Infected?

Ok...ironically enough I just picked up my copy of Wildbrews from Jeff Sparrow today. I got home ready to keg a beer and pulled the shirt off I had wrapped around the keg. I can't tell if this is the start a pellicle or infection.

I don't have a lot of notes on this beer. It's a ginger ale recipe found here. It's been sitting in secondary for 2-3 months now (time slipped away from me) and I've never ran into anything like this. I tasted it and it's really hard to pick out anything other than the ginger (spiciness) which is what this recipe was all about. This would be my first attempt at the recipe, which means I don't have anything to compare it to.

I have no problem riding this out to see what might come of it if I can get confirmation it could be infected. It's hard to get a clear photo from the side with all the condensation inside the BB. The stuff at the surface does not seem to be bubbly, just patchy.

Any ideas?

I should also note, I only used US-05...nothing else.

It looks like a pellicle. If it doesn't taste bad you've got nothing to worry about. Just transfer from underneath it when you're ready to bottle and you'll be fine.

Now I've only just started exploring the world of wild beers. Would there be any reason I should transfer it out of my BB and into glass? I ask because I figure I'll let this go for another 6-8 months.

One more question, any suggestions on a good addition to a ginger sour beer? Sour cherry, oak, etc.? I think it would be fun to experiment with this 2.5 gallon batch since I'm not really sure I'd be able to replicate again.

It looks like brett. You wouldn't really get any sour character from that. But I'm a fan of sour cherry and oak.

I could add lacto. right, for a desirable sour taste? I'm sure I'm going to read about this soon enough.

I'm not sure you have anything there. Maybe it is just from the ingredients.

If you really want to sour it, I'd recommend drinking a couple of bottles Jolly Pumpkin and pouring the dregs in the BB.

No issues with leaving it in the BB for 6 months.

When I pulled the stopper some of the stuff at the top began to drop. I just can't tell what it is, I've never experienced this before. Originally I wasn't looking to sour this. However, if this did become infected, I think it would be a great opportunity to experiment. For it being 2-3 months since I transfered would the pellicle be greater? Would there be visible bubbles, which I lack?

An infection is not the same as an intentionally soured or funky beer. It might taste ok but it might also taste like bandaids and feet.

i am a big fan of throwing bottle dregs into anything that isnt beer the way it was first intended to be. if it was supposed to be ginger and doesnt taste like ginger who cares if that is brett or not throw some bottle dregs in it and let it ride.

Did you taste a sample of it yet? Probably good to see what's going on before you add anything

OddNotion said:

Did you taste a sample of it yet? Probably good to see what's going on before you add anything

Click to expand...

Nvm missed that part of the original post! If it tastes and smells fine then i am not sure you have a big problem at all