I have brewing over 20 years Ales to Lagers across the spectrum. I have only had what I would consider a bad batch. One was around 18 years ago and was a bottled batch of an Oatmeal Stout. It started with a stuck fermentation. OK, that said, I recently brewed a light Lager. After pitching the yeast, a White Labs American Lager, at around 74 d. I did not have fermentation. I can get specific with gravities but the wort was well within my target. I decided to allow it a few days because I had to go out of town. 5 days later at 58 degrees nothing. I Jumpstart the the fermentation with a dry lager yeast and light beet sugar dissolved in 1 quart water. Within hours the fermentation was going wild. It lasted about 7 days. I racked to secondary lowered temp to 38. 4 days the beer was clear, I did use some gelatin. At racking into a keg, I had an unusual smell and an off flavor. Reminded me of a spoiled food. It is Carbonating now. Any thoughts on what I am smelling and tasting. Only 2 bad batches in over 20 years, my track record is good. Some considerations, I brewed in my garage, first time, and used rice solids and German Barley. Rice solids was a first.
First Stuck Fermentation in 15 years.
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Sounds infected to me. 
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So the internet is not the best medium for conveying taste or smell and "spoiled food" is a pretty broad description....could ya narrow it down for us?Maybe what kind of spoiled food?
Also, what was the yeast condition at pitching? Was it shocked by the warm wort?
It does sound like an infection but where did it come from? Your yeast or did something go wrong in the secondary?
Also, what was the yeast condition at pitching? Was it shocked by the warm wort?
It does sound like an infection but where did it come from? Your yeast or did something go wrong in the secondary?
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You have been brewing a hell of a lot longer than me, but I do keep a lot of things in my garage. I am very conscious of what can get into the garage, and for that reason I let fermenters, tools, whatever sit in sanitizer for a considerable period of time before coming in contact with the beer. My fermenter sits with Star San in it for a few days before brewing.
Yes, I use good Sanitation processes. I say yes, but i hope so. I was brewing im my garage and normally brew in my Kitchen
Oh yeah, Im old school and always keep mine clean. Plastic i use bleach, Glass and Stainless I use SKF. I am thinking it may have been the atmosphere in the garage and a week in the primary without fermentation. I my have rinsed my primary fermenter and set it out near the fridge with a lot of foot traffic. That will be the last time i brew in my garage.
Hard to describe the taste, but it was different and i believe it may have been infected in the primary after a week without fermentation starting. I will comment again when its fully carbonated. The atmosphere im my garage is not the best place for brewing is what i am thinking and after a week without fermentation....
Yes, but.... I was brewing im my garage for the first time and it is probably not the best place. Machinery, tools lawnmower. Yeah.
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I didnt mean that. I meant was there any sign of infection on the surface of the beer before you transfered it?
