Destil a
ado ar
Enmasc r do
is e d D is T h e M as k
t iller
COMMON INFECTIONS
Written and photographed by Destilador Enmascarado
Welcome to the first appearance of the Destilador Enmascarado (Masked Distiller) — an occasional column dedicated to sharing knowledge and solutions to common challenges within the distilling industry that are maybe just a bit too taboo to publicly attach your name to. Written under a pseudonym, but full of good info. We’ve all dealt with it. Now let’s talk about it! Is there something we don’t talk about that we should? Email info@artisanspiritmag.com and let us know.
“Every one of you reading this page, look out! Because soon — VERY SOON — the most horrifying monster menace ever conceived will be oozing into this distillation. It crawls! It creeps! It eats your fermentation alive! From then on there’s no stopping it as it spreads from ferm to ferm. How can it be stopped?! Mob hysteria sweeps one city. Before long, the nation! And then the WORLD could fall victim to the blood-curdling threat of… THE INFECTION.” — Parodied from the trailer for 1958's “The Blob”
I
t’s happened to the best of us, even if we’re loath to admit it. If your quality assurance is up-to-snuff, you should catch it relatively quickly. Perhaps it starts out a slightly savory meaty note on your new make. Or maybe you catch it even sooner than that, noticing that your pH in your fermentations have been dropping a bit too precipitously. It may be something visual — a chalky, skin-like growth growing across the top of your fermentation. Or a slimy bit of beer or wine, hanging like so much mucus from your sample port. No matter how you may have discovered it, the truth is it’s here. An infection. But the good news is if you follow proper remediation procedures, you can eradicate your infection and get your production back on track. 112
BUT, FIRST — WHAT CAUSES AN INFECTION?
WHY DID YOU GET ONE ALL OF A SUDDEN?
Infections occur when fermentation-spoiling bacteria or wild yeast make it into your fermentation and start competing with cultured yeast for the sugars you've worked so hard to create. Distilleries (as well as breweries, vineyards, meaderies, kombucheries) are full of sugar. Full of proteins. Chock full of carbohydrates. Positively brimming with vitamins and minerals. It’s warm. It’s moist. All of these things create an ideal habitat for bacteria to set up shop. It’s often said that distilleries typically don't have to adhere to as strict sanitization regimens as wineries and breweries do. There are a couple of reasons for that. A little bit of wild yeast can add complexity to aged distilled spirits. Maybe a bit of funk (from the correct and desirable bacteria) gives your spirits that bit of complexity you’re looking for. Having quicker, higher ABV fermentation also means the opportunities for infections to take hold are reduced. It's one of the big reasons open-top wooden fermentation is so common in distilling. However, this does increase the chance of an infection taking hold.
As mentioned above, in general distilleries don't typically need to adhere to the same sanitization level as (most) beer and wine production areas. What that does mean is that we're naturally exposing ourselves to higher chances of infection. And it also means that by the time it's showing up in your sensory, the infection has sunk its talons into the process and it's a nightmare to unhook it. You may then ask yourself: Why have you been able to consistently produce infection-free new make (other than maybe a couple of hiccups) for the past few days/ months/years without major issues? After all, you’re following the same cleaning regimen day after day after day. Infection can set in anywhere: The mash tun. The heat exchanger. Hoses. Fermenters. Even your tri-clamps and gaskets. Infection can thrive in the humid nooks and crannies of our floor and floor drains. Splashing from the floor up into the production space could even be the source. Climbing into the mash tun to rinse out left-over grain could bring it in on your clothes or the bottom of your boots. The biggest reasons are what we’ll call the double Bs — Biofilm and Beerstone. W W W . ARTISANSPIRITMAG . C O M