How to tell if a brew batch is safe to drink?

BarleyAndApple · 09-14-2009, 01:15 PM

OK, over the period of time, it definitely smells of alcohol.

But this is my first brew and I just don't want to to risk going to toilet every hour or some sick food poisoning.

there are some very thin bubblish white bits floating on the top with yeast settlement on the bottom. I'm concerned that my beer may have gone bad and I want to know.

I apologise if a similar thread has been made in past, but I did Google around pretty hard.

Thanks in advance.

FishinDave07 · 09-14-2009, 01:18 PM

Its normal for small bits, "floaters" if you will, to be present after fermentation, and sometimes in the bottle.

Post your recipe and process for a better evaluation.

BarleyAndApple · 09-14-2009, 01:31 PM

Oatmeal stout is what I made. I also added some molasses.

kanielb1 · 09-14-2009, 01:49 PM

You will be calling Ralph on the big white phone. You should give to me and let me call him for you.

CessnaDriver · 09-14-2009, 01:56 PM

You need to bottle the beer and send to us for analysis.

I may be wrong here (I'm quite the noob myself) but I don't think there's anything that can happen to the beer that will make you sick - unless you add a poisonous ingredient.

In other words, I don't think the normal ingredients in a beer can get you sick.

**Pappers_** · 09-14-2009, 01:58 PM

Barleyandapple, your beer sounds fine. Remember, hundreds of years ago, before modern sanitation, Europeans brewed beer because it was safer than the water.

Cheers!

mdwmonster · 09-14-2009, 01:59 PM

Here is my understanding: If fermentation is complete you shouldn't have to worry about food poisoning or the like. No known pathogens can live in alcohol. Mind you, if it is infected, it might taste like crap, but it won't make you sick (unless you drink the entire batch in one night). If it is not fermented out - it might be spoiled. I'd agree with FishinDave - it is not uncommon to find white floaters in the primary after fermentation is complete and the krausen has fallen. If the final gravity is OK, I'd go ahead and bottle it and see what you have in 3 or 4 weeks.

**GilaMinumBeer** · 09-14-2009, 02:01 PM

There are no known pathogens that can survive the combination of alcohol content and the pH of beer. Which is why beer was favored over water historically.

There are however, lots of yeast. And yeast alone can have you on the toilet for a while until your body acclimates. Or at the least, they will help you to clear the room so you can drink in peace.

MMW · 09-14-2009, 02:05 PM

You're beer is safe. The worst that will happen is it will be too sour to drink. (here comes some one with a useful cut-n-paste reply about the safety of homebrew in 3...2...1

). If you're new to homebrew, take it easy once you start drinking them to (a) make the batch last a little longer and (2) get those intestines used to the additional yeasties that you'll consume with a natural, living product.

EDIT: 2 useful 'no known pathogen" posts in the time it took me to write my reply

beretta · 09-14-2009, 02:16 PM

Doesn't sound infected to me. Proceeds as normal. Even if you do have an infection, the worst you could do is make a funny tasting beer. Most infections are harmless to humans. The most common infection is Lacto-Baccillous (sp?), which is a very friendly bug to have around anyway. Cheese, yogurt, buttermilk, sour cream, lambic beer, peperoni, salami, etc... all have a healthy amount of lacto purposely added. It makes things tangy and sour, including your beer.