lacto-infection...

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stevecaaster

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Hello everyone, as I was racking my first ever batch of an extract brew last night, day 5 since pitching the yeast, I came across a slimy jelly like substance about an inch long and the size of a pencil in diameter. It smushed like jello between my fingers. As I have read, this is a sure sign of a lacto-infection, am I screwed? I'm not going to dump it, I'm definatly going to wait, but has anyone ever experienced such discoveries? Can i stop it? Thanks very much for your help :rockin:

Im thinking it came from dry hopping or tossing in the irish moss after the boil (since i forgot to toss in the finishing hops and the moss during the last 5 minutes of the boil), because thats the only place I can see of where I wasnt sterile.. thanks again, have a good day
 
Dose it with Campden (potassium or sodium metabisulfite) tablets, one per gallon. That will kill many bacteria. Then 48 hours later, rack it. If it isn't at the target gravity, pitch some more yeast.
 
from what I have just read the Campden tablets, at that dose, will also kill my yeast, so I would wait about 3 days after tossing in 5 tablets, then pitch some more yeast i guess???
Would I just toss in a packet of dry yeast right into the carboy? is that too much yeast?
Could the gelatinous substance be a product of the irish moss that i put in after boiling/cooling? i know that the moss would have to be boiled for it to do its job, but since i added it later on could the carrageen be collecting out of the irish moss?

there is also a distinct 1 inch layer on the top of the wort in the carboy, where that liquid is clear, then it goes cloudy. at the bottom of the layer, 1 inch down from the surface of the wort, there is bits of hops/whatever resting on the layer...
 
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