infection

[robsan77]

Right, not very impressed at the moment.

recent brews in order:

ipa : First infection :sick:
ipa : infected :sick:

changed fv

coconut porter : fine :thumb:
honey and ginger beer : fine :thumb:
hoppy pale : infected :sick:

changed tubing, try using demijohns for a bit.

malty brown ale : 3 of 5 djs infected :sick:

:evil: :evil: :evil:

So i've been extra careful but it isnt helping. I never had a problem until recently and I cant put my finger on why???

Does anyone have any tips or know any common faults that could explain this. It is the same wild yeast infection everytime.

 

[Bru4u]

Sorry for your troubles Rob,
We get lazy, the routine gets less and less intence, I cought myself doing it, I took myself into a corner for a little chat.
Remember when you first started, has your routine changed at all from then.
If not maby some of the plastics are scratched and hard to clean.
What is your routine for cleaning and sanatizing. From FV to keg/bottle.
Bru

 

[robsan77]

My problem is in the fv. So its either a cleaning issue or a transfer issue. I know I clean the fvs well, i even used fresh new tube (sanitised as well) on the last brew. I think that maybe I am not cleaning the boiler tap well enough. I have always been fairly relaxed about it because I assume it must get hot enough over a sustained 60min boil to kill any nasties but maybe not???
the embarrassing thing is that I even have a masters degree in microbiology :geek: and I cant stop an infection getting in

 

[Bru4u]

Is is infected in the FV's

 

[robsan77]

yep

 

[snail59]

Rob I dont know where you ferment, in a cupboard or somewhere thats warm and humid, could it be getting in from the suroundings or something??. Thermometer or Hydrometer??.

 

[Bru4u]

When you are transfering from the kettle to FV, how do you cool it and is it in the same room as any malt flour that might be in the air from the brewing process.
Just trying to eliminate things.

 

[Sean_Mc]

How's it infected is the brew vinegary?

I was saying the otherday that I've never seen so many fruitflies, so have stopped spreading spent grains on the flower Borders.
Another thing I need to get round to doing is giving the shed a good clean and repaint the floor

 

[jonewer]

I had real problems with infections a while back. Lost well over a hundred pints... one kit and 2 AGs fed to the grass.... this after about 14 brews with no trouble at all!

I think the problem is once you get the infective bugs in your kit, its difficult to annihalate them completely.

Major soaking in 50% bleach solution coming up before my next one.

 

[jonewer]

the embarrassing thing is that I even have a masters degree in microbiology :geek: and I cant stop an infection getting in

Likewise. Unfortunately we dont have enormous autoclaves and giant laminar flow cabinets to brew in!

 

Wild yeast is controlled by the use of Campden tablets, which will not affect your main yeast.

 

[robsan77]

Wild yeast is controlled by the use of Campden tablets, which will not affect your main yeast.

is that so??? how many would i need to use and how???

 

[Aleman]

Major soaking in 50% bleach solution coming up before my next one.

A stronger solution is not necessarily a good thing More does not always equal better.

What may be a better solution is to change sanitisers completely. Swap to using Peracetic, and clean with Washing soda. . . . boil sanitise anything that can go in a saucepan.

I picked up an infection in a corny, that just had my normal bleach and videne cleansing regime . . . I then dismantled the keg filled it with water and stuck a 23" immersion element into it and boiled it for 15 minutes . . . . the posts were boiled in a saucepan. . . . Reassembled everything filled it with a Videne solution and purged . . . no further infection

Consider steaming your FV's over the boiler

 

[robsan77]

Right!
Had a mega break down and clean of everything. If this brew goes bad I may have to give up all together......






.........nah, no chance!

 

[Springer]

Not been on here for a while, been a doer not a watcher , 50 gallons of beer and a tidy bit of Turbo
First thing I read is people having to throw away 12 gallons of beer and someone giving up brewing :shock: :shock:
Not funny this infection thing
For my money as others have said getting complacent and I also don't like all those fruit flies about at the moment.
I have stated wiping down things with the videne solution and have just painted my floor so that it gets a good mop down regularly now.
Good luck for the future Rob, there is no way you will buy beer at £1.60 a bottle as opposed to drinking better stuff at 20 p.
I would have to give up drinking if I gave up brewing :lol:
S