White stuff on surface in fermentor

It’s been in primary for 3 weeks, took a reading on Saturday and it was higher than expected. I have brewed (Orfy’s OSH extract version) this once before and was expecting the same results but my fermentation temperature was 2 degrees lower. Knocked the yeast off the sides of the bucket with the S/S tube containing a temp sensor and swirled it around. Raised the temperature from 62 - 63 F to 67 - 68 F. The surface was clear with just a couple dime sized patches of yeast floaters.

Checked it again, 48 hours later, and it has a thin white powdery looking thing on the entire surface. Ideas? Links to pictures below (tried attachments for 1st time too).

0119091044a.jpg - Image - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

0119091044.jpg - Image - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

Looks like a lactobacillus infection to me- what is your sanitation procedure? Sneak a taste- is it sour?

flyangler18 said:

Looks like a lactobacillus infection to me- what is your sanitation procedure? Sneak a taste- is it sour?

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Geez...I'm pmming you about this...and you're already here.

StarSan everything including my hands & arms. I didn't taste it however it smells good. It is in a bucket with blow-off (soaked in StarSan for a couple hours). One thing I didn't do but will in the future is spray the outside of the bucket with StarSan.

gotta get back to work, will check later

By the looks of it, something slipped through and you have something that sour beer enthusiasts like myself get all weak in the knees over.

The souring takes considerable time to be really noticeable, so you may be able to play beat the clock by consuming this beer fairly quickly. The challenge is avoiding bottle bombs as lactobacillus is able to consume sugars that the yeast can not and could conceivably build sufficient pressure to burst the bottles during conditioning.

You can try racking out from underneath and bottling; just be sure to store them in a way to contain any bottle bombs. The usual rule of thumb is 3 weeks @ 70°. In this case, I would try conditioning slightly cooler to retard the action of the lactobacillus. The yeast will slow down as well, and as such, it may take longer to carbonate this beer which, to style, should be gently carbonated.

I was planning for this to be my first kegged beer. So, I'll keg it and keep it cold. That is if it is not sour. Thanks for the fast responses.

Or you can just wait a couple of months and see what you end up with - sour beer can be delicious!

(spoken as someone who has yet to try a sour brew, but am planning to soon and have been reading up about them)

My recovery plan…………..
Toss air lock with blow-off tube attached, 1 gallon plastic jug (what the blow-off tube goes to), the rubber grommet on the fermentor lid.

Keep fermentor bucket, top and Thermowell stopper – wash with PBW, dry in sun light, spray with StarSan solution.

Will add a spigot to the fermentor to pull samples.

I have not checked on beer since Monday and will do something this Saturday after taking a look and maybe taste (if I can past the look of it). It will either be kegged or tossed.

Update Saturday, 01/24,09.
It didn't look any worst but smelled very sour. I don't care for sour stuff so it's gone. Next batch will 1 to two weeks out. Going to do a simple APA. If it turns out well I want to do a Marzen.

ozzyatfrbrich said:

Update Saturday, 01/24,09.
It didn't look any worst but smelled very sour. I don't care for sour stuff so it's gone. Next batch will 1 to two weeks out. Going to do a simple APA. If it turns out well I want to do a Marzen.

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What was that noise?

Oh... I know...

It was all the sour beer lovers on HBT crying.