I posted on the Grain forum last month that I'd had a brew go off - fine until the 2nd week in the fermenter when it went rapidly (or should that be rabidly!) downhill and ended up going down the drain. I'd taken a yeast sample 3 days into fermentation when everything seemed OK. Although I had to bin the brew the sample smelled fine when capping off and storing.
Will it be obvious when making up a starter with it whether it's OK or not - very reluctant to risk losing another 5 gallons - ever again!
Is it worth the risk?
Re: Is it worth the risk?
Not worth the risk IMHO. For instance, a sourdough "mother" is easy to keep (it's a balance of yeast and wanted lactobacillus) the sample you took could be a balance of yeast and unwanted lactobacillus.
I brew therefore I ... I .... forget
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McMullan
Re: Is it worth the risk?
Definitely not. Chances are it was a problem with the yeast anyway. If the beer was fine for 2 weeks then went bad, I'd guess the yeast, for whatever reason, couldn't cope with the alcohol. Either that or you've been very unlucky. Don't risk it, it's just yeast. Start afresh 
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Meatymc
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Re: Is it worth the risk?
I know you're right - just hoping to rescue something - anything from a rather depressing but hopefully not repeated experience! Hey ho!!
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Rookie
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Re: Is it worth the risk?
I have once managed to reuse a yeast in the same circumstances. Try the taste test before pitching into a starter. If the infection occured after taking the sample you should be ok. Having said that if a new sample of the strain is readily available just buy it. In my case it was not so I took a chanceMeatymc wrote: ↑Tue Mar 06, 2018 5:48 pmI posted on the Grain forum last month that I'd had a brew go off - fine until the 2nd week in the fermenter when it went rapidly (or should that be rabidly!) downhill and ended up going down the drain. I'd taken a yeast sample 3 days into fermentation when everything seemed OK. Although I had to bin the brew the sample smelled fine when capping off and storing.
Will it be obvious when making up a starter with it whether it's OK or not - very reluctant to risk losing another 5 gallons - ever again!
"You're not drunk if you can lie on the floor without holding on." Dean Martin
1. Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, thoroughly used, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming... "f*ck, what a trip
It's better to lose time with friends than to lose friends with time (Portuguese proverb)
Be who you are
Because those that mind don't matter
And those that matter don't mind
1. Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, thoroughly used, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming... "f*ck, what a trip
It's better to lose time with friends than to lose friends with time (Portuguese proverb)
Be who you are
Because those that mind don't matter
And those that matter don't mind
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Meatymc
- Drunk as a Skunk
- Posts: 848
- Joined: Mon Sep 01, 2014 8:36 pm
- Location: Northallerton, North Yorkshire
Re: Is it worth the risk?
Hi guys, sorry for the delayed reply.
The simple answer is no - couldn't pin it down to anything specific. Having said that, it wasn't in the brew fridge - that was tied up with the damned Kolsch my daughters had me brewing. I've done several brews though where I've had to rely on our utility - nice and small with the boiler in situ - and not had a problem. I can only really say 'familiarity breeds comtempt' and just got lazy.
Done 2 brews since without a problem. However, if I haven't improved my sanitising 'regime' enough the Porter in the fridge will find me out - transferred to secondary with 2KG of heat-treated frozen 'Wonky Berry Fruit' from Morrisons. What a bloody mess that was!!
The simple answer is no - couldn't pin it down to anything specific. Having said that, it wasn't in the brew fridge - that was tied up with the damned Kolsch my daughters had me brewing. I've done several brews though where I've had to rely on our utility - nice and small with the boiler in situ - and not had a problem. I can only really say 'familiarity breeds comtempt' and just got lazy.
Done 2 brews since without a problem. However, if I haven't improved my sanitising 'regime' enough the Porter in the fridge will find me out - transferred to secondary with 2KG of heat-treated frozen 'Wonky Berry Fruit' from Morrisons. What a bloody mess that was!!