Gunkleneil
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2022
- Messages
- 73
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Is this the beginning of an infection? Brewed 2 weeks ago. Sitting in the fermenter since.
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View attachment 1000004618.jpg
Did you take that picture through the glass lid?Haven't opened or touched anything since it was brewed.
That's a very elegant way to take a sample, yes!it's a plastic fermzilla conical no spigot. I was thinking to replace the airlock with the pressure plug and use the floating dip tube and pressure to get a sample out.
Just don't use (chlorine) bleach on stainless steel!You might want to consider giving everything a hour's soak in a chlorine bleach solution.
I haven't had a problem with SS and bleach. But I don't have a SS fermenter. I do have SS sight glass, butterfly valve and other SS sanitary fittings that I do soak for up to almost 2 hours in a strong bleach solution.Just don't use (chlorine) bleach on stainless steel!
If your well water is good for normal consumption, I would doubt the infection coming from there, but dirt from outside the fermenter, such as hoses and connections could carry bugs. It's for you to review when and where something could have gotten in there.I'm thinking the infection came in when my clamp on the cooling coil was loose and let about a cup or two into the wort as it was cooling.
I have my house well water go through a large activated charcoal filter due to a sulphur smell, but I use a non filtered connection when I hook up my coil.
Probably things you already know:I've wasn't able to get any of the Porters/Stouts that I brewed this past Fall and Winter very much below a SG of 1.020. I think 1.018 was my lowest FG with them. And with the Ales I brewed previously I always went to 1.008 - 1.012. All of them, including the Stouts reached that FG about 4 days from pitch. And they were left in the fermenter for 2 - 3 weeks total and never any movement on the SG.
I'm thinking part of it might have been my laissez faire approach to water chemistry that seems to have worked well enough for Ales, but maybe not so good for Stouts. Hopefully in the Fall/Winter of 2024 I'll find out if that was the issue when I plan to go back and try them again.
Thanks. I don't think I cleaned my brewzilla drain valve to well now that I think of it. Kinda thought the boil would take care of it but not that you point it out I see where that wouldn't be the case. Was only the second time I used it but about 8 months between uses. I gave it a quick clean but didn't go too nuts with it. Guess I'm learning from that mistake.If your well water is good for normal consumption, I would doubt the infection coming from there, but dirt from outside the fermenter, such as hoses and connections could carry bugs. It's for you to review when and where something could have gotten in there.
Needless to say, you'll need to clean and thoroughly sanitize everything on the cold side that's been in contact with this infected beer, including all fittings, gaskets, nooks and crannies, on your fermenter.
I'd also check (and clean) any valves and hoses, etc. the chilled wort goes through. The exit valve on the kettle can have grime built-up inside, hiding in there, and heat apparently won't kill it all. Pediococcus seems to be very resilient.
FWIW, 2-part valves do come apart, to inspect and clean them inside.
When not in use leave (cleaned and rinsed) valves open at a 45° angle, so they can dry inside.
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