Repeated infection (?) problem

[Matt]

Your help needed please gents,

I've detected an astringency in my batch of TEA which has recently been kegged. This will be the fourth batch that appears to be infected.

I have noticed that my fermentation fridge smells of sort of sour lemons. I have cleaned it several times right out with vwp but about a week into primary the smell returns.

My last three ales have picked up a citrussy kind of astringency. All have been fine on bottling/kegging but the problem seems to gradually develop. The fourth was fine at racking to secondary but FUBAR by bottling day.

This effect is happening across several different grain bills and kinds of hops.

I wonder if I have acetobacter? My next thought is to brew a batch and ferment it indoors instead to see if I have something being introduced in the environment of my fridge (I have new fv's and hoses and have gone back to vwp, previously thinking my Star San routine was at fault).

Any ideas? I'm thinking of taking up golf instead

Cheers,
Matt

[Dennis King]

Golf thats a bit drastic

[prolix]

a steam cleaner may help or boiling water in a pot in the fridge add some bleach close the door? the vapours should get nooks and crankies.

[RabMaxwell]

If you can totally close off your fermentations using an airlocked blow-off should help

[Matt]

Thanks guys, I think I may try all of the above.

Matt

p.s. @ Dennis

[delboy]

I'd go with DaaBs suggestion a good soak in a strong bleach solution.

Don't forget to have a good luck at your boiler tap also, i had an old drum style one that had split in the drum part im pretty sure it was the source of an infection and a run of poor beer. Since replacing it with one of the orange new style boiler taps i haven't looked back

[Matt]

Good point Delboy. I'll nuke that in bleach too.

Its a test of commitment to the cause I must say, I've lost circa 160 pints now

[Whorst]

First beer I brewed in my new house got infected. The term is "ropey." Gooey, stringy, gravity samples, and the lovely flavor profile. Like everyone's said, chuck it all in a sanitary bath. I let my gear soak for a couple of days, then go back at it and don't look back!

[boingy]

You're right. Take up golf! Oh, soz. was just trying to balance the discussion

I'd echo the other posts. It feels that once an infection has occurred it is best to spend some extra effort and time in cleaning and double-sanitizing everything. Leave no stone unturned and don't hesitate to bin anything that looks suspect (check your FV taps and threads and stuff).