Infection

[melykabeer]

Hey Guys

Over my few years of brewing extracts I have had 3-4 batches that have this strange off flavour. Its not overpowering but is one of the main flavours in the beer. I am not 100% sure if its an infection but i dont know what else it would be. I have had it in completely different brews. Lately 2 brews in a row where I reused the us-05 yeast from 1cup of yeast cake.

The first a basic coopers aus pale ale with 1kg ldme lots of citra hops in boil, fameout and dry hopped. The second a aus pale ale with 500gm honey, 1kg ldme chinook for bittering and cluster at flameout no dry hopping. The second batch has this off flavour even stronger, only bottled it tuesday so was going with how it taste and smells out of the fermenter. All ingredients boiled except the flameout and dry hopping.

Neither beers over attenuated they brewed down to around 1010-1011 are not overcarbonated. Did not have any floaties or anything abnormal in the fermenter. With these conditions could it possibly be an infection?

One more point I was using old hops I would say a year in the freezer in sealed zip lock bags.

If anyone is willing and farmilar with minor infected beers I am happy to post a bottle to you.

I will put a couple of bottles in the fridge to try this weekend and hopefully be able to explain what I taste.

[melykabeer]

Out of palmers list of off flavours this is the closest I beleive to the off flavour

Medicinal
These flavors are often described as mediciney, Band-Aidâ„¢ like, or can be spicy like cloves. The cause are various phenols which are initially produced by the yeast. Chlorophenols result from the reaction of chlorine-based sanitizers (bleach) with phenol compounds and have very low taste thresholds. Rinsing with boiled water after sanitizing is the best way to prevent these flavors.

Maybe time I drop the bleach and goto starsan.

[warra48]

I believe bleach is useful after an infection, but it needs repeated rinsing with boiling water to disperse it all.

Much easier to use a no rinse sanitiser such as StarSan for your normal sanitising requirements.

[squirt in the turns]

Starsan rocks. You really can't go wrong with it and you need so little to make the solution that a bottle will last years. Just DO NOT leave the bottle on any surface you care about - any spillage or residue of neat Starsan will literally eat into worktops. I was convinced I'd lose my deposit on the last place I rented due to Starsan damage (didn't though).

[warra48]

One other thing, 1 year old hops kept in sealed ziplock bags won't be a contributor to your perceived problems. They will be perfectly fine.

[melykabeer]

My only concern is I have been using bleach for years now and have only had this come out in 3 batches. All of which happen to be US-05 maybe that yeast strain is more sensitive to bleach. Maybe I accidently used twice as much bleach or something.
Thanks for the tips on starsan I usually spill everything everywhere, does it stain clothing too?

[melykabeer]

Also quick starsan question Warra how do you go about sanatising your bottles in bulk?

[warra48]

Also quick starsan question Warra how do you go about sanatising your bottles in bulk?

Starsan is an acid based sanitiser.
You only need to use 1.5 mil per litre of water to make up an effective solution.
I keep a spray bottle of the solution handy for all casual sanitising, for example after drawing a hydro sample from the tap, I'll give the tap a quick spray with the solution.

When I bottle, I make up about 1 litre of solution, and just pour a little into each bottle. I then shake the solution around in the bottle and drain it. The bottles will usually be left with some foam in it, and a couple of minutes will see them all sanitised effectively. I again tip each bottle up to drain what's left of the solution, then prime the bottles. The solution that's left can be used again, and I usually use it to sanitise all my gear for the next batch. It will remain effective, but I usually discard it after that, as it's really very economical with the small amount used in dilution.

The minute amount of sanitiser left in the bottles is no problem, after all, it's a No Rinse sanitiser. No need to do anything else, no need to rinse, no need to use boiling water etc etc. Too easy.

[melykabeer]

Thanks for the tips Warra I have some starsan on its way.

I have been rinsing the bleach sanitising solution off afterwards now and have not had the flavour in the 5 brews I have done since.

[Bum]

Those bottle washer pump things are really good for this too. It's all I use mine for.