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You are here: Home --> Forum Home --> Brewing Forum --> Is it infected? --> Uh oh...I think I have my first

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davidg
Kula, HI
137 Posts






Posted 34 days ago.

davidg
Kula, HI
137 Posts


Yes, the little chunks are grains that somehow made their way in there.  This is a secondary vessel, just a glass carboy.  It's been in there for about two weeks, this didn't look like this a week ago.  

I use a stainless steel racking cane, which I may not do anymore since I can't see inside it, even though I follow pretty strict procedures cleaning it.  I took the airlock/bung off to smell it, maybe something got in there during that.  I don't want to take a sample and drink it until someone more experienced sees this.  

EDIT:  So after some searching around, there's a thread on HBT that people say when you start to see this, you can rack it to either another vessel or bottling bucket underneath it, and drink it with slight sour?  Is this true?  If so, that's what I'm doing.  




Posted 34 days ago.
Edited 34 days ago by davidg

testingapril
Charter Member
Atlanta, GA
595 Posts


That's infected.

First thing is to taste it. If it tastes pretty normal, get some campden tablets and add them at the sanitization rate for wine must. Wait a week or so and then you can bottle it by adding some extra yeast at bottling time.

If it tastes sour, you can let it ride or dump it.




Posted 34 days ago.

mchrispen
Bastrop, TX
485 Posts


Yeah it looks a bit like a possible contamination. The grain bits are a probably the source. If you keep the racking cane clean it's probably not the problem, unless somehow the grains were stuck inside. I run a hose brush through mine and sanitize.

I would give it a taste and see... if it is sour or funky then you need to decide to let it ride and see what happens or dump and move on.




Posted 34 days ago.

davidg
Kula, HI
137 Posts


Those damn grains.  I've only started seeing them since I tried the MIAB method.  I have some 5 dollar bag though, maybe if I try the Brew Bag it would actually filter this crap out.  I'm going to let it ride.  That carboy is now going to be my sour carboy from here on out.  

Here in Hawaii, POG (Passion Orange Guava) is a popular juice.  I'm going to let this sit for 6 months and then add lilikoi (passion fruit), orange slices, and guava slices to it and see how it turns out.  I'll post a pic in about a week or two to show you guys how it looks.  

What sucks is this was the batch that I was sending to have reviewed on this site.  Fortunately I brewed the same recipe just using different water, and it turned out amazing...just bottled it.  Guess that's what's getting reviewed.  




Posted 34 days ago.

homebrewdad
Charter Member
Birmingham, AL
2480 Posts


Well, at least you have a plan.  Let us know how it goes!



Posted 34 days ago.

davidg
Kula, HI
137 Posts


I definitely will.  If anyone wants a bottle when it's done, I'll happily send one their way.  This will be the first sour I've accidentally made...or ever made. 



Posted 34 days ago.

davidg
Kula, HI
137 Posts


Just to update on this, I just bottled this batch.  I thought it tasted pretty damn good.  I was 6 beers deep at that point, so I'm not sure how it would taste to someone else, but I'll crack one open tomorrow and see how it went. 



Posted 34 days ago.

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