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So this is bacterial contamination?

Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2011 11:58 am
by GillettBreweryCnslt
What do you think? It's in all 3 of my secondary fermenters (carboy) right now, this one is the worst, the other two just have really small dots over the top of the beer. :eeew:

Then what do i do with the beer? It's ready to be kegged, but I worry about it. I've never had this happen before (insert "crying in beer" emoticon)

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Re: So this is bacterial contamination?

Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2011 12:05 pm
by mr x
It's looking 'somewhat' infected. What's it taste like?

Re: So this is bacterial contamination?

Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2011 1:04 pm
by NASH
You might want to give Kai and Judy a call X)

Re: So this is bacterial contamination?

Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2011 1:18 pm
by GillettBreweryCnslt
The beer tastes fine, pretty good actually.

Who are Kai and Judy?

Re: So this is bacterial contamination?

Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2011 1:51 pm
by mr x
Fellow Brewnosers.

If the beer tastes good. Get it kegged, chilled, and drank.:)

What are you using for sanitizing chemicals?

Re: So this is bacterial contamination?

Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2011 2:08 pm
by GillettBreweryCnslt
that pink stuff, and I use 2X the recommended concentration. I sterilize everything too.

I made a starter yeast batch with a 3rd generation of 1056, I think it prolly came from there, all three batches were inoculated with that yeast starter. The starter did take 3 days to ramp up to a good bubble. Of course in a sterilized and air-locked growler.

Sigh...going in the keg this afternoon.

Thanks

Re: So this is bacterial contamination?

Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2011 2:11 pm
by mr x
I recommend ditching all the powders and going with star-san. I wouldn't get too bent out of shape over it. If it's tasting fine, get it into you while the sun's shining.
:cheers:

Re: So this is bacterial contamination?

Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2011 2:14 pm
by NASH
I was talking about distilling it not that Kai or Judy would know anything about that :lol:

How do you sterilize?

Also, More often than not it's worse to use too strong concentrations of chemicals including chlorine, when you get above 100ppm kill rate can actually drop. Also also, standard household bleach is about the same as the pink powder but costs the tiniest fraction of what the powder costs.

Re: So this is bacterial contamination?

Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2011 3:13 pm
by Tony L
[quote="NASH
How do you sterilize?

Also, More often than not it's worse to use too strong concentrations of chemicals including chlorine, when you get above 100ppm kill rate can actually drop. Also also, standard household bleach is about the same as the pink powder but costs the tiniest fraction of what the powder costs.[/quote]


I think it looks more like yeast than an infection, but it's hard to tell.

We don't sterilize .... we sanitize... big difference... and it's this Nash is pointing to I think.
I use non-scented bleach for all glass and plastic with SS getting PBW before sanitizing with Star-San. All solutions get the recommended dosage.

Re: So this is bacterial contamination?

Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2011 3:38 pm
by mr x
I'm not sure some of us don't sterilize... :think:

Re: Re: So this is bacterial contamination?

Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2011 5:03 pm
by NASH
mr x wrote:I'm not sure some of us don't sterilize... :think:
You're not sterilizing anything unless you have a pretty big autoclave :lol:


Sent from the hop-phone

Re: So this is bacterial contamination?

Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2011 5:06 pm
by mr x
CDC allows for chemical sterilization IIRC - you can't use heat on everything.

Re: So this is bacterial contamination?

Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2011 8:18 pm
by GillettBreweryCnslt
Tony L wrote: I think it looks more like yeast than an infection, but it's hard to tell.
Definitely bacterial, I've worked in enough genetics labs to know the smell of a bacterial culture and this smells exactly like that.

Ok, got it in the kegs, in the fridge. Now to drink it fast!

Thanks

Dave

Re: So this is bacterial contamination?

Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2011 8:35 pm
by Tony L
Fishdisease wrote:
Tony L wrote: I think it looks more like yeast than an infection, but it's hard to tell.
Definitely bacterial, I've worked in enough genetics labs to know the smell of a bacterial culture and this smells exactly like that.

Ok, got it in the kegs, in the fridge. Now to drink it fast!

Thanks

Dave

Well, that's too bad. Like you say, drink it fast.. or not.
Don't know if it will age as well as that bottle of Cantillon Chalmers brought down to me that I picked up tonight, lol. Thanks Chris.

Re: So this is bacterial contamination?

Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2011 9:59 pm
by NASH
mr x wrote:CDC allows for chemical sterilization IIRC - you can't use heat on everything.
They do but that can only be on pristine shadowless items in a controlled atmosphere, and I'm never going to the hospital again :lol: Autoclave or nothing without full lab analysis for me :lol:

Re: So this is bacterial contamination?

Posted: Sun Nov 20, 2011 10:00 pm
by NASH
Fishdisease wrote:
Tony L wrote: I think it looks more like yeast than an infection, but it's hard to tell.
Definitely bacterial, I've worked in enough genetics labs to know the smell of a bacterial culture and this smells exactly like that.

Ok, got it in the kegs, in the fridge. Now to drink it fast!

Thanks

Dave
Well, best of luck with it, always blows when shit like that happens especially on multiple batches :cheers2: