"I think it's infected!"

[Dutto]

I've seen so many of the above statements and the subsequent replies that I've decided to start a Thread all on its own.

My main reason for doing this is that 99% of the time the brew IS NOT infected and the reason the person thinks that it may be infected is that they are smelling the brew much too early in the process of fermentation, carbonation or conditioning.

Most genuine infections:

• Smell like vinegar, rotten eggs or have a decidedly musty smell (often likened to a Turkish Wrestler's Jock-Strap). AND/OR
• Develop clumps of stuff that can be seen floating on or in the brew.

However, some of these smells and clumps of material, may also be produced during the brewing process and be a natural product of the yeast being used or the brew itself.

So, if the brew:

• Hasn't been fermenting for at least two weeks, OR
• It hasn't been carbonating for at least two weeks, OR
• It hasn't been conditioning for at least two weeks, THEN (and only then)
• If it has developed a smell like those mentioned above it MAY be the result of an infection.

But then again, it may not and only patience and time will reveal the true nature of the brew! aunsure....

 

[Leon103]

But my brew smells of beer, is it infected???
Shall I throw it away?

 

[britton]

I thought you had an infected brew for a minute there Dutto!

 

[Sadfield]

All beer is contaminated, none of us work in aseptic conditions and yeast manufacturers can't guarantee their products don't contain wild yeast or bacteria.

Edited for @chthon [emoji3]

Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk

 

[Pavros]

Shut up and let me drink my infected beer that hasn't carbonated properly yet...

 

[AdeDunn]

My Belgian Witbier has a yeast infection for sure.... :p

I've only ever had one brew that was 100% infected, my infamous Wilko's Cerveza. Got infected at some point, and a dodgy bucket FV letting air in helped the infection along (by this, I assume the infection was already there, but that ready access to oxygen from the air helped it to thrive), growing a lovely pellicle. I bottled from under the pellicle anyway. My wife was happy to drink it for the first few months. Then many many months later still, we found some stashed away, opened one and it was a positive gusher, poured as cloudy as ditch water, and tasted utterly foul. But it got bottled and given a chance is what matters...

I still have that bucket, I just don't ferment in it as the seal on the lid just doesn't exist (didn't bulge, airlock didn't bubble, etc). It's perfectly good as a bucket though.....

 

[Dutto]

I thought you had an infected brew for a minute there Dutto!

I've been brewing on and off since 1969 and I've had just TWO infected brews! (*)

They both absolutely stank of vinegar after the fermentation stage and the two infections were consecutive!

Throwing away nearly 50 litres of beer in two months was enough to put me off brewing for many years but after learning that I should "sanitise everything that comes into contact with the beer" I thought "Doh!" and took up brewing again!

(*)
Please Lord don't punish me for telling everyone! :tinhat:

 

[Clint]

There,there. You'll be ok...just go and take your medicine then off to bed.
Go on hurry up you've only got four hours!

 

[Bevvied]

A pal of mine ferments his bitter in a 30L kitchen bin, instead of the lid, he lays a towel flat over the top and holds it in place with a bungee cord.
He only uses thin bleach to clean, no commercial sanitisers, but rinses well.
When I asked him if his bin was food grade safe, he looked at me like I was an alien and said '****** if I know'
He's never had an infection in over five years and he makes a kit every month.
I'm none too sure what the long term health effects of fermenting in a kitchen bin are though lol.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

I'm none too sure what the long term health effects of fermenting in a kitchen bin are though lol.

Well if the Government doom and gloom merchants are to be believed i guess the units will do for him long before the non food grade plastic does.

 

[Nicks90]

I'm not lazy with my sanitation, but I am fairly relaxed about it.
Hop bags get a quick swish out and dump in a cup of boiling water before used for dry hopping, bottling is a bit of a dunk in some baby steriliser and a quick rinse...
It's too easy to get carried away and spend hours messing about.

But I would probably draw the line at using a kitchen bin and a tea towel.

 

[chthon]

And could you replace "infected" everywhere with "contaminated"?
http://beerandwinejournal.com/its-not-infected/

 

[Bigcol49]

I'm none too sure what the long term health effects of fermenting in a kitchen bin are though

Hi!
I bought a black plastic builder's bucket recently - got it home and looked at the base – I was amazed to find that it was polypropylene and perfectly safe for brewing.
I wouldn’t consider using it for brewing, but it surprised me to find out that it could be.

 

[Bevvied]

But I would probably draw the line at using a kitchen bin and a tea towel.

So would I, I'm too tight to risk ballsing up a brew. I do use thin bleach for cleaning, but it's starsan all the way for me with regard to sanitizing.
But steady on there old chap, he doesn't use a tea towel, it's a dedicated bath towel doubled over that he uses, bleached after every use. I'm sure it makes all the difference LOL.
I've seen it with my own eyes at least a couple of dozen times and it never ceases to amaze me.

 

[Dutto]

And could you replace "infected" everywhere with "contaminated"?
http://beerandwinejournal.com/its-not-infected/

Er ... "No!"

It's taken a long time to get the "sterilised{ (which was in general use a couple of years ago) replaced with "sanitised" ...

... but if you want to take up the challenge then go for it!

BTW, regarding another Post, I used a kitchen bin for quite a few brews but after the side bits broke off in my hand and I had to watch 23 litres of fermented wort disappear down the cracks in the shed floor, I went out and bought a real FV with a handle!