First bad batch, yuck!

[callmebruce]

Well, I made a couple root beers and a cream soda, and while I need to work on the recipes a bit - at least a fella could drink them. Ran everything through the dishwasher. Boiled all water.

This time I wanted to try a cola. So - I put all my stuff in the dishwasher and ran it through. Warmed up 2 quarts of water on the stove top to dissolve sugar, but did not boil. Then added 2 quarts of cold water from the tap. Added cola extract. Checked temperature. Added yeast and bottled. Bottles had been run through the dishwasher.

Carb'ed up nicely. But I opened one after putting in the fridge for a few hours and it stunk. Gave it another 24 hours - and the next bottle had a sulfer smell. Yuck.

Think I'll go from using the dishwasher to picking up a 5 gallon bucket and sanitizing everything with a little bleach and a lot of water. Think I'll also boil ALL water, then let it cool down.

I'll check again tomorrow - but I think the batch is bad and needs to go down the drain. Want to get this process right before moving on to things that take longer to brew.

 

[TomSD]

Get a bottle of StarSan... you won't regret it.

 

[callmebruce]

Going over this, I think I have the answer. Everything was scrupulously cleaned, EXCEPT the candy thermometer! I just washed that by hand when I decided to check temperatures.

In the future - everything needs to be EVERYTHING! Looks like a quick hit of Star San would have solved the problem. Or a soak in a bucket with bleach and water for 20 minutes. But pulling it out from under the counter at the last minute, quick cleaning it and using it was a bad idea.

Will look into sanitizers.


Edited: I pulled everything that I used out again. Might not be the tap water. Might not be the thermometer. I used a wooden spoon! Yep. An old wooden spoon. Good for chili. Bad for soda. Still - a lesson learned, and time to head to the homebrew shop to look for StarSan. Thanks for the recommendation. Who'da thunk chili and soda don't mix? At least spoons, anyway.

 

[TomSD]

StarSan is awesome. You can fill a spray bottle with it and when you pull something out at the last minute all you need to do is spray it down and it is good to go.

No aftertaste, no worries about the bubbles or drip off adding flavor or hurting a batch just spray or rinse/soak and go.

 

[noblesquirrel]

Actually, if you're getting sulfur notes, that's a yeast byproduct...

 

[callmebruce]

I made a second batch of Rainbow Cola a couple days ago. Let it get carbonation, then popped in the 'fridge. Opened a bottle this morning to check - and it has the same bad sulpher smell.

I sanitized all pots, pans and measuring cups/spoons before use. I boiled the water and let it cool down while covered (with a sanitized pot lid on). Sugar was added to the water while hot. The only thing added while the water was lukewarm was the cola extract and yeast. Used Nottingham yeast fresh from a high volume shop.

The procedure worked fine for three batches of rootbeer (McCormick extract), one batch of cream soda from scratch and one batch of ginger beer from scratch.

I have to believe the problem is with the Cola extract. Don't know if it sat out on the shelf too long at the store I got it from. Not sure if the problem was in bottling or shipping.

I'm tossing out the extract. I will not buy it again. While the time to make it is minimal (an hour to an hour and a half to get everything out, sanitized and ready - then prepare and bottle) - you are looking at about six days before opening a bottle.

I know the time is minimal considering how long it takes to make beer, cider or mead - but it is disheartening telling my son homemade is better than commercially purchased while opening a vile, stinking bottle of cola.

Not sure if I'll call the manufacturer or the store I bought it from, or just toss it and say the heck with extracts.

 

[RedIrocZ-28]

What temp are you pitching the yeast at? For beer brewing, too high a temp will really strain the yeast and it WILL produce off flavors.