Got an infecction... What to do?

[rafaelpinto]

I will make the sad story short: fermented (US-5) a 1085 OG imperial stout for 3 weeks now. I have been taking little samples every two days and it does not taste/smell bad. FG after 3 weeks is 1025 (not that bad, around 7.5%ABV).

Today I opened the primary fermentor to see how things were and surprise: mold all over the beer surface. So I got a nice strainer/sieve, cleaned and sprayed 98% alcohol solution on it and got rid of the mold. Got a spoon, sprayed it with alcohol and took every bit of nasty thing out of the wall of fermentor. Sprayed a little alcohol on the inside walls and cover of the primary fermentor. Finally, I reduced temperature from 70ºF to 40ºF and will try to take as much as I can off my homebrew.

Beer tastes and smells fine.
What should I do?

 

[ffaoe]

Its definitely infected with either brett or lacto (not sure which), not mold. Personally, I would let it ride but that's just me, as I like funky and sour beers.

 

[rafaelpinto]

It doesn't taste funky or sour at all...

 

[insanim8er]

That's not mold.

If it still tastes fine, finish it up. You'll want to drink it quick and keep it refrigerated.

Next time leave the beer alone. Don't take samples all the time. It increases your odds of just this.

 

[rafaelpinto]

If it still tastes fine, finish it up. You'll want to drink it quick and keep it refrigerated.

Alright, but what should I do to decrease the chances of it coming back? Should I "filter" when racking to secondary? Should I have used a strainer?

Damn, I was planning on aging this beer for months before drinking it

 

[rafaelpinto]

On my most desperate moment, I even thought about boiling that beer and using it as water in another imperial stout mash!

 

[poptarts]

you might could bring it up to alcohol boil temps hold for a few mins chill and reptich yeast.

 

[progmac]

that's a beautiful brett pellicile. it isn't mold and it isn't bacteria. pitch some bacteria and you've maybe got yourself a great sour. if it is a hoppy beer, you might just want to prime, bottle, and drink fast.

 

[BBL_Brewer]

I really hope you didn't spray isopropyl alcohol in your beer. If so, stop doing that. Isopropyl will wreck your liver. Besides, spraying down the rim of your fermentor will do absolutely nothing to control the infection. It's already in the beer, there's no going back. Skimming the film won't help either, it will come right back. I would just make the best of it and hurry up and drink it, unless you like sours.

 

[rattyboh]

you might could bring it up to alcohol boil temps hold for a few mins chill and reptich yeast.

Unless I'm missing something wouldn't that just boil off alcohol? Even if it kills any bugs in there it's already fermented. Adding new yeast would do nothing since all the sugar is already gone.

I'd say drink it fast


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[hunter306]

I really hope you didn't spray isopropyl alcohol in your beer.

Sounds like what happened. My vote goes to dump, for this simple fact.

Next time, avoid that.

 

[ffaoe]

Sounds like what happened. My vote goes to dump, for this simple fact.

Next time, avoid that.

+1 to dumping if it was isopropyl alcohol

 

[rafaelpinto]

+1 to dumping if it was isopropyl alcohol

It was sprayed on the walls of fermentor, and it wasnt more that 3 or 4 hits. It will be so diluted you can call it homeopathic... is that enough to ruin the brew?

 

[BBL_Brewer]

Hard to give advice on that since we really don't know how much actually made it in the beer. You sprayed your strainer and spoon with it too. (Did you let it evaporate or just go strait to town)? I'm not trying to be a fear monger, but you should avoid this practice in the future. Chances are you're ok, but only you can make that determination since you will be drinking it and not us. Stick with star san from now on and you won't have to worry.

 

[rafaelpinto]

Please, I understand your concern. Thanks for the info.

I actually did wait a few seconds when I sprayed alcohol to sanitize and also rocked it a little bit to take excess before using it.

 

[rafaelpinto]

I did some research and found out about Campden. Will that kill any sort of contamination in my homebrew, considering there are not strange taste and flavors? Of course Id have to repitch for bottle conditioning, but thats not really an issue.

The only thing I am wondering now is if there will be any of that stuff inside bottle... Nobody will like to try my beer (good for me )

 

[insanim8er]

I did some research and found out about Campden. Will that kill any sort of contamination in my homebrew, considering there are not strange taste and flavors? Of course Id have to repitch for bottle conditioning, but thats not really an issue.

The only thing I am wondering now is if there will be any of that stuff inside bottle... Nobody will like to try my beer (good for me )

I think you're needing to chill out on trying to fix this. You got a hard lesson of RDWHAHB to learn. I feel like it's because you didn't chill out and relax that you got the infection. The more you mess with it, the more chance you have of developing issues.

It happened. It's over. You can keep trying to do stuff to fix it, and end up with no beer to drink.

Brett is just going to add some funkiness to your beer. Do as suggested and add some lacto bacteria to sour it up. Then you can age it for a while... Otherwise drink it somewhat quick. Or let the brett develope. Brett doesn't take over fast. It takes time. You have drinkable beer as you stand.

 

[rafaelpinto]

Alright, insanim8er. I will chill out and let brett do its work. In your understanding, how long will it take for its characteristics to be noticeable? Can I still add coccoa nibs, coffee and vanilla as I intended to?

One last question: I read that brett works better around 70ºF. If I keep my beer around 65 during bottle conditioning (for carbonation) and around 55ºF for the rest of its life, will brett develop its sensorial characteristics?

Thanks a lot for the help.

 

[insanim8er]

The longer it ages, the more funk you get. There are 100% brett stout recipes out there. Just do your thing and finish the beer as you would've. Just don't keep playing with it unless neccisary. And use starsan.

Once bottled/kegged, enjoy.

Take notes on how it developes over time.. Use it as a learning tool.

Or add some lactobacillus and age it. Maybe even use some wood.

 

[MrFeltimo]

I have to say that thats an awesome picture, looks like its under a microscope.

 

[rafaelpinto]

I have to say that thats an awesome picture, looks like its under a microscope.

I agree. Unfortunately I didnt have my camera around and had to take the picture with my ****ty smartphone. Would give a great brett/lambic label

 

[JordanKnudson]

I did some research and found out about Campden. Will that kill any sort of contamination in my homebrew, considering there are not strange taste and flavors? Of course Id have to repitch for bottle conditioning, but thats not really an issue.

I know that we've moved on from here, but since no one really addressed this question, I will. Campden tablets are great for eliminating chloramines (essential water treatment) and for reducing the risk of infection. However, as I understand it, they don't generally kill off the bugs. Vintners use them in must (the wine equivalent of wort) to *stun* any other bugs in there, allowing the wine yeast -- which is resistant to the campden -- to establish itself and take over. This way, the yeast gets reign over the sugars, after which the other bugs don't have much of a chance to get a foothold. In your case, the bugs (brettanomyces, specifically) have already gone to town, growing their population and taking over where the yeast left off. Adding campden tablets now might or might not knock them down a bit, but it won't eliminate them, and after a couple days they'll be back to work.

One other thing about campden -- you *can* have too much of it. For brewers, it's unlikely that we would use enough to reach that threshold (we aren't adding it at every step of the way), but since it is sodium metabisulfate, you can end up with some gross, demons-have-been-here off flavors if you go overboard. (This comes from free sulfites, I think).

 

[rafaelpinto]

Hey guys, thanks a lot for the help here. I edited the original photo in retribution

 

[rafaelpinto]

I am a little concerned about bottling. Mash temperature was around 150F and I kept primary fermentation at 70F for 3 weeks. Gravity started at 1085 and is now at 1025.

How will brett affect the gravity thing? Will it process any sort of sugar that US-5 wouldnt? Is there a chance of having a bottle bomb?

 

[JordanKnudson]

Brett *will* process sugars that regular brewer's yeast won't. I know everyone has suggested "drink it fast," but if your current gravity is 1.025 and the Brett is taking over, I would be concerned about it's continued activity in the bottles. Brett is a very slow eater when it comes to these other sugars, but still... The way I see it, you have two options (anyone else feel free to suggest others if I am missing them). You can either wait and let the Brett do its thing, which will take a pretty good amount of time -- think months (although you were planning on aging this anyway, so maybe that's not a problem). Or you can bottle, periodically check to see if the carbonation is to your liking, and as soon as it is, throw all those suckers in the refrigerator and get to work drinking them.

 

[WileECoyote]

you might could bring it up to alcohol boil temps hold for a few mins chill and reptich yeast.

?????????? No and No. heating will remove the alcohol, re-pitching yeast on a already fermented beer will do nothing, unless you are doing it to bottle carb it.

Cheers

 

[rafaelpinto]

Brett *will* process sugars that regular brewer's yeast won't. I know everyone has suggested "drink it fast," but if your current gravity is 1.025 and the Brett is taking over, I would be concerned about it's continued activity in the bottles. Brett is a very slow eater when it comes to these other sugars, but still... The way I see it, you have two options (anyone else feel free to suggest others if I am missing them). You can either wait and let the Brett do its thing, which will take a pretty good amount of time -- think months (although you were planning on aging this anyway, so maybe that's not a problem). Or you can bottle, periodically check to see if the carbonation is to your liking, and as soon as it is, throw all those suckers in the refrigerator and get to work drinking them.

Damn... Im screwed. Even if I keep temperature low (43-46F), brett will continue in activity?

 

[JordanKnudson]

Damn... Im screwed. Even if I keep temperature low (43-46F), brett will continue in activity?

Actually, I think the brett will probably stall at such a low temperature. So will your US-05, if it's still going. I actually don't think this would be an issue for you at all if you weren't going to bottle condition. (I still bottle all of my beer too, though). You need the yeast to be at least mildly active in the bottle in order to eat through the priming sugar and carbonate the beer. You just don't want it to keep eating and create bottle bombs. That's why I suggested, as one option, to bottle, keep a close eye on the carbonation level (crack a bottle open every couple of days after the first few days), and as soon as it gets to where you want it, put ALL of the bottles in the fridge/other cold storage.

Still, I would also be curious to just let the brett finish out prior to bottling. It could get you a really interesting beer (in a good way).

 

[GarageDweller]

leave it alone for another month and check the gravity again. if you bottle this at 1.025 with brett in it...you could be in for some fireworks. you must develop patience. for a RIS you were already expecting a longer fermentation period. Just put it away and brew another batch of something else in the mean time. don't over think this. more time is only going to reassure that you won't end up with bottle bombs. doing something to it right now, you could find out the hard way. plus you have no idea how much sugar to add to get the right volume of carbonation if the brett is going to continue to drop the SG. Don't gamble your safety on what someone else "thinks will probably happen".

Patience and RDWHAHB

 

[rafaelpinto]

Thank you for the replies, guys. Im decided to bottle half of the beer (checking carbonation as mentioned) and let brett take over with the other half (at room temperature, which in Brazil would mean around 77F, for two months or so).

Should work, yeah?

 

[GarageDweller]

good thinking. be sure to let us know how it turns out