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Off brews in PET bottles after 2-3 months?


RepSpec

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I don't soak anything in starsan. It's a contact sanitiser so it's unnecessary, and while the stuff is cheap as chips it's still wasting it IMO. 

With the percarbonate for cleaning, I just soak the fermenters in it. Bottles I used to fill individually and soak upright, if you just throw them in a tub of water they get air pockets in them, plus I could fit more in the tub with them upright. Crown seals had nothing done to them at all as they are single use. Other bits and pieces were generally rinsed and sprayed with starsan but I would soak them in percarbonate as required. 

I've been using this percarbonate and starsan routine for years and not had one infection other than a cube, but that was before it even got to a fermenter. I have soaked my grain bag in chlorine bleach once or twice when I got a bit lax with cleaning it, but always rinsed and dried in the sun afterwards. 

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7 minutes ago, BlackSands said:

Ah yes, there's that too.  I guess like some, I'm just a little apprehensive about using bleach...    

I am too unless it's absolutely necessary, however if the equipment is rinsed and allowed to completely dry, the chlorine is gone. Still not enough to make me change from my current process though.

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34 minutes ago, BlackSands said:

Ah yes, there's that too.  I guess like some, I'm just a little apprehensive about using bleach...    

Used it to clean up my 100 or so PETs initially, which I would run through the process every 2nd or 3rd fill. Now I do all my glass every time now because it is so easy to do at first rinse.

I've never had a phenolic/bandaid  problem in last 50 or so batches, even though I almost exclusively use the susceptible US-05 yeast.

Of course, after the bleach soak, the bottles go to storage awaiting pre bottling sanitisation with Phosphoric Acid (Stellasan).

Cheers

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2 hours ago, Otto Von Blotto said:

I don't soak anything in starsan. It's a contact sanitiser so it's unnecessary, and while the stuff is cheap as chips it's still wasting it IMO. 

With the percarbonate for cleaning, I just soak the fermenters in it. Bottles I used to fill individually and soak upright, if you just throw them in a tub of water they get air pockets in them, plus I could fit more in the tub with them upright. Crown seals had nothing done to them at all as they are single use. Other bits and pieces were generally rinsed and sprayed with starsan but I would soak them in percarbonate as required. 

I've been using this percarbonate and starsan routine for years and not had one infection other than a cube, but that was before it even got to a fermenter. I have soaked my grain bag in chlorine bleach once or twice when I got a bit lax with cleaning it, but always rinsed and dried in the sun afterwards. 

When you soaked PET's, did you do up the caps or leave the caps off?

I'm guessing the Perc turning to oxygen will pressurize the bottles and possible cause a bottle bomb?


Thanks, Mitch.

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well just cracked on and for a moment i was worried it was the same... but thankfully this one seems ok.

but im wondering if the hop flavours have faded, leaving more of a bitterness to the beer 🤔?

its almost like a slight peppery taste (similar to what i got from Melba hops)

This used

10g mosaic @ 10mins

20g mosaic and galaxy @ f/o 80c start temp for 20min

then dry hop of 20-40g each

Still drinkable...have to try the other one soon 🍻

 

IMG_20190417_163902.jpg

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Looks like a nice beer, Repspec.

Late hops fade after 2-3 weeks, and sometimes you need this time and more when making kits'n'bits, to allow the beer to meld.

To reduce bitterness, and 'perceived' bitterness, I have been reducing the hop load, and pushing it further back in the boil and post boil, not introducing FO addition until down closer to 80c.

Like you I am still looking for the fruity/floral punch. 

The answer is load late and drink early, which is a dichotomy IMHO, when doing kits or kits'n'bits, due to green beer or melding.

Lusty, will have better advice.

Cheers

 

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Thanks mate

funny you talk about the fruity/floral punch...the other beer i was worried about was a citra galaxy apa beer...

Turns out this one is ok as well...🤔 could just have been an off night for me or something...who knows. Could also have been a couple of bad bottles. Guess more research is needed...

But this one...wow...talk about your fruit punch style of beer. Smells and taste like it belong in the "golden circle" 1ltr juice packs!

 

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Not had any problem with pretty much a similar regime to Otto. Rinse three times after use. Soak in perc day or two before filling. Scrub if necessary then rinse. Starsan and fill. I don't usually dry them overnight because I don't have a bottle tree or something. No problems with months old brews.

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