Advice Needed for Newb

Hi all.
Just need a bit of advice for my current batch of brew that is in the primary fermentation stage. This is my fifth batch, I have 1 successful batch and 4 fails due to bad temp control and an infection. This current batch is a Coopers Real Ale (exp 07/2014) with the Coopers Enhancer 2 in place of sugar. Running a standard 23Lt home brew kit.
So I pitched the yeast and sealed the fermentation vessel this past Sat 08/12 ( temp at time of pitching yeast was 22/24 Celsuis ). Everything looked good until this morning ( Mon morning 10/12 ) when I noticed a large build up of foam on top of my wort. Is this normal? There was no floating bits of sediment in the wort as far as I could see, my last infection had huge bits of sediment in the wort. There is just a lot of foam on the top and the last infection had the same amount of foam. The only sediment build up that could see was around the Krausen Kollar. Am I being paranoid or this batch heading down the drain?

It sounds like you're seeing krausen. Does it look like this?

Hi mate. Yeah that's what it looks like. Mine has a little less brown sediment but the foam is around the same size. Is it normal?

Very, extremely normal.

Are you sure about that infection you say you had? I often see chunks of goo swirling around in the fermenter, it's glorious to behold.

Cheers!

frazier said:

Are you sure about that infection you say you had?

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I'm curious about this as well. How do you know you had an infection? Did you taste it? It's somewhat atypical for new brewers to get an infected batch since they're typically working with fairly new equipment, but, sure, it does happen.

Hi Frazier,




Above (hopefully) is a picture of that last batch with what I thought was the infection. Was I wrong in thinking it was an infection?

What yeast is that? Some highly flocculent yeast can stick together like that and the fermentation gas can lift them up. Did you taste the suspect batch?

Boydo said:

Hi Frazier,


View attachment 87772

Above (hopefully) is a picture of that last batch with what I thought was the infection. Was I wrong in thinking it was an infection?

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That looks like coagulated proteins.

Completely normal if so.

Boydo said:

Hi Frazier,


View attachment 87772

Above (hopefully) is a picture of that last batch with what I thought was the infection. Was I wrong in thinking it was an infection?

Click to expand...

Yes you were. Those look like yeast rafts. Check out this thread to see some real infections.

LLBeanJ said:

I'm curious about this as well. How do you know you had an infection? Did you taste it? It's somewhat atypical for new brewers to get an infected batch since they're typically working with fairly new equipment, but, sure, it does happen.

Click to expand...

Hi LLBeanJ. I'm now thinking I may have had it wrong. But I went on look, pic above and I did taste it. It didn't taste like beer but didn't taste like vinegar or have the sour off taste. I just saw those floating bits of sediment and assumed it wad a sign of infection. The floating sediment in that pic didn't happen during my one successful batch.

ColoHox said:

What yeast is that? Some highly flocculent yeast can stick together like that and the fermentation gas can lift them up. Did you taste the suspect batch?

Click to expand...

This yeast is just the standard dry brewing yeast that came in the beer Kit. Cooper's Real Ale 1.7 kg.

Well, from what you shown it doesn't appear that you had an infected batch. That's the good news. Of course, the bad news is that you dumped it. Live and learn, I guess.

As a general rule, never dump a batch unless it tastes bad. Even an infected batch can be perfectly drinkable. You might want to check out Revvy's thread on this subject.

LLBeanJ said:

Well, from what you shown it doesn't appear that you had an infected batch. That's the good news. Of course, the bad news is that you dumped it. Live and learn, I guess.

As a general rule, never dump a batch unless it tastes bad. Even an infected batch can be perfectly drinkable. You might want to check out Revvy's thread on this subject.

Click to expand...

Cheers LLBeanJ, that was an entertaining and informative read. Yeah, big lesson learnt and I will definitely think twice about pouring a batch down the drain. Thanks mate