Does This Look Dodgy?

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johnford

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Hi Folks,

Could you tell me if you think this batch of beer looks infected? It's made from a 5 gallon extract and Strong Belgian Ale kit to which I added some Christmas style spices late in the boil. Brewed on 12th Sep, racked to secondary on the 19th, and just noticed a patch of white film and some white filmy looking bubbles yesterday. Any feedback much appreciated.

Thanks,

John.

DSCN7346.jpg
 
Looks like beer to me! it actually looks about the same as all five of my active carboys. I don't think you have anything to worry about.

Brew On!
 
Did that film just develop? The pic isn't the clearest, but it looks like it might be developing a pellicle to me. Also, you have a lot of head space for a secondary/clearing tank... usually you want your clearing tank to be filled almost to the top, since there really isn't any fermentation happening to create a protective CO2 blanket at that point. Take a sample soon and see if there are any noticeable off-flavors. That will be your best way of finding out if there is an infection.
 
Thanks for the solid feedback guys. Is having a pellicle a bad thing do you think? Would you recommend bottling at this point or would I be better to let it do it's thing for a while?
 
It should be done by now,but check it anyway. If the FG is within range rack to bottling bucket out from underneith that pellicle.
 
Is having a pellicle a bad thing do you think? Would you recommend bottling at this point or would I be better to let it do it's thing for a while?

if it's not on purpose, its generally a bad thing, but it could still turn out well. just another reason to not use secondaries

It should be done by now,but check it anyway. If the FG is within range rack to bottling bucket out from underneith that pellicle.

I wouldn't do this unless you can store all of your bottles in the fridge once they're carbonated. racking from underneath the pellicle doesn't rid you of the infection and still leaves you at risk of bottle bombs
 
It seems to depend on the infectant. some stay around the surface. Some don't. But racking from underneith it has been a viable option for many on here.

no infection only effects the surface. a pellicle is just a sign of oxygen exposure, its not the mass of the infection. you can rack from underneath, but you need to drink it fast as the infection will come along
 
I guess it depends on how many spores from the pellicle got into tyhe beer & the effects of the alcohol & yeast cell numbers still in suspension. Haven't read much on that aspect of it...
 
I guess it depends on how many spores from the pellicle got into tyhe beer & the effects of the alcohol & yeast cell numbers still in suspension. Haven't read much on that aspect of it...

it has nothing to do with the pellicle getting into the beer, a pellicle is formed by whatever infection (likely brett) is already in the beer. only lacto is inhibited by alcohol, and the remaining yeast in suspension don't matter either
 
Ah. but how soon you catch it does seem to matter. So I figured this would have to do with when the sporatozoa are produced & released. Or is it that lacto,brett,& the like are more enzymatic in nature than something like a mold? Been a while since science class!...
 
Ah. but how soon you catch it does seem to matter. So I figured this would have to do with when the sporatozoa are produced & released. Or is it that lacto,brett,& the like are more enzymatic in nature than something like a mold? Been a while since science class!...

what are you talking about? this is not mold, there are no sporatozoa that are produced or released. how soon you catch it just has to do with the flavor/aroma impact, which is why they say if it tastes good to rack it out and drink it fast. seriously go read Wild Brews or something
 
Well,to my memory of science class,they're either sporatazoan or enzymatic. Not trolling.just tryin to remember how I got all those "A's"...:drunk: I wish my tropical fish encyclopedias wouldn't have gotten flooded out in the basement. They had knowledge of all that stuff back to the 1800's.
 
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