Is this batch ruined, or am I just being paranoid?

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SoCalChris

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On Monday, I tried brewing a batch of Mr. Beer Holiday Party Ale no. 3 (http://www.mrbeer.com/product-exec/product_id/194/nm/Holiday_Party_Ale_no_3/section/product_info). The wort hasn't bubbled at all like my last batch did, although it did look like there ere yeast colonies floating around near the top of the beer on the 2nd & 3rd day. Those colonies have sunk since then, and now it appears like there is a layer of mold on the surface.

Is my beer bad? I was very careful about sanitizing everything. Here's a picture of what the surface of the beer looks like this morning, after about 4 days.

badbeer.jpg


Thanks,
Chris
 
Yeah, 4 days is a long time to wait for activity, but I've yet to see something like your pic. Definitely doesn't sound promising. Even with our best sanitizing, things get through during cooling....
 
I can't really tell from that picture, but it does look like yeast, but maybe something else as well. Still, i'd let this beer run it's course unless it really starts growing some weird stuff. It might work out in the end. You could pull a little bit out of the sampler and see how it smells to get an idea if it's working or not.
 
If the orange bits are just orange peel, that looks like it's just yeast acting funny to scare you. 4 days without airlock activity, though, is pretty odd. Are you sure you're airtight?
 
That's a tough call, judging by the picture. I'd try smelling it. It should smell just like your last batch. If it smells like vinegar or moldy bread, it's probably a goner.
 
Could the temp that it's at, have lead to a really slow fermentation perhaps, and from the pic maybe there's a lot of headroom - thus no airlock activity... I'm sorta clutching at straws here, it sure does look sorta weird, mainly the stringy-ness of the layer or is that just orange pulp? At the end of the day its only a mr. beer kit though, right? :D
 
Are you sure you're airtight?

Pretty sure it's airtight. I'm using a glass carboy with a rubber stopper & an airlock. There's not really any place to have a leak.

Do you have an hydrometer?

I haven't bought one yet, but will before trying the next batch.

If it smells like vinegar or moldy bread, it's probably a goner.

It doesn't smell like either of those. However, it doesn't smell like my last batch either. It smells mainly like water with some orange peel in it.

Could the temp that it's at, have lead to a really slow fermentation perhaps, and from the pic maybe there's a lot of headroom - thus no airlock activity...

It is fairly cool in our house, this time of year I keep the thermostat around 62. Also, it is 2.5 gallons in a 6.5 gallon carboy, so there is quite a bit of headroom in this batch.

I'll probably let it sit for another week or two, and see what happens. Thanks for the advice everyone.
 
I'll add another vote for a hydrometer reading. If you are going mainly on a lack of airlock activity, the headroom is the problem.

2.5 gal of liquid in a 6.5 gal carboy is a LOT of room to fill up with CO2. Depending on how much is given off, you could nearly complete fermentation and not have enough produced to move the airlock more than a few bubbles. Hydrometer will let you know though.
 
Ok, I got a hydrometer today, and the reading is 1.039.

This is the recipe that I am using.
http://www.mrbeer.com/product-exec/product_id/194/nm/Holiday_Party_Ale_no_3/section/product_info

I noticed tonight that there is some light bubbling activity. It's barely noticeable, but it is definitely bubbling. The smell is also fine. It doesn't smell like moldy bread or vinegar.

Would it be a good idea to put the carboy in front of a small heater for a while to help the fermentation along, or should I let it keep going like it is now?

Thanks again for everyone's ideas and help.
 
Try researching your yeast. It may be that it likes a higher temperature, but be careful about putting it in front of a heater until you know.
 
Try researching your yeast. It may be that it likes a higher temperature, but be careful about putting it in front of a heater until you know.
 
Since I posted last night, the brew has been happily bubbling away. I'm getting a good sized bubble in the airlock every 10-15 seconds.

I'm not sure why, but moving the carboy from the closet to the counter (Same temperature in both areas) seems to have kick started the fermentation. I'm just not sure why it took 8 days to really start, but oh well.

I'll post an update when I bottle it, and when I first try one.

Thanks again for everyone's help.
 
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