Thin film on top of beer, what is this?

I have recently bottled my secon batch of beer, a nice Hoegarden clone, and I have on eweek left of conditioning time left i nthe bottle. I have recently started to notice a small film layer on top of the beer in the neck of the bottle an dwas curious if anyone had seen this before that might be able to tell me what it is.

perhaps an infection.

but you may be able to get away with it. Sometimes these things grow a little then die because of the alcohol -- and it could even have been growing in your primary but you didn't notice it. It's been conditioning for two weeks? crack on of those babies open, taste it, and then come back and let us know whether it:

1) shot out of your bottle like a rocket
2) tasted not like beer anymore

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Well this worries me then as a batch (an IPA) that was brewed as my first batch in a class at my LHBS which now has been in the bottle about 2 weeks and I noticed what looked like a little "oil slick" or "film" or such that is sitting on top of the beer in the neck.
I opened one last week (1 wk in bottle) so I could try these as they carb/age and it just tasted like flat beer (a faint carb pop when popped open). I might try another then tonight. Got 2cases plus a 6er so I figured the 6er being the last pulls would be the best to try/check out anyway lol....
I'm probably not at the optimal 70F though for carbing though...anywhere from 65-70 has been the temps.

Pics would help here. My guess is it could be some regular fermentation leftovers, or some hop oils and your beer is probably fine.

I never immediately assume an infection, it could be mini or bottle krausen, which people do see on occasion.

Carbing beer is similiar to fermentation in a fermenter...Yeast eats sugars and processes co2 and alchohol....Since ale yeasts are top fermenting, it works just like in your fermenter...Krauzens often get formed and then fall through to the bottom during the 3 week process... Some yeasts are more apt to do it more dramatically than others...and priming with dme sometimes makes it noticeable...

I actually have a theory that it happens all the time, but since a lot of us just stick our bottles in a box, in a dark place and forget about them for 3 or more weeks, (instead of staring at them obsesively), we never notice it occuring.

Let the beer go 3-4 weeks in the bottle and see if it doesn't fall, I'd only worry if it hasn't fallen after a month in the bottle...

I don't agree with the Edge's suggestion to open one early...A gusher or off flavor before a beer is fully bottle conditioned and carbed for 3 weeks, isn't all that uncommon...If you aren't familiar with the difference between a green tasting beer, and an infection, then how would you be able to tell?

Now that you mention it, I think I've noticed this with my beers. Never paid a mind to it, just another "rustic" part of homebrew. I figured stuff is at the bottom of the beer, why not something on top too?

_Edge said:

an infection.

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It's not an infection.

It's normal.

It'll be fine.

ChrisS68 said:

Now that you mention it, I think I've noticed this with my beers. Never paid a mind to it, just another "rustic" part of homebrew. I figured stuff is at the bottom of the beer, why not something on top too?

Click to expand...

Like in the fermenter...stuff starts at the top and then falls to the bottom....otherwise known as, Flocculation!

If it was an infection it would not taste like flat beer..but rather like flat freaking nasty beer.

This is very normal and nothing to worry about..give it more time to age and carb up..

Jay

if you carbonate with DME, then it could just be krausen. Anyways, I agree with the people here, quit worrying and go enjoy your beer.