Infected Tank

[shults]

I have a 110 gallon polyethylene fermenter, and I´m getting some really off flavors on my beer. I think that it may be due to a bacterial infection in the tank. What is the best way to clean it? Can I acid wash polyethylene?

[South County]

Are you sure its the tank, what about hx, hoses, clamps, etc... Or what about the yeast itself, under pitched, stressed, ferment temp to high, etc.... What kind of off flavors?

[fa50driver]

Ditto South Country. Send a sample to a lab to confirm the infection. If infection is confirmed, then take samples throughout your process (pre hx, post hx, post transfer to fermenter, post yeast pitching) to determine where the infection is coming from.

Unsure of how to sterilize poly. I gave up on plastic when I had my first infection fermenting in 5 gallon buckets.

[fa50driver]

BTW, The folks at BSI, where I purchase my yeast, have told me that heat is the best method to kill many infections, especially if there is any type of biofilm accumulation. Not sure what Poly can take, but I often fill my stainless fermenters with 180 degree water to sanitize them. Heat penetrates all of the nooks and crannies that sanitizers may not be able to get to. There are schedules of heat vs time so figure out what your poly can take and then utilize a heat schedule accordingly.


Straight from the BSI handbook (http://www.brewingscience.com/PDF/BS...b_handbook.pdf)

Sterilizing Time vs. Temperature
The system (not the liquid running through it!) must be kept at:

160ºF (71ºC) for 45 minutes
170ºF (77ºC) for 30 minutes
180ºF (82ºC) for 25 minutes

[shults]

Thanks

Thanks for all the tips. One problem I have here learning to brew in larger volumes without much support (I´m in Mexico) is that I don´t understand a lot of the abbreviations used on Probrewer.com. What is hx? and is there someplace where I could study these type of abbs. for brewing?

[timbro81]

HX or HTX = heat exchanger

[GlacierBrewing]

Thanks for all the tips. One problem I have here learning to brew in larger volumes without much support (I´m in Mexico) is that I don´t understand a lot of the abbreviations used on Probrewer.com. What is hx? and is there someplace where I could study these type of abbs. for brewing?

A lot of forum posters use abbreviations or slang unique to probrewer's conversations. If there is something you don't understand just post a question.

Prost!
Dave

[BigWilley]

I would never have enough hot water to fill a fermenter with 180F! You could always set up a loop with your kettle and run a really hot extended CIP which should accomplish the same thing.

[dick murton]

I wouldn't use hot water on a plastic FV - it is liable to warp if unsupported. Even if this is purely as a lining to say a wooden vessel, the heat might soften it, and make things worse longer term. Sugest using peractic acid, or hypochlorite at say 100 ppm max for half an hour (and rinse off thoroughly afterwards with sterile water). As already stated - there are a multitude of ways to infect wort, so everything between the wort kettle and the FV has to be sterilised before wort transfer - heat or chemicals appropriiate to the materials. Also don't forget your cold rinse water may not be sterile - so you may introduce bugs in the rinse water. In which case, though I prefer not to - low concentration PAA or chlorine dioxide treated water.

And of course the yeast may be infected, though if using reputable dried yeast the yeast itself is unlikely to be a problem, but the mixing up etc...

[ParishBrewingCo]

What did you sanitize the poly fermenter with?