of infection, any ideas? I know the arm in the wort was stupid... Thanks!

 

[reed1911]

my friend dipped his hand in StarSan and then unclogged it

This would be the cause. Skin harbors a lot of bugs and had he washed his hand in bleach for 10 minutes vigorously scrubbing all areas especially under the nails and nail beds he still would not have gotten rid of them all. Ever see a surgeon scrub before an operation? Then they still glove up. A dunk in star san was not even worth the effort. All of that being said, let it ride and see what you come up with.

 

[austinb]

I know, I know, another "is this infected post?" but its different cause I know it is. A friend and I brewed a SMaSH with wet hops, what a PITA!!! Ball valve was clogged from the boil kettle so my friend dipped his hand in StarSan and then unclogged it. We siphoned it into the carboy, tossed the mountain of hops and then reboiled the wort for 5-7 mins and resanitized the carboy. Something came up, and I wasnt able to pitch my yeast in the AM, so I had to wait until this AM (approx 24 hrs after the 2nd boil) but there was already fermentation activity, crap. Should I have boiled the wort longer the 2nd time? Where was the most likely cause of infection, any ideas? I know the arm in the wort was stupid... Thanks!

If you reboiled the wort even for just a few minutes after he dipped his hand in that should have killed any wild yeasts and most bacterias, generally about 145 for 20 minutes or so will kill all yeast (I've done this so I could back sweeten a cider).

I'm guessing the infection was caused by something else. Maybe some piece of your equipment wasn't fully clean so that even though you sanitized it there was somewhere for bugs to hide. Check all valves, fittings, tubes etc that the beer touched after the boil for any gunk and maybe just change your tubing anyway if it is getting old. Also always make sure you clean your carboys after a primary fermentation with an oxyclean or pbw soak in hot water and a good scrub with the carboy brush or the bugs may be able to survive the sanitizer soak.

What sort of off flavors are you getting?