Strange Throat Swelling when using Stainless Steel

[jmcrider]

I am having a very unique problem. I started brewing at my office about a year ago. In the last 3 months I have upgraded to Stainless Steel Blichman Ferminators, as well as Kegco 5 gal. Homebrew kegs. When I taste the beer from the Stainless steel, at any time after the initial fermentation, a strange swelling occurs in the throat. There is no airway restriction happening, only difficulty swallowing and pressure on the throat right where the adam's apple is.

I started brewing batches in my original glass carboys in the same manner I would the Blichmann. No issues at all, as long as I bottle. But once I put the finished beer into a keg, I get the exact same problem with throat swelling.

What is happening here? Any ideas? I use PBW to clean all equipment and rinse completely. I use Starsan as a soak sanitizer in the recommended 1 oz. to 5 Gallon Ratio. I am not allergic to beer or hops or anything of the sort. Again, when I have the beers that are fermented in glass, I have no issues. This is clearly something that is happening when they touch Stainless.

So far only one other person has tried any of these beers. He sipped before I did and noticed the swelling first. I thought he was crazy until I felt it too.

 

[stevehardt]

I have no idea what this could be...if a friend is reporting a similar issue clearly something is wrong.

Did this only happen with a single batch?

 

[chocotaco]

Can you isolate it to either the fermentors or the kegs? As long as the effect doesn't seem dangerous, try brewing a batch in the ferminator and then racking to a carboy or bottling bucket and bottling it. If you don't get the effect, try fermenting in a carboy and then kegging. If one of those but not the other gives you the issue, you'll know where it's coming from and can take more specific action. If both do, then yeah I dunno.

 

[Rhumbline]

I have no idea. I did have a similar response to increased stress. Is there any chance that this could be coincidental?

I certainly feel for you, I've been there.

 

[beergolf]

Thatbis strange because all commercial beer is fermented in stainless tanks.

It has to be something else. Maybe you have an infection in the tank.

 

[IslandLizard]

Can you isolate it to either the fermentors or the kegs? As long as the effect doesn't seem dangerous, try brewing a batch in the ferminator and then racking to a carboy or bottling bucket and bottling it. If you don't get the effect, try fermenting in a carboy and then kegging. If one of those but not the other gives you the issue, you'll know where it's coming from and can take more specific action. If both do, then yeah I dunno.

I'd say this points it to the kegs, at least:

I started brewing batches in my original glass carboys in the same manner I would the Blichmann. No issues at all, as long as I bottle. But once I put the finished beer into a keg, I get the exact same problem with throat swelling.

Are those kegs (including lids, valves, o-rings, etc.) really clean? Were they used for other things? Does the beer taste funny in any way? Something in the beer or gas lines? CO2 cylinder?

 

[okiedog]

You could try using a different sanitizer like Iodophor. Do you rinse out the StarSan before using either your SS fermentor or keg? I use StarSan as a sanitizer in kegs, but always give them a good rinse with boiled water before filling with beer.