I don't think this is infection...

Ok so I have done a lot of batches but have always been lucky so far as far as infection goes. This means I don't know what an infection looks like. I think this is just co2 escaping amongst the krausen, and I think the patch towards the bottom of the photo is just yeast clinging to each other. I wanted to be sure though. As I move into year 3 of brewing with no infection. I think its pretty safe to say IT WILL happen to eventually? So every batch I'm getting more and more nervous haha I almost just want to get an infected batch to get it over with, but not this batch, or the next one, and hopefully not the next either haha anyway, if somebody can take a look and confirm its ok that would be great. Thanks

And after I get some help anyone feel free to thread jack haha

I think you'll be fine.. I doubt there is an infection. Maybe some others have more experience with infections than me (only 1 in around 10 yrs of brewing, and it's because I knocked off the air lock while moving stuff and left it there open in my basement for a month)

Infections are not an obligation lol.. just because you didn't get one yet doesn't mean you'll get one !


Cheers !

Thanks, appreciate the reassurance. I have often been told "you aren't a brewer till you get your first infection." Hahaha

Marauder said:

Thanks, appreciate the reassurance. I have often been told "you aren't a brewer till you get your first infection." Hahaha

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Man I do not want to be a brewer then

Varmintman said:

Man I do not want to be a brewer then

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That is what I said! Glad I am not the only one who saw humor in this statement. I got a blank stare when I said that.

Does infection ALWAYS, taste sour? This beer still had some funny white chunks(look like plastic shavings or little shreds of paper floating around the surface) going to secondary, I tried to rack from under them to avoid taking them with it, tasted the hydrometer sample, and I do not detect a sour taste, does that mean for sure I am out of the woods on this one?

This may or may not be relevant but it is a heffe using wyeast smack pack of weinstephan so I expect yeast and sediment floating everywhere but this didnt look like yeast to me

I think they call those plasticy looking chunks "yeast rafts". Its my understanding that they are fairly common!

davekippen said:

I think they call those plasticy looking chunks "yeast rafts". Its my understanding that they are fairly common!

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You're probably right man, I really just need to calm down on this batch haha I have 6 other airlocks going right now and for some reason this batch I am having a heart attack about? This makes no sense... Maybe just because I have not used this yeast strain before?

... or maybe because you don't drink enough homebrew !!

FYI infections don't always taste sour. Lactobacillus infections taste sour. I can't tell for the others, but some reported "plastic" taste, "band-aid" taste, etc.

Don't worry

Are you just using a different yeast from what you are used to? The flocculation of northwest ale looks pretty similar to that. That is pretty gnarly but I doubt it's infected