Beer Forum

Well, I knew it was going to happen eventually. I brewed a Marzen for Octoberfest back in Late August. Everything went as planned and after fermentation was complete I tasted the batch. Nice. I was looking forward to share a great tasting beer with everyone. I transferred it to a secondary to larger for the next few weeks. A couple weeks into largering I noticed a strange haze on the surface. I got worried, but thought ah, it's nothing. A week ago, prior to kegging for the party, I opened the cooler and low and behold the haze on the surface turned into a semi gelatinous 2 inch ooze and the smell...um, can you say, BAD. With tears in my eyes and a litany of four letter words, down the drain it went.

I normally brew in my kitchen (I should say my wife lets me brew in her kitchen). However, just got my brewery moved to my garage and had done the transfer there. Looking back on it I had a total lapse in sanitation for the transfer. Must have been too many home brews! My cooler utilizes a converted a/c unit and it was on and blowing. Like a total idiot, I did the transfer directly in the path of the airflow. I can hear everyone yelling at me now, Sanitation, Sanitation! Ya, OK, shut the fuck up . I already said I was an idiot and did it to myself. So for everyone out there who may think to themselves, I've never had any sanitation issues. Don't do what I did. PAY ATTENTION! Beer, specially home crafted beer, is a terrible thing to waste.

Cheers,

Bill

Sorry for your loss

Next time skip the "secondary" and transfer right to a keg for lagering. When you're ready to serve, transfer to a new keg and carb it up.