Infection? TCP = RIP?

[FlimFlamFlo]

Does this look like trouble?

It tastes like it - back of the teeth TCP. Mostly smells of beer + a little medicine in the sample and when I lifted the lid for the pic.
I've never seen the flaky thing on the surface quite like this before - appropriately enough, it's Band Aid coloured and looks like it's peeling back from the surface.

I'm trying to work out whether or not it's over or under sterilization. Last thing in the fermenter was no rinse oxyclean - following a decent scrub-drain-rinse with bleach. But I'd kept a bag of grain in there when I moved house. Or maybe it's because the yeast was use by March 2017 and I pitched it on July 23rd? Took off fine but still.

Any point bottling? If it's infected, any thoughts on what it is?

Thanks very much :-)

[LordEoin]

The out of date shouldn't cause this, maybe a bit of off flavor but that's all as it's all boiled to bejaysus.
Most likely a bit of nasty in the tap, stir paddle, lid, etc or maybe something got in while it was chilling or something.
Some people will say hold onto it and it might get awesome, but I'd just dump it and move on.

[jawalemon]

I just drain poured a batch over the same thing. From speaking to a few lads here it could have been the chlorine in the water. Apparently there's extra in it during the summer


https://instagram.com/p/BXbS3b0njy9/


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[LordEoin]

I guess you should add a camden tablet to the next lot of brewing water so if you're confident that's the cause.
1 crushed tablet, added to your brewing water before you start anything. Give it a good stir to make sure it dissolves properly.

[Shanna]

I guess you should add a camden tablet to the next lot of brewing water so if you're confident that's the cause.
1 crushed tablet, added to your brewing water before you start anything. Give it a good stir to make sure it dissolves properly.

Standard advice is one tablet per 20 US gallons at least according to this link that also has a good explanation of the chemistry involved.

http://www.jimsbeerkit.co.uk/water_chlorine.htm

Shanna

[FlimFlamFlo]

Thanks everyone. I think I'll take Lord Eoin's advice and dump it. First infected batch in three years so can't complain 

Could be a good time to check the water though, just out of interest - using my own well in W Cork, so not likely to be an uptick in summer chlorine. I've brewed quite a few batches since moving here and this is the first time I've had a problem or any off flavours.

Also a good time to review my cleaning process.

Thanks again :-)

[CC]

i wouldn't completely rule out poor yeast viability... i had a similar issue on a batch with wl300.... some yeasts die at a quicker rate then others.... poor yeast viability will lead to acetone/higher alcohol off flavours- these smell and taste like nail polish remover or band aids...its an off flavour that comes at the end of the palate

if you get an infection due to poor sanitation it would most likely cause a much more severe off flavour that would make it taste very wrong...

maybe see if you could get a judge to smell or taste a sample and get their thoughts on what the problem is

[FlimFlamFlo]

Thanks for that - it's long gone down the drain but I should have thought to wave it past someone more in the know. When I took the lid off the fv, the small was a lot more full-on, so I'm thinking I slipped up in the sanitizing.

The yeast took off like a rocket, despite its age. Had a great krausen as well. The sg was moving along as you'd expect too, right up to the day I ditched it.

Oh well. Nothing worse than having to ditch a batch :-(

[belfastjacko]

I've got a similar strong tcp smell coming from my latest batch, I used bottled water for the first time ever, but I know my temp control was a bit off (got a bit too cold for the first 24hrs)

I kegged it last weekend, and I never threw out the "dregs" and the gunk at the bottom of the FV, pure laziness. Anyway today I went into the garage and my gunk is bubbling away like a witches cauldron. The beer that's kegged was checked using the hydrometer and is pretty spot on what it should be. I'll report back on taste