gusher infection, help!!!!

[vampire53]

my last batch is gushing. it's already bottled and i know it's trashed. the problem is that i have another in the secondary and i didn't realize i had this problem. odds are, this one may be infected as well. i pulled off my bazooka screen in my kettle and on the inside where it is connected to the faucet, was some stuff . i believe this to be the source of the infection. is it possible to save the batch in the secondary? i was thinking of adding campden tablet to it, kill everything, let it rest and then adding new yeast before i bottle. any and all help would be greatly appreciated. thanx

[DreamWeaver]

Originally posted by vampire53
my last batch is gushing. it's already bottled and i know it's trashed. the problem is that i have another in the secondary and i didn't realize i had this problem. odds are, this one may be infected as well. i pulled off my bazooka screen in my kettle and on the inside where it is connected to the faucet, was some stuff . i believe this to be the source of the infection.

Welcome to the Forum Vampire53...

I'm not sure your problem could have been the Bazooka thing because it got boiled right? and any stuff that was caught inside was sterile too. Any infection had to come after the wort cooled.

Maybe you over-primed the bottles?
Did you open them while they were warm?
Have you tasted any? If they taste OK... throw a party! (or drink 'em up) Nothin in there will kill ya, but it might taste off.

I would suspect that a gusher infection would have to have eaten all of the "lower sugars," resulting in a very low SG, thus the "gushing." Maybe check the SG of one of the bottles. If the SG reading is where it should be, you are OK. If it is way lower than expected, you could be right. But I think you are OK... Let us know!

Cheers!

[vampire53]

thank you. i will check the sg. it was boiled so it should be sterile i just couldn't figure what else it could be. hopefully that's all it is. i just hope the batch in the secondary, belgian XXX, is ok. i plan on giving it out for christmas and was going to bottle this weekend. hitting the panic button a little. :eek:

[DreamWeaver]

I just read your other post about Honey and I think that may be your problem.

[ray m]

I agree with DreamWeaver.....sounds like you overprimed, brother. No big deal, tho.

[stronk]

Overpriming (if that's your problem) is not a disaster. Just chill the beer to near-freezing and pour it into a wet glass as soon as you crack it open. There will be a massive head, but hopefully the beer that's left in the bottle will just form a head inside the bottle and not gush over the rim. Leave to warm, pour the rest and voila.