We all worry about and go through all the painstaking measures to stay sterile, and I’m just wondering how many of us have actually gotten a batch infected to the point where you had to throw it out?
I remember my second batch was a two hearted clone before I went to all grain and I ended up throwing it out. Not sure what happened but I was so new could’ve been anything at that point. Now my wife makes fun of me because after flameout, I put on a hairnet, close all the doors in the garage, sweat my balls off and act like I’m in a surgical suite until I close up the fermenter.
I’ve had a few infected to the point I tossed them, but I would never go to the lengths you do. That destroys the fun for me. And losing maybe 3 batches out of 500 is a pretty good average. So I’m careful, but not obsessed.
I’ve dumped two in over 20 years from infection. Friends thought I was overreacting as both were pretty low level infections - but I could tell it and that’s all that mattered. Like Denny said, that’s a pretty decent batting average. I don’t go to extremes with sanitation, but I’ve done it enough times to have a good routine.
500 batches, 20 years, just when I start feeling like I’m getting the hang of things, I get humbled. Tons of good well-earned knowledge on this forum!
I don’t worry too much about infection from airborne yeast or bacteria. Yeast pitch quantities are designed to quickly overwhelm the small quantities from that vector. I worry more about lingering bacteria in a piece of tubing or in the fermenter. Both get put up slightly wet in a warm garage and seem like they would be good environments for bacteria to grow. Of course, I clean those before use.
I’ve had one that turned a batch of raisin dubbel (from BLAM) into vinegar. Touch wood, that’s been it.
For my first lager I used 6-row as the base malt. I didn’t boil it vigorously enough and the whole batch tasted of creamed corn. That’s was procedural error rather than an airborne infection, but it’s the closest I’ve come to tossing a batch. I still managed to drink it all down…quietly…in the dark…alone…with my eyes shut :o
I have had a few in my years of brewing, but none in the past 6. Mainly when I first started brewing and was unaware of proper chemicals for sanitizing. I used to only use bleach and one-step. Man, how my brewing has changed.
The only batch I lost to infection was after I threw a couple of cinnamon sticks into secondary on a batch of winter warmer. Any other infected batches have been intentional 
I’ve only been brewing a few years, but the answer for me is never. My neighbor had an infection once but it turned out a very tasty sour, so no dump there!
I’ve had a cpl dumpers but not due to infection. I’ve found I do not like certain beers.
Ironic topic! I currently have a batch in the fermenter that I need to dump. 3rd batch in over 20 years. Mine is due to a persistent infection in my minibrew conical though, I believe. Now I just need to figure out a way to ensure that I have eradicated the infection from the conical!!!
I’ve dumped a couple of batches long ago for band-aid wild yeast flavor. Lately I’m seeing a lacto sourness showing up in some kegs after several months and I keep drinking those until I need the keg. Right now I have and English Pale that is starting to sour and I like it. I am working on isolating the problem.
I recently dumped my first batch but it wasn’t due to infection, it was because I pushed the limits with too many variables on an English pale Ale and ended up with a beer I simply didn’t want5 to drink. I have had 2 infections that I know of, neither a dumper, one arguably an improvement.
I’ve dumped a few due to infections. It happens.
I’ve had it happen twice, both infections came from the same source. (contaminated blowoff tubing.)
The resulting beers had a horrible vomit-like stomach-acid flavor. Completely undrinkable.
About 10-12 years ago, I had a nasty pediococcus infection in my brewery, which came about the same time I was brewing lambics. Think I threw out at least 4 batches. I did get rid of it, eventually, through a combination of bleach soaks, heat, and quaternary ammonium.
Now I have a low level brett infection, which slightly sours some long sitting beers. I haven’t decided whether to get rid of it yet or not. I am preferring the soured keg of doppelbock over the too sweet unsoured version that I had at Christmas.
I’ve dumped a couple batches in 200+ batches, but only because I didn’t like the finished beer. I’ve never had an infection that required dumping.
In 18 years I’ve had a few infected bottles but I can’t specifically say I’ve had entire batches infected. Some where just “not quite right” and we drank them faster than we normally would, just in case.
I have had absolutely awful beers because of bad temp control and messed up processes but nothing I would write off as “infected”. The problem kids have always been my fault. :
Paul
Amanda and I have decided this thread is full of liars. ;D
at the very least you guys are entering competitions a lot less frequently than those making the infected stuff I keep running into at the judging table.
Sure, I’ve tossed batches. Certainly more because of oxidation or just being tired of it, but infections happen. Occasionally the effect is lovely, and sometimes others don’t even notice it. Friends couldn’t detect the mouse in a batch of cider, but it was there, and I didn’t keep that **** another day.