A few batches ago, after taking a fermenting bucket apart post-bottling to clean it, I saw that the spigot had a small black spot (outside the beer, but inside the spigot). So basically even though my beer was clean it all flowed past some sort of infection going into the bottles...

I hoped for the best and let it carb and condition, and for the most part the batch came out fine. However, a couple of the bottles picked up that infection. The result (other than a flat or gushing brew) is a black speck stuck to the inside of the bottle.

I've tried dishwasher soap, I've shaken and soaked them for 2 days in PBW and hot water, scrubbed intensely with a bottle brush, soaked with Star-San, and repeated all of the above in various orders. Nothing seems to be able to loosen the infection so I am basically going to have to throw out a few of these bottles.

Should I be worried about the whole case? Many of them came out fine; right carbonation, no off-flavors or aromas, no specks. I PBW soak the bottles after pouring and Star-San them before bottling, but I don't want a speck I can't see now to ruin another batch later. Does anyone have advice or experience fixing an infection of this sort?

Plastic or glass bottles? If they're plastic, chuck 'em all. Why risk it?

If they're glass, bake them in the oven on 350° for at least an hour--that should kill any remaining nasties you may have missed in your cleaning.

Tiddly Beer,

Jon is right on as always.

Don't throw away your glass. No way that infection (microbes) can stick to glass. It is good stuff and impervious to microbes, infections, what-have-you.

Do you know the difference between clean and sanitized? One means the absence of dirt and grease; the other means that you've reduced microbial levels to negligible.

Point being: Even a spot remaining can be sanitized. Your StarSan will do that no problemo. Or the heat. Be careful if you go that route-- let them cool slowly. Might as well place some potatoes in there too.

Hmm, something is for sure sticking to the glass in each of the infected bottles. There is a black dot (in one bottle it's a line about 1/2 inch long). I don't like the thought of that gunk sitting in the next batch of beer, killed by baking or not, so I would like to get it physically out if possible... Scrubbing with a brush didn't do it, even after soaks in all of the above.

I mentioned above I use PBW to clean and Star-San to sanitize, so yep I am aware of the difference. Unfortunately neither seemed to loosen the spots in the infected bottles. I can try to get a picture if it helps.

Give the glass to your recycling gods if you like-- fresh glass should be easy to pick up-- I'm giving 8 cases to a new brewer tomorrow and gave 14 cases to one a couple months ago-- I bet you have recycling in the bay area -- but just saying, spot or no spot, once you sanitize, the spot is sanitized, thus, not an issue.

I have some scum in the bottom of some of my bottles-- a thin coating I can't remove with either of my brushes-- but I know once it sits in Star San for that time, that it is sanitized.

My advice is toss all your glass and replace, otherwise you will fret on this.

Can you remove it mechanically-- used dental picks are good-- anchor one to a needle-nosed pliers and scrape?

I appreciate the advice, I think you pretty much nailed it. Sanitized or not I know I will worry if I can see the damn thing.

Maybe I will just keep the bottles in the back of the closet and get over it someday. Or not, no harm in recycling them later vs sooner.

Thanks!

I see Oatmeal Stout on your signature list-- my favorite -- I don't see anything I don't like on your list ...

Thanks =) I added 2 vanilla beans to the oatmeal stout after a week, looking forward to trying it... I've made a couple of stouts before but this is the first oatmeal*. If your signature is any indication of how good the style is, I don't think this will be my last

* edit: first all-grain oatmeal stout, I forgot about the Sticky Wicket

Could you soak this stuff in bleach out of curiosity? Maybe put a little layer of bleach down at the bottom and let it sit for a while, and then rinse it out real good?
I mean, I know it's not sanitizing, but maybe it would be useful prior to sanitizing so that you could kill off whatever is residing down in the bottom of that bottle.

Bleach will sanitize, but in order to chemically sanitize a surface, that surface first has to be clean.

So no matter if you're using bleach or starsan, or anything other than heat (either moist or dry for the appropriate time at the appropriate temperatures), it won't be sanitized until you either get that spot off, or heat sanitize it.

To be fair, after all of the soaks you've probably done, it's HIGHLY unlikely that it'll give you any troubles, but there's still a chance.

If you can't get that last bit off, either bake the bottles and forget about it, or just get rid of the questionable bottles and get some new ones.

Good luck either way!

Yeah, probably the easiest part of your brewing equipment to replace.