Two Brews, Two Problems!!

OK, Im not a happy camper (brewer) at the moment
My last two brews have problems.
Any help or comments would be much appreciated

Problem #1
Batch # 9 - Golden Ale
Weyermann Pils 56%
Weyermann pale Wheat 18%
Weyermann Munich 18%
Weyermann Caramunich 6%
Amarillo - 20g @60
Amarillo - 15g @15
Amarillo - 15g @5
No-Chill
Yeast US 05
Ferment @ 18 for 10days
OG 1050
FG 1012
Force Carb'd

OK, i make this one all the time and it has come out nice everytime, and according to my notes i did everything exactly the same as the last few times.
This one tastes really sweet, no hop flavour/aroma, almost like a havent put any hops in at all, im really disapointed in this one, i cant even really drink it , it is sitting in the keg and im hoping it will get better but after a week in the keg it is still sweet, i just cant bring my self to tipping it tho :( anyone have any ideas why it would be sweet?

Problem # 2
Batch# 10 - Aussie Lager
Pilsner Malt 80%
Precooked Jasmine Rice 20%
POR - 20g @60
POR - 20g @dry hop
No-Chill
Yeast - Saf Lager S-23
Feremnting @ 12DegC
OG - 1055
FG - Currently @ 1011-1012 after 7 days

OK, this one i think is infected but not too sure. It has been in the cube for about a week, when i noticed the cube was swelling and i mean swelling, my 'cube' was nearly round! I figured maybe it was infected but thought i would ferment it out anyway. When i opened the cube it started gushing so i closed the lid and slowly cracked it open again, letting the air escape, this took about 5 minutes, and while it was happening i noticed all the gunk from the bottom of the cube was gushing up thru the liquid.
It has been fermenting at 12 for the last 7 days, it looks like it has hit its FG as its been stable for 2 days. It smells fine but has a funny after taste, one that i cant really describe.
I have read up on infections and at first i read that one type of infection tastes like cardboard and i thought YES that what it tastes like, then i read the next infection and that one tastes like band-aids and i was like YES thats what it tatses like.
So having never tasted cardboard or band-aids or anything else that an infection is supposed to taste like, i am stuck

I thought that pouring boiling hot wort into a cube would kill anything nasty and prevent infection? maybe not. has anyone else had a 'round' cube before?
Again, i dont want to tip this one either so im going to let it 'lager' for a couple of weeks but its not looking/tasting promising.

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• • SVA Brewer With Over 100 Brews From United States of America
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#1 I honestly don't think that a mere 50 of Amarillo is going to do the trick with a beer of that gravity. I would maybe use that quantity of Amarillo in the mix, for sure, but also bitter with say 30g of Magnum or Horizon, 60 mins
Edit: as Bob suggests use hop tea, but I'd go further and do at least 20 mins simmer and strain that straight into the keg.

#2 sounds like an infection for sure, napisan (sodium percarbonate) the cube for a day or so with very strong solution to remove any fur off the inside, then chlorine or PBW or whatever strong bleach type you have, then Starsan
Nuke the bugger and hopefully it will be good next brew.

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I saw this thread when you originally posted it RL and since then have not been sure how to reply to it well because of the, "two," problem aspect.

Have had a chance now to read it all a bit more slowly and can start finding a bit of logic but not much . What I am thinking might be total garbage...

Your first brew was disappointing, you described it as sweet even though you had brewed the same recipe several times before. The second brew you describe as being infected in some manner and I think all the above posters agree.

What I am thinking is your first brew - at the end of it - caught a "whiff" of what is now an infection in your system.

So, I am thinking that you have to look at everything in your system post-boil.

This means things like kettle-taps, syphons, fermenters, fermenter taps, fermenter lids, o-rings, keg fittings etc, etc.

This is the problem with infections once they start. You initially blame or look for answers in the wrong place whereas you actually need to make sure you nail every possibility, as best as you can, before you next brew.

We really should do a check-list/flow-chart on this site of what brewers should do when they get caught in your situation RL. I hope what I and the brewers above have posted helps you out a tad.

For now, my best advice is pull everything apart, soak/scrub it in basic and wash it in acid. It is really important to include a basic and an acid in your cleaning schedule. If you have kegs, check the inside welds. If they are rough or pitted in any way they are unsuitable for beer or any other food product. (I have first-hand experience of this )

Infections aren't fun. Please let us know how you go RL,
PP

• • SVA Brewer With Over 100 Brews From Australia
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