is it alright to test beer?

[andyspet]

iv,e just put my brew in keg for second fermentation (coopers english bitter) and i was wandering if it,s alright to take a glass out to taste, or could this ruin the brew, any advic always appreciated.
cheers andy :hmm:

 

[golder247]

yeah test away, don't go necking pints of it.. it does help to understand what is happening throughout. It may not taste top banana till the end but that is the fun of it all..

 

[andyspet]

great iv,e been dying to have a go ha ha

 

[golder247]

just wait till you have it bottled and have to wait for it to be fully ready.. man that takes patience!

 

[andyspet]

iv,e just had a small glass, i cant believe how good it tastes a bit cloudy but great head i think the extra sugar as give it a bit of a kick, for my first brew I'm so happy, ill just afto leave for at least a week now, but I'm not bottling im keeping in the keg. thanks for advice andy.

 

[Kev888]

Didn't notice this post until now, but in case its not obvious (and my apologies if it is) I'll mention that anything which contacts the beer should be clean and well sanitised. And don't let any saliva back in as it can cause infection - though i'm sure you wouldn't anyway! Its possible to let flies and spores in by opening the fermenter, but thats a smaller risk - usually anyway; there are times when those damn fruit fly things seem to home in!

Cheers
kev

 

[evanvine]

We all QA test Andy, it's par for the course!

 

[andyspet]

i can see why , very nice to.

 

[golder247]

Hurrah for beer!!

I had a little fruit fly issue when clearing my pulp from my ginger beer last night, the bugger disappeared.... hope he didn't fall in...extra protein perhaps??

 

[graysalchemy]

hope he didn't fall in...extra protein perhaps??

No source of infection of Acetobacter the bacteria which enables beer to be turned into vinegar :sick: :nono:

I lost 10 gallons of beer to that last autumn, I am still gutted about it now.

 

[andyspet]

Hurrah for beer!!

I had a little fruit fly issue when clearing my pulp from my ginger beer last night, the bugger disappeared.... hope he didn't fall in...extra protein perhaps??

he'll only add a little flavour, you never know you might get a taste for them :)

 

[golder247]

I was being slightly flippant as the bugger disappeared but it clearly is a bug bear of yours..... Hell I am not keen on infection either but the little sod just went so nothing I can do now, first time in all the stuff I have done that they appeared.. strange coincidence that

it was literally one...

 

[Shug]

If it happens regularily, you could strike a deal with local chippies? :lol:

 

[graysalchemy]

It is one of the ways to get a vinegar culture going is to place a fruit fly in the wine or cider and when it starts you see a film appearing around the fruit fly. It only takes one to get in. The worst thing is that you may get a slight film on top think you have got an infection and draw a sample from the bottom and think it is ok, but before you know it it has spread from the top downwards.

So be warned. It's not nice watching 10 gallons of you hard work being poured away.

 

[golder247]

I was scooping out the ginger bits in readiness for bottling and there was a fair bit of froth and what not on top. Like I mentioned the little thing literally disappeared. Hoping he went in the pot with the rest of the discarded ginger bits and froth. bottling tonight or maybe tomorrow so will find out...

I don't know if I mentioned it was ginger beer that it happened too...

 

[graysalchemy]

No if you have an acetobacter infection it is like a matt film on the top. You will probably be alright. Just get it bottled. Mind you if it was to go to vinegar :hmm: :hmm: ginger vinaigrette :sick:

 

[golder247]

If I do I will send you a bottle.. it could be alright I reckon

 

[graysalchemy]

I think it will be fine.