thick and slimy

Hello everyone. New member, long time lurker. I think i have a problem. I have a Bavarian wheat recipe in secondary/ conditioning phase. I took my first finishing gravity reading(.010 by the way) and when I pulled my hydrometer out, it was kind of slimy. Like egg white consistency. There is no layering or discoloring of any sorts, no growth of anything that looks like an infection. It is hazy, but that's normal for that style of beer. Kinda lost on this one. P.s. - tastes like sour beer. Not vinegar, but just slightly sour. Also do I take my sample from the bottom or closer to the top?.

Sounds bad, but it usually takes a pretty long time to grow an infection.
Never had one slimy.

What was your recipe like? Did you have any oats in it? I've read that sometimes based on the amount of oats and how they are used in the recipe that they can create a mild slimy texture.

Secondary for a Bavarian wheat? How long has it been in the the buckets? Wheat is usually drunk young, two weeks in fermenter tops then into bootlegs or keg. . No need for a secondary as you don't clear a wheat beer. It is supposed to be hazy. Sounds infected if it is wheat and it's sour. You could go ahead and bottle some of it and see if you end up with a Berliner Weiss in 6 months!

Is this an all grain or extract recipe? Don't worry to much. A sample before bottle conditioning will not taste like the finished brew. The flavor you get is of a very green uncarbonated beer.

Mash comprised of 100% wheat grain. It was in primary for about 5 days. secondary for going on twenty. This is my first home brew so i went"by the book". Hope that didn't screw me.

It sounds like a lacto infection, unfortunately.

Well -- did it taste good sour or bad sour?

It's an all grain. And as far as the sour goes, hard to say. I have never drank a beer that is meant to taste sour so i have no reference point. It may just be very bitter and sour was just the wrong description. It's not the taste that is throwing me. It's the consistency. Thanks for the input. Keep it coming. Should my sample have been taken from nearer the top or bottom of the carboy?

I'm going to have to agree with Yooper. I can't think of how a 100% wheat beer is going to be slimy. Maybe a hint of tartness, but I think after 20 days there should be nothing slimy sticking to a hydrometer. Give it a bit and I expect it to start getting a lot more sour. I wouldn't recommend dumping it until you know for sure, but if you need to use that fermenter, I'd cut bait and send it out to sea.

Yea, that was my thoughts also. I think I'm just going to cut my losses and dump it. There ate other recipies I want to try anyway. Thanks everyone. I'll be sure to post updates on my next brew.

mechanicalBRew said:

Yea, that was my thoughts also. I think I'm just going to cut my losses and dump it. There ate other recipies I want to try anyway. Thanks everyone. I'll be sure to post updates on my next brew.

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Is this your first all wheat brew? It is in your secondary. Start something new in your primary. Keep this one in the secondary. What do you have to lose?

Too late. Already dumped. It was like pouring out warm honey. Cherry wheat extract on the way. And yea it was my first all wheat brew. First brew ever while we are on the point.