My last three batches of beer have had a sour taste. The first batch that suffered from this was brewed about 8 months before the second two batches, as we moved house and I hadn't got round to starting again. Could some nasty "bug" conceivably have survived in my fermentation equipment for 8 months without nourishment? I was really thorough in sterilising (VWP) before this last batch, but have just tasted a) a beer bottled 2 weeks ago, and b) a mouthful of what's currently in the fermenter, I fear I still have a problem.
Sour taste.
- Thread starter jarnold
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An Ankoù
Landlord.
Yes, a bug could survive, but if you've thoroughly cleaned with VWP and rinsed well, you should have knobbled it. What does the beer smell like? Any vinegary whiffs? Can you describe the sour taste in more detail? What recipe and yeast did you use. Have you attempted to adjust the pH of your water with anything?
Smells OK. Just sour, can't think how else to describe it. Recipe and yeast: I'm only at the kit stage. The one before we moved was a cheap stout kit(can't remember the details). The one I bottled two weeks ago was a Woodfordes Nog. The one that's been in the fermenter for two week is a St Peters Cream Stout, that I've brewed many times before, so I have a pretty good idea of how it should taste.
I've ordered a replacement buck, tap, airlock and bottling stick. I'll bleach the brewing fridge.
I've ordered a replacement buck, tap, airlock and bottling stick. I'll bleach the brewing fridge.
How is the beer stored: keg or bottled? Could it be oxidation?
I bought a mini keg last week from the local brewery and just finished it this afternoon, it was fine the first few days but has developed a sour taste right at the end, probably due to air exposure. Infections tend to produce CO2 so you'd know if you had one of those if bottled as you'd have foaming or even exploding bottles.
I bought a mini keg last week from the local brewery and just finished it this afternoon, it was fine the first few days but has developed a sour taste right at the end, probably due to air exposure. Infections tend to produce CO2 so you'd know if you had one of those if bottled as you'd have foaming or even exploding bottles.
it could be the tap. If you have one where the tap swivels then crud can get in between the swively bits. If it is one of these then you need to separate the parts between brews and clean the interspace. When re-assembling smear some silicon grease on the seal bits.
You need a sharp tap with something like a socket extension to get them apart.
You need a sharp tap with something like a socket extension to get them apart.
