WEIRD Smell from last batch

[girthmccoy]

I have been brewing the booch for a few years now. I have my process down pretty well, and I finally got the flavoring down. Go me.

Yesterday I popped the top on my fermenter and the batch I just made smelled really off. The closest thing I can relate it to is old wet, rusty metal. Also, my 3.5 SS BrewBusket ended up having a strange hazy discoloration when i drained it.

Has anyone ever experienced this, or seen a thread talking about it? My best guess is that I did not passivate the steel well enough, and the acidity of the booch oxidized it, subsequently creating the odor.

 

[rushpapers]

Sounds like brettanomyces has become strong in your batch. It's normally in there but may have become stronger than the other strains. You may want to try a yeast nutrient.

Kombucha is about balance. When you have a process that produces desirable results, you need to reproduce it ever time and cut out variables. You need quality instruments (pH meter, thermometer, scales) and meticulous sanitation, testing, and record keeping.