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Hello guys!

My first post here. And the very first time I am brewing.

Slightly embarassed to admit that I do not own a hydrometer yet - so I haven't taken any readings. I have left it to ferment for 13 days now and this is what it looks like. Can you tell me if there is something to worry or if it looks ok.

Also, another question - though it has been 13 days, I am still able to see bubbles in the airlock. Since I do not have any SG readings to go on, should I allow it another week before I bottle? Don't want to end up with a bottle-bomb factory.

Appreciate your inputs!

P_20151203_104808.jpg


P_20151203_104823.jpg
 
indibeers said:
Hello guys!

My first post here. And the very first time I am brewing.

Slightly embarassed to admit that I do not own a hydrometer yet - so I haven't taken any readings. I have left it to ferment for 13 days now and this is what it looks like. Can you tell me if there is something to worry or if it looks ok.

Also, another question - though it has been 13 days, I am still able to see bubbles in the airlock. Since I do not have any SG readings to go on, should I allow it another week before I bottle? Don't want to end up with a bottle-bomb factory.

Appreciate your inputs!
Click to expand...

I agree that your beer looks perfectly fine!

Do you have any way of getting a hydrometer? If so, let the beer be for now, and when you do get the hydrometer, take readings a couple days apart. If they're the same, then bottle away. If not, then let it ride for a bit more until the readings are stable.

That said, depending on the kind of beer and the strain of yeast, there's a pretty good chance that the beer is done fermenting after two weeks. Another week in primary should guarantee it, but, again, it all depends on the recipe and yeast.
 
Yeah, it could be done in two weeks. But don't be too surprised if it takes three or three & a half weeks to finish & settle out clear or slightly misty. Getting a hydrometer would be a good thing at this point. they're like 6 bucks.
 
This is with a coopers English bitter. I've been super busy and kinda forgot about it so its been sitting there for a couple months. When I tasted it a while back it tasted kinda off, but I wasn't sure if that was just part of the "bitter." But now something seems to be really wrong. Can it be fixed? Should I just dump it? What do you think went wrong?

View attachment 1449185396483.jpg
 
kombat said:
Looks fine to me.
Click to expand...

Brew_G said:
I agree that your beer looks perfectly fine!

Do you have any way of getting a hydrometer? If so, let the beer be for now, and when you do get the hydrometer, take readings a couple days apart. If they're the same, then bottle away. If not, then let it ride for a bit more until the readings are stable.

That said, depending on the kind of beer and the strain of yeast, there's a pretty good chance that the beer is done fermenting after two weeks. Another week in primary should guarantee it, but, again, it all depends on the recipe and yeast.
Click to expand...

unionrdr said:
Yeah, it could be done in two weeks. But don't be too surprised if it takes three or three & a half weeks to finish & settle out clear or slightly misty. Getting a hydrometer would be a good thing at this point. they're like 6 bucks.
Click to expand...

Hello and thanks for the replies. Glad to hear that the beer looks fine. Yeah, wasn't a problem with buying the hydrometer but it wasn't readily available. Will get it in a few days. I couldn't wait for it before I started brewing :)

Anyways, decided to leave it to ferment for a week more. Hopefully will be ready by then for bottling.
 
Viking_Brewing said:
I haven't tried, it looks to gross. Should I?
Click to expand...

Just so you know, nothing pathogenic can grow in beer. Once there is alcohol in solution and the ph has dropped nothing that can hurt you can grow. True it may taste terrible, but you may also have had a happy little accident as Bob Ross would say. Never hurts to try it.
 
I heartily agree! At least try it to see if it's a good flavor you might like. If it tastes like a$$, dump it & move on. It very likely is one of those beers that shouldn't sit for too long, before temp changes, etc cause a suck-back & the incoming bit of air had nasties in it.
 
nikkuchan said:
Okay, I think I got one. Witbier, 3 weeks in fermenter (don't mind the muslin bag). Checked on it to find a white film on the surface. Can't really tell. My big issue is that this is a plastic bucket, so if it is an infection, how should I best clean/sanitize it to kill of all the bacteria?
Click to expand...


Funny, I also have a witbier with a similar looking film on top. I also have two bags but I used them to dry hop. I soaked the bags in vodka first though to try to disinfect them. It doesn't look like the film is really growing anymore right now, hopefully it's salvageable.

To those in the know: I'm hoping to get a keg setup and fridge in the next week or two, and I was going to try to rack this beer. Is this not recommended on the chance that it would infect all of the keg equipment? Does the PBW take care of an infection like this, or am I better off dumping it?
 
Rkb1983 said:
Funny, I also have a witbier with a similar looking film on top. I also have two bags but I used them to dry hop. I soaked the bags in vodka first though to try to disinfect them. It doesn't look like the film is really growing anymore right now, hopefully it's salvageable.

To those in the know: I'm hoping to get a keg setup and fridge in the next week or two, and I was going to try to rack this beer. Is this not recommended on the chance that it would infect all of the keg equipment? Does the PBW take care of an infection like this, or am I better off dumping it?
Click to expand...

Don't dump anything until you taste it
Odds are it's ok. And your keg equipment will be fine. That's all stainless steel except the hose, which the beer doesn't exactly sit it.
Now, I would replace your siphon hose and clean the siphon well if it was infected.
 
normonster said:
Rice wine gone wrong (I think).
Click to expand...

I make rice wine and it is not suppose to look like that. Sometimes you get a thin layer of white fuzz(can't remember the scientific name) but that dark green/ black mold is no good. Rice wines are susceptible to mold and growth in the first few days, after that your usually in the clear because it has so much alcohol in it. You are making rice wine and not sake right? There is a big difference . The thread someone else posted for you is a good read for ghetto rice wines, which are delicious and easy to make.
 
wallybangbang said:
I make rice wine and it is not suppose to look like that. Sometimes you get a thin layer of white fuzz(can't remember the scientific name) but that dark green/ black mold is no good. Rice wines are susceptible to mold and growth in the first few days, after that your usually in the clear because it has so much alcohol in it. You are making rice wine and not sake right? There is a big difference . The thread someone else posted for you is a good read for ghetto rice wines, which are delicious and easy to make.
Click to expand...


Yeah, when my second batch caught up I realized that first one was a goner and dumped it. It was still growing strong!! Lol. Second and third batches look much better.
 
Jwin said:
Don't dump anything until you taste it
Odds are it's ok. And your keg equipment will be fine. That's all stainless steel except the hose, which the beer doesn't exactly sit it.
Now, I would replace your siphon hose and clean the siphon well if it was infected.
Click to expand...


I took a sample last night... It was really quite good! I think since I was planning on moving completely to kegging, I will try to bottle this batch as my last one. I'd rather have to replace a bottling bucket, bottling wand and hose that I've used for a year and probably won't need again for a while than worry about compromising brand new keg equipment on the first batch. There doesn't appear to be any new growth and hasn't been bubbling in a long time, so there shouldn't be a concern with bottle bombs (knock on wood).
 
Beer smelled and taste funny. Black spot in the bung hole of the secondary. Are these black spots the problem?

image.jpg
 
Mrwizanski said:
<snip>Black spot in the bung hole<snip>
Click to expand...

Giggle.

Sorry couldn't help myself. I agree with Union. Doesn't look like a mold or anything, its probably husks or other debris from the beer. Do not worry overmuch about fermenter smell, yeast can throw off some really weird and foul smells while fermenting. How does it taste?
 
Uh huh huh, huh...he said bunghole, uh huhhuh, huh. Yeasts can definitely curl your nose while it's working it's magic. After initial fermentation slows down, a taste would be good.
 
Wait, you said secondary? So I take it that the beer has been bottled/kegged. If so, let it go. Its out of your hands now. Give it its carbonation time and give it a try. Worst case, it is terrible, better case, its drinkable, best case, its amazing and you will never be able to replicate the beer.
 
unionrdr said:
Uh huh huh, huh...he said bunghole, uh huhhuh, huh. Yeasts can definitely curl your nose while it's working it's magic. After initial fermentation slows down, a taste would be good.
Click to expand...


So the lesson here is that you shouldn't sniff a bunghole that is actively off-gassing?

Ok, back to lurk mode!
 
I made a 6 gallon batch and racked about half to a small 3gallon keg 2 weeks ago and put the rest into the fridge. The keg blew yesterday and when I went to keg the rest of it that's what I saw. It's been in the fridge with a kolsh octoberfest that has the fridge and garage smelling like a sweet bread factory. Going to keg it next hope there it nothing wrong with it. By the way I keged that IPA leaving behind those white floaties and it looks good and tasted even better!
 
Hi,

This is my first post on this forum!

I brewed my very first beer 9 days ago. I did a small BIAB batch (under 2 gallons). It's American Pale Ale, somewhat hoppy. I think my sanitation was not bad, although it could have been better. Anyway, after 8 days in the fermenter, this is what it looks like: http://imgur.com/AEVreYc

There seems to be a thin white film forming here and there, with some CO2 bubbles. I am planning to bottle this next Tuesday (after 14 days in the fermenter; can't really do it before for other reasons).

I was wondering: could this be the beginning of a lacto infection? If it could, would dry hopping help a little?
 
pepindavid said:
Hi,

This is my first post on this forum!

I brewed my very first beer 9 days ago. I did a small BIAB batch (under 2 gallons). It's American Pale Ale, somewhat hoppy. I think my sanitation was not bad, although it could have been better. Anyway, after 8 days in the fermenter, this is what it looks like: http://imgur.com/AEVreYc

There seems to be a thin white film forming here and there, with some CO2 bubbles. I am planning to bottle this next Tuesday (after 14 days in the fermenter; can't really do it before for other reasons).

I was wondering: could this be the beginning of a lacto infection? If it could, would dry hopping help a little?
Click to expand...

Looks alright to me, but you have WAY too much headspace in that carboy. Also, I don't think that dry hopping will ever help an infection if you have one.
 

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