OMG my first infected beer

GrundleCruncher · 10-02-2007, 05:20 PM

It's my fault, I was getting sloppy. Im pretty sure my hands were'nt clean when I was handling my racking tubes when racking to the secondary.
So I got my dirty mitts on the tube and stuck it deep in the secondary to avoid aeration.

Anyway, I've heard of the white spider leg things around the secondary that indicate infection, but I've got nickel sized cultures floating on the top and thats only after 10 hrs!

Are there varying levels of infection?
Either way I'm destroying the beer and all evidence of it. RIP delicious brew, we never got to enjoy ye.

beerdad · 10-02-2007, 05:24 PM

I wouldn't dump it just yet. Those could be clumps of yeast, or an infection. I had some clumps like that but not as big and I thought I was doomed but all was well. Hang in there and give it a taste test. I've heard that's the best way to tell if you have an infected batch. From what I've heard if it is infected it will taste awful.

FlyGuy · 10-02-2007, 05:29 PM

Your description of your fermenting beer sounds pretty normal to me. I bet you are not infected at all.

Rule: don't throw out ANY beer unless you are CERTAIN it is ruined. Give it a chance to finish fermenting and take a taste. I bet it tastes great. There is always a chance that you misdiagnosed your infection, and it would be a real shame to throw out a perfectly good beer because of it.

ohiobrewtus · 10-02-2007, 05:49 PM

It sounds to me like your beer will be fine. The most common freak-out by new brewers is that their beer isn't fermenting because they did something wrong, or that they have somehow caused their beer to become infected.

From my experience, it's pretty rare to have yeast that won't ferment for you, and even more rare to have a batch get infected.

Fortunatley, I've never had either.

**sudbuster** · 10-02-2007, 06:01 PM

I thoroughly agree with the above advice. it is very hard to tell without seeing your brew, or at least picture, but what you describe is very common in the secondary, especially soon after racking from primary....

GrundleCruncher · 10-02-2007, 06:12 PM

That is some great news, thanks everyone.
The beer has been saved, sound the feasting horn.

Philip1993 · 10-02-2007, 06:18 PM

One thing for newbies to remember is that yeast IS an infection. It is a desirable one, but still an infection of your wort. As such, it is not uncommon at all to see things that look like you beer has gotten "infected".

I've seen stuff that I was SURE was an infection, 24 hours later, it looks normal again.

**TexLaw** · 10-02-2007, 07:52 PM

I get those nickel sized things on my beer in the secondary all the time. Usually, that's the yeast finishing up its last bit. Like the others said, give it some more time, taste it, and see what you have. If it's sour or tastes and smells like ass or horse blanket, then you have an infection. If it tastes fine, you're all set.

TL

Amanofbeer · 04-18-2011, 01:23 AM

Old thread, I know...but Embarassing as this is, I should share very recent experiences.

I threw out a saison brewed with Ardennes by wyeast without tasting. brief history:
stuck fermentation after about day 3
transferred to secondary day 10
white sediment film begins to appear on fermenter, and smell is abnormally strong for such a beer (high alcohol) day 16 or 18

Day 13 or so

harvest yeast from said beer and make a starter for a strong dark

Same thing happens, of course.

Tasted it, and I think it's fine! which I hadn't ditched my other batch...
I've resolved to pasteurize it and repitch.

Thoughts?

Amanofbeer · 04-18-2011, 01:25 AM

that is to say, pasteurize this strong dark batch (after a bit of perhaps reasonable denial)