Cavalier, laid back and irresponsible! (may be)

[evanvine]

Cleanliness and sterilisation.

The enemies are wild yeast, the fly, rotting old yeast and dirt.

I split this into two categories, hot side and yeast side.
Wine and cider makers can ignore “hot side”.

Hot side.
Boilers, Hot liquor tuns and mash tuns (counter flow chillers and IC's included) need not be sterilised as the temperatures involved counter both wild yeast and the fly (yeast not present here).
They need to be physically cleaned and stored with a cover, then given a quick rinse before re-use.

Yeast side.
Here you don’t only have to be physically clean, you have to be as sterile as you can achieve.
Use of VWP, Bleach, Line cleaner or other disinfectant is a must.
If a nasty can get into a scratch, cut or crack; so can the sterilising solution.
Once again store covered and rinse before re-use.

Thirty years brewing and only one wild yeast infection (my own stupid fault, I didn’t cover).

Before I get the tirade of horror replies, please re-read the topic title.

I also pour my trial jars back!

 

[greencheapsk8]

How do you tell if wild yeast has gotten into a brew?

Anything other than it tastes like vinegar?

 

[evanvine]

The surface of the ferment gets a thin, pale, lacy, large bubble covering.
It does not necessarily affect the ferment and can be skimmed off.

 

[Dunfie]

How do you tell if wild yeast has gotten into a brew?

Anything other than it tastes like vinegar?

it depends on the wild yeast, sometimes it can be complimentary and you would never know. However there are some things to look for.

If you find that the you fg has gone suspiciously low it could be that the wild yeast has got in and started to ferment some of the sugars that your yeast wouldn't normally touch.

Another tell tale is a rather thin body but the beer gushes when you open the bottle. Again you are looking for characteristics that are not normal. It will not necessarily come across as an infected flavour.

 

[markp]

From recent experience, I would put the boiler tap in the second category.
Unbeknown to me, my boiler tap was hiding all sorts of horrible slugde and running the freshly boiled and cooled wort through it has cost me about 80 litres of beer

Won't happen again though :!:

 

[evanvine]

From recent experience, I would put the boiler tap in the second category.

Not had that happen (yet!) will take it on board :thumb:

 

[craigite]

evanvine.

I'm with you. And samples used to go back, I now have a very small sample jar so sample goes down throat.
A calalier club? :twisted:

To date one infection; and that was this year. :mrgreen:

Don't get me wrong, I sterilise equipment before use etc, it's just that I'm also a little relaxed about it.

Oh. and i use the tap in the FV and some of Vossy's tube to rack from one FV to the other, none of this siphoning :twisted:
But i do sterilise the tube and wipe the tap first.

 

[evanvine]

Nice one C!
I was pissed when I wrote it, the point I am trying to make is that many seem to take disinfecting to the nth degree.
A long while ago I was reading on "Jim's" about using a cigarette lighter to flame the neck of a vessel before pouring???
OK on suppin the sample :thumb:

 

[robsan77]

From recent experience, I would put the boiler tap in the second category.
Unbeknown to me, my boiler tap was hiding all sorts of horrible slugde and running the freshly boiled and cooled wort through it has cost me about 80 litres of beer

Won't happen again though :!:

ditto, i had the same

 

[robsan77]

my personal opinion is that pitching the right amount of yeast is the best way to avoid wild yeast. When I started using liquid yeasts I didnt pitch enough and some times used inactive samples and it is only using liquid yeasts that i have had a problem. A sachet of nottingham and jobs a good un'

 

[evanvine]

Wild yeast is far more susceptible to SO2 than propriety yeast; so much so, you can dose up to 9 Campden tablets per 4.5 litres.
If you overdose, don't worry, as soon as the SO2 level drops your yeast will start working.
Nothing else is going to happen in the presence of SO2!

 

[robsan77]

Wild yeast is far more susceptible to SO2 than propriety yeast; so much so, you can dose up to 9 Campden tablets per 4.5 litres.
If you overdose, don't worry, as soon as the SO2 level drops your yeast will start working.
Nothing else is going to happen in the presence of SO2!

so how many campdens do you use per 5 gall brew and when do you add them?