warra48 wrote:Often the cause of an off taste or infection is something really small and easily overlooked, and it can take you some time to track it down.
I had an issue with infections in some of my brews about 2 years ago. Although I brew AG, I eventually tracked it down to two things:
1. The little bottler thingy has a small rubber washer on the end of the prong inside the spring end which acts as a bottling valve. Mine had accumulated gunk, which had obviously collected over a period of time. I now totally dismantle all components of the bottler valve, clean and sanitise them.
2. I was using Bundaberg ginger beer bottles, with the original metal screw type tops. I don't think I was ever really able to properly clean the bottles and tops to a proper sanitary state. I no longer use them.
These two things resolved my infection issues.
One other thing is that I changed the tap on my kettle. I used to use a normal ½" ball valve one piece tap. That was until I boiled it one time, and when I wiggled the handle back and forth, some disgusting crud spurted out.
Now I use a SS 3 piece ball valve. It is dismantled after every use, and it is surprising how much crud gets captured in the inner workings of the valve. This crud can't be got rid of by rinsing a one piece valve, hence the 3 piece valve. Well worth the investment.
One other thing. When did you last dissemble the taps on your fermenter? Yes, you can dissemble them. All you need is a piece of dowel, open the tap about half way, insert the dowel, take firm hold of the tap, and give it a sharp firm tap on your work bench. It should come apart allowing you to clean it.
Hope you resolve your issues Anna.
Thanks Warra. I don't think the infection comes from the bottling, because the last "weird" brew tasted funny straight from the fermenter
before bottling. You could be right about the tap on the fermenter though - I'll take it apart like you suggested 'cause it does look a bit stained inside (even though I sanitise that along with everything else). I've got a feeling my "brilliant idea" of putting the fermenters in the bath tub filled halfway with water might be the culprit - I spray my hair every morning right next to the bath and maybe the hairspray falling into the water could be the culprit? Pretty out there eh?
Needless to say, since the last "infection" I don't put the fermenters in the bath anymore - they are now in cooler bags in the study, which works great. Haven't bottled these yet, so if the next 2 turn out all right, I'll know that was the problem (oh, unless it was just old extract, like the Doc suggested....)
