Not happy, chucked the last brew

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graysalchemy

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I have had to chuck my last bitter.

It had got infected with something which gave it a very fruity sour taste :sick: :sick: . It wasn't vinegary and had a bit of a fusal alcohol taste :sick: :sick: .

I know that I under pitched the yeast as I had lost my last yeast cake to infection and I had no packets so i made up a starter from the sediment from a bottle. Unfortunately I didn't have anywhere near enough.

Secondly when I cooled it I pitched at about 27 deg like I normally do and put it into the insulated cupboard unfortunately its temp didn't drop below 23-24 for 3 days.

So all in all it was doomed from the start.

Anyway back on the saddle again thursday, just need to put a order into malt miller.

Cheers

:cheers:
 
That's such a shame. :(

It would be a good precaution to bin the fermenter and get a new one, in case the infection has taken hold..... :thumb:

A mate of mine had to bin a brew on Sunday there. He left it with his shop bought chiller running, came back to discover the plastic pipes had come off and the tap water was running directly into the beer, overflowing the boiler.

After he launched the cooler across the garden he's decided to give it to me to sort with some proper connections :mrgreen:
 
Every Home Brewers Nightmare!

Sorry to hear that matey, good luck with your next brew!

:drink:
 
Not good mate I feel your pain 18ltrs of brown ale chucked last week due to a thick silvery white film and a strange sour smell to it, not the normal fermenting beer smell.

I havent got the foggyiest of the reason, all sanitised equipment and fv even the brew went event free .... I blame the weather :roll:

Oh well live and learn
 
LeicesterLad said:
Not good mate I feel your pain 18ltrs of brown ale chucked last week due to a thick silvery white film and a strange sour smell to it, not the normal fermenting beer smell.

I havent got the foggyiest of the reason, all sanitised equipment and fv even the brew went event free .... I blame the weather :roll:

Oh well live and learn
Click to expand...
Bad luck with the brew. :cry:
Just out of curiosity what yeast did you use?

BB
 
LeicesterLad said:
It was Safale S-04 ?

Used it before though and never had any problems as I can remember
Click to expand...
Was it original packet S-04 or the re-packaged stuff?
I once brewed with re-packaged and was disappointed with the final taste.

BB
 
BigYin said:
It would be a good precaution to bin the fermenter and get a new one, in case the infection has taken hold..... :thumb:
Click to expand...

Steady on BY, with all the chemicals to hand these days.............. anyone got a stainless conical fermenter that has done a bad brew, I will risk a punt and offer stainless scrap money. :lol:

S

P.S. with that sort of approach I'd be two cornies down. :(
 
BarnsleyBrewer said:
LeicesterLad said:
It was Safale S-04 ?

Used it before though and never had any problems as I can remember
Click to expand...
Was it original packet S-04 or the re-packaged stuff?
I once brewed with re-packaged and was disappointed with the final taste.

BB
Click to expand...


th_Safales-04.jpg


This is the one, is this repackaged ?
 
LeicesterLad said:
BarnsleyBrewer said:
LeicesterLad said:
It was Safale S-04 ?

Used it before though and never had any problems as I can remember
Click to expand...
Was it original packet S-04 or the re-packaged stuff?
I once brewed with re-packaged and was disappointed with the final taste.

BB
Click to expand...


th_Safales-04.jpg


This is the one, is this repackaged ?
Click to expand...
no, original....must be down to cleanliness. :hmm:

I always steam my fermenters during the boil, never use chemicals.
BarrelSteamer.jpg
 
My LHBS has been getting LOADS of reports of S-04 brews turning into rubbing alcohol or worse! He said he's going to continue to look into it. I gave him my last packet I used that went bad for dates / numbers. He's going to try a couple of test brews at his place as he never uses dried yeast he hasn't had a problem..


Maybe it was a load of bull to get me to buy liquid yeast tho :shock: :lol: :shock:
 
The only good thing is that the first time I brewed this bitter it was attacked by peskie fruit flies and the second time around was my best ever beer so hopefully thursday's brew will be even better. Haven't checked any chicken entrails to confirm though :lol: :lol:

I used Nottingham, but I have ordered two more packets from rob yesterday, and hopefully I will try and keep a strain going from the yeast cake untill I brew again in August.

:thumb: :thumb:
 
Was it really that bad? could it possibly have just been the fermenting temperature? I did a brew 2 weeks ago on the Friday night before the heatwave we had and it was up to 27 degrees when i got back. I've no way of cooling it effectively at the moment. Anyway, brew is OK but does have a distinctive taste which is very much like ripe bananas so I've no plans on chucking it yet. Higher fermenting temps apparently result in 'higher' alcohols which have a fruity taste.
 
This was not just fruity no malt came through and no hop flavour or aroma. The higher alcohol taste also left like a mouthwash freshness on your lips, so I think that was hangover fuel. I certainly couldn't drink it.
 

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