Have been brewing one specific IPA using Wyeast 1318 for about a year. The most recent batch was 20bbl and it was perfect. Suddenly the last 2 batches have developed an extreme phenolic smell and taste. Nothing has changed in the brewhouse and other beers not using 1318 have been consistent without issue. Everything is cleaned and sanitized after use as always, no changes to our water or procedure or cooling system. Looked at everything we can think of. Suggestions??
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Strange Wyeast 1318 issue.
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Well I think you are suspecting infection based off your post, so there is no need to go off on a tangent about sanitation. Do the obvious tear everything down, clean and sanitize. Other things to take note: are you using a chlorine based sanitizer or has your water source changed recently? Chlorine is a pretty big culprit, it can bind with phenols produced by yeast to produce chlorophenols which can come off as plastic. A carbon filter will strip out any chlorine or chloramines from your water. Alternatively you can "boil" off any volatile chlorine by leaving your HLT exposed as you are heating your water for a brew day, and get rid of chloramines with additions of Potassium Metabisulfite to you HLT for your brew water.
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Edit: I just saw that you said there weren't any changes to water... my bad!Last edited by BroadWay411; 09-25-2017, 11:23 AM.
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Originally posted by BroadWay411 View PostYour city can change their water source though based off different variables and their procedures. It's always a smart move to ask for a water report from them annually.
Regards,
Mike Sharp
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Thanks for the suggestions however, we have checked with the city water department and nothing has been changed, we use Bru-R-Ez and its not chlorine based. As to cleaning, we do strip everything down and have even passivated all the stainless. I would suspect a possible infection, but we use the same tanks for other beers each week and have only had an issue with this one beer. I honestly suspect our starter method but again, its the same for all beers. Strange, I'm thinking demonic possession.
Thanks though.
Geoff
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Get better chems
Aloha,
I highly suggest investing in industrial strength cleaners and sanitizers. Bru-R-EZ doesn't quite pack the punch that a proper caustic can provide. You can also contact Dana at Birko or Dirk at Loeffler and they can both point you in the right direction of appropriate chems and procedures for your specific situation. Do you use plastic fermenters or any plastic pieces? Swapping to stainless will make everything easier to clean and more repeatable. Best of luck!
- Kevin W.
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Originally posted by Gambrinus64 View PostAloha,
I highly suggest investing in industrial strength cleaners and sanitizers. Bru-R-EZ doesn't quite pack the punch that a proper caustic can provide. You can also contact Dana at Birko or Dirk at Loeffler and they can both point you in the right direction of appropriate chems and procedures for your specific situation. Do you use plastic fermenters or any plastic pieces? Swapping to stainless will make everything easier to clean and more repeatable. Best of luck!
- Kevin W.
Thanks
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