Infection frequency?

[MHD]

How often have people had their batch infected??? (Or how many people have had an infected batch?)

[Oliver]

Never, that I know of.

I've brewed some ordinary beers, but I don't reckon they were infected.

In my humble opinion, the chances of infection are slight, provided you sanitise properly.

Oliver

[flosso]

I'm pretty sure my current batch has - I think it is a result of culturing a yeast and pitching it before it was ready. Out of about 10 brews that's the 1st infection.

[Apprentice Brewmaster]

I've done about 10 brews too, no infections here.

Hope i haven't jinxed myself.

Bring on the nasties, and they shall taste the wrath of my sanitiser!

[silkworm]

Its been 3 years now with no infections that I know of or that can be seen/tasted.
Touch the belly of Budda none shall pass my sanitiser Amen.

[Hashie]

12 years of brewing and not a single infection.

Says a lot for plain old hot water for sterilising.

[Mackers]

209 brews and 3 thrown away due to infection. All 3 occurred while I was posted to Perth. Water quality wasn't flash and I had a heap of trouble keeping the temperature down, In the end I threw away the fermenter and spoon and bought new ones. That solved the problem! Never had a problem in Vic. I use (concrete) tank rainwater.

[Apprentice Brewmaster]

12 years of brewing and not a single infection.

I want figures like this

[Tyberious Funk]

No infections yet in any of my brews... although, strangely I had an infection in the AIRLOCK once. A black mould started to grow in the airlock. Sadly, I though the entire brew was infected and tipped it out. As it was gurgling down the sink, I realised that the brew itself looked, smelled and tasted perfectly fine.

[yardglass]

I though the entire brew was infected and tipped it out. As it was gurgling down the sink, I realised that the brew itself looked, smelled and tasted perfectly fine.

NEVER throw away beer, I thought one of mine was a goner.

turned out to be one of the nicest.

yg

[Tyberious Funk]

I though the entire brew was infected and tipped it out. As it was gurgling down the sink, I realised that the brew itself looked, smelled and tasted perfectly fine.

NEVER throw away beer, I thought one of mine was a goner.

turned out to be one of the nicest.

yg

Yes, well... I know that now. I tasted some of the dregs in the bottom of the fermenter, and wept over the magnificent beer I had just lost. But I was young and naive. How was I to know?

Some lessons have to be learnt the hard way.

[yardglass]

too true TF,

put an old head on young shoulders......

yg

[gregb]

Never had a brew that I could identify as infected. Had some that I tipped away due to misadventure ( the airlock grommet fell in) or others that were just a bad idea from the start (raw sugar) or too much of a good thing 12g of Cinnamon in the primary, or just simply optimistic (Cascade kits)

Cheers,
Greg.

[MHD]

Wow... this sounds good... A lot more optimistic then

[Dogger Dan]

17 years no infections

have had a round with chlorophenols that I was putting down to infections.

lost 3 beers before I got the issue solved, late stage phenolics as I switched over to all grains

Dogger

[pharmaboy]

reading this makes me wonder whether we go a little overboard with "sanitation" generally. In 20 or so brews on this run no infections, nor when i last home brewed which was probably 50 or so and I use bleach when a fermenter has been open for a while, or just hot water from the tap when going from one brew to the next (try and do 5 or 6 in a row then rest for a couple of months.

FWIW, my old man who has been brewing for 30 odd years, open ferments, then racks (same containers for all that time), the open fermenter is a plastic garbage bin, reckons he has had one infection, and maybe a couple slightly infected.

Good water supply, little infection risk i reckon, Adel, Perth country towns maybe moreso.

[yardglass]

i have an old mate who open top brews, always Pale Ale and always hot water sanitation.

he drinks like a fish but still brews enough to have 2/3 mth old beer in his glass.

( a monumental effort, believe me ).

he doth scoffeth at my sanitation lark.

anyway the point is, i think, we probably do stress too much over sanitation, ( don't start ), most likely a lot of the off flavours are due to high temps, water quality etc.

i could be wrong tho'
yard

[Lebowski]

I've never actually seen an infection.. but a couple of my brews have tasted pretty damn bad

[Cheeno]

I think everyone agrees that cleanliness is a good idea but taking it to an almost clinical is simply beyond most h/brewers. Personally I find it hard enough to mix liquids of two differnt temps. and have get it to 22C when the amb temp. is not 22C.
All we can do is show the gods of brewing that we are serious enough about the end result by providing a happy starting point from which (hopefully) our brews spring to life.
Sorry to get all new-agey on y'all but I find a little mysticism helps make washing everything go a bit faster.

[undercover1]

Never had one, in 20 years brewing & 100s of batches...made some crap beer, & capped a few badly, but never seen beasties in the fermenter. Maybe I don't look hard enough.