15 replies to this topic

[54BelAir]

I think I may be exposing my fermenting beer to the open air too much. What do you all think.Here are my basic procedures:1. Transfer cooled wort to 5 gallon carboy and attach blowoff hose.2. Blow off into bucket of sanitizer.3. When foaming subsides remove hose & attach fermentation lock.4. When fermentation slows rack to secondary 5 gal carboy.Am I exposing my beer to the open air too much? I have a batch that tastes like ass right now, and I think that I must have contaminated it somehow even though I have been careful to sanitize thouroughly.SOrry for rambling I am several deep in Bell's Expedition Stout now.

[BarelyBrews]

I pour my cooled wort through a screen(fine mesh) and then aerate. I almost always use an airlock unless its a really big beer and im expecting a massive fermentation . I don't rack till secondary myself for atleast ten days, let the yeast continue to clean up more. I don't see any oxygenation concerns myself with your pattern if im reading it correctly. The short answer i would have is NO your not over exposing to oxygen. Enjoy that expedition stout

[Dave McG]

You only mention a small window of your procedures, and "tastes like ass" doesn't give us much to go on. What you have done sounds good. Some may nitpick about it not being neccesary to change out a blowoff tube or a secondary, but these don't point to a problem unless your sanitation is poor at these steps. You didn't mention oxygenating your wort in any way either. However, I think the main problem you are having is that you don't mention pitching any yeast.

[ChefLamont]

The change over from blow-off to air lock should not be any deal at all. If you are at all worried about that (which I wouldnt be) change it over near the end of fermentation when it is still bubbling at the once every few seconds rate. There will be enough activity to push the very small amount of air/O2 out.I would agree with the consider not doing secondary comment. I quit a couple of years ago. However, if you are transferring all of your beers to secondary with roughly the same procedure, the off-flavor you are getting should be somewhat consistent. This one being particularly off (assey) makes me wonder if it is something else. Agreed. Please try to characterize or describe the off flavor better. That will be a key.

[Stout_fan]

Your process sounds OK. I'd look elsewhere.Oxidation will just show up like a cardboard/sherry taste.Could it be an infection?

[54BelAir]

Lesson 1...Don't drink and post.A little more background. I cooled the wort, strained through a fine mesh and shook to aerate the wort. I had trouble getting the yeast going, so I pitched again after 3 days. Discussion here https://www.brews-br...-advice-needed/ Once fermentation really got going, I noticed a strong sulfur smell. Although fermentation isn't complete the fermenting beer has a very strong skunky / sour taste. I think this batch is gone and I will probably dump it. I figure I must have contaminated it somehow.All of the opening and closing that I did makes me think, which leads me to my original question. How much should I be mucking around with my beer once the system is closed. Carboy + Blowoff + sanitizer bucket is a closed system, should I stop here? Pulling the tube and adding the lock runs a risk of contamination, should I stop here, and not rack to the secondary. I was listening to a podcast on TBN with Jamil and Palmer where they said that they do not rack to a secondary on their ales unless dry hopping, or adding fruit. I think I am just paranoid. My first batch went south, and I would rather not have a repeat performance.Paralysis by analysis? Probably.

[Jimmy James]

I would limit the blow-off tube to batches that need it only - although if you're fermenting 5 gal batches in a 5 gal carboy that's probably every batch. In that case I'd invest in a larger carboy for primary - at least 6.0 gal, 6.5 is even better. Blow-off tubes can be kept sanitary for sure, but I think there's more risk than with an airlock if the tube doesn't make a very good fit in the carboy neck or it isn't 100% submerged on the other end, or if it has scratches inside and is harboring bacteria or wild yeast.

[denny]

I would limit the blow-off tube to batches that need it only

What's the reasoning? I use a blowoff tube on every single batch, even though I seldom get blowoff. I leave it on the entire primary fermentation. I can't see how that would be a problem and I can't recall ever having had a problem I would attribute to the practice.

[54BelAir]

What's the reasoning? I use a blowoff tube on every single batch, even though I seldom get blowoff. I leave it on the entire primary fermentation. I can't see how that would be a problem and I can't recall ever having had a problem I would attribute to the practice.

This is my first batch in a very long time, but IIRC we always need a blowoff with the 5 gal carboys. Denny, How often do you rack to secondary? Does it just depend on the style you are brewing?

[denny]

Denny, How often do you rack to secondary? Does it just depend on the style you are brewing?

I let the beer make the decision for me. After 2-3 weeks in primary, I take a look at how it's clearing. If it's not cleared at that point, I rack to a secondary. My feeling is that there's something about the physical agitation of moving the beer that makes it drop bright. I could be totally wrong on that, but that's how it seems to work for me.

[chuck_d]

Based on your describing a sour taste in the beer before it was done fermenting I'd take a look at sanitation. That is my guess at the culprit here. Be anal about sanitation practices and then swapping out a blow-off hose for an airlock should be a non-issue. Make sure you thoroughly sanitize anything that has the possibility of contacting your chilled wort and beyond.

[Jimmy James]

What's the reasoning? I use a blowoff tube on every single batch, even though I seldom get blowoff. I leave it on the entire primary fermentation. I can't see how that would be a problem and I can't recall ever having had a problem I would attribute to the practice.

My reasoning is that I've seen blow-off tubes that don't really seal off the carboy or that don't stay fully submerged in sanitizer on the other end. Airlocks are easier for me since they seal off the fermentation - nothing is getting in there. I am sure blow-off tubes can be rigged to keep bugs out but I've seen them in use in people's garages and stuff where I'm looking at it thinking there's no way that beer isn't getting sick! At any rate, my main point was that a 5 gal primary carboy seems way too small for primary fermentation.

[djinkc]

Fermentation had a slow start and this beer was brewed about 2 weeks ago? Too soon to worry IMO unless it tastes gawdawful.........

[Dean Palmer]

What's the reasoning? I use a blowoff tube on every single batch, even though I seldom get blowoff. I leave it on the entire primary fermentation. I can't see how that would be a problem and I can't recall ever having had a problem I would attribute to the practice.

Same here. I'd even say that once you stop screwing with those little airlock devices you'll be a happier brewer :-) A blowoff tube is just another type of airlock, the type that doesn't have the downsides of the little gadgets.As for the fermentation, once you know it is happening, leave the damn thing alone for a few weeks and let it finish in peace and quiet The problem the OP has might have multiple causes, but because it is the typical "first batch" I'd suggest going over the process and looking at where some details may have been missed such as sanitation and handling. Just opening the fermenter isn't usually a big danger for contamination or oxidation for many reasons, but it should be avoided anyway. He didn't mention how chilling was achieved, and didn't mention what type of "fine mesh" the beer was strained through into the fermenter. Chilling and straining are really big danger areas to examine. So many more thoughts, but my guess is just process errors due to the excitement of the first batch. Good luck on the next one!

[denny]

My reasoning is that I've seen blow-off tubes that don't really seal off the carboy or that don't stay fully submerged in sanitizer on the other end. Airlocks are easier for me since they seal off the fermentation - nothing is getting in there. I am sure blow-off tubes can be rigged to keep bugs out but I've seen them in use in people's garages and stuff where I'm looking at it thinking there's no way that beer isn't getting sick! At any rate, my main point was that a 5 gal primary carboy seems way too small for primary fermentation.

AFAIK, germs don't climb up a blowoff tube! All I can tell you is that in hundreds of batches I've never had a problem that I could trace to using a blowoff. I agree that a 5 gal. fermenter is too small for a 5 gal. batch, though.