EdWort Apfelwine infection/question

So I know how annoying all of these infection questions are as I've seen a ton of threads about them but I'll give it a go anyway. Ive only done a few batxches of beer and this is my first cider but i'm hoping to develop and idea of what normal is

I followed the original recipe, pitched yeast ect. Came back home about about 24hrs later to the sweet sound of my airlock going crazy, thought all was good until I unwrapped the towel and saw a significant amount of large bubbles with a brown looking film on top. Today (about 48hrs from pitch time) It looks like it's supposed to (from what Ive read...no krausen looking thing at all just a lot of small Co2 bubbles...and yeah, smells nasty).

Given the fact that it went away I'm not too concerned but it just got me to thinking of a few questions

a) While it looked a lot like a few of the Brett pellicles i've seen it's my assumption that they dont develop that quickly and they shouldnt go away correct?

b) any ideas as to what it could or could have been? I just got concerned when I read that there shouldnt really be anything but small Co2 bubbles during fermentation

c) I'm using a better bottle and saw a few suggestions that plastic equiptment be replaced in the presence of an infection...seems drastic?

d) I know theres a ton of sour beer brewers out there, are there any special cleaning/sanitization processes when wild yeast strains are present?

Thanks for the time and input!

A pelicle won't form that fast from a casual infection. It takes a couple of weeks (this I know from first hand experience).

I think what you saw was just the proteins and other trub being caught in suspension. Since it's cleared up, I wouldn't worry about it too much.

ppower12 said:

So I know how annoying all of these infection questions are as I've seen a ton of threads about them but I'll give it a go anyway. Ive only done a few batxches of beer and this is my first cider but i'm hoping to develop and idea of what normal is

I followed the original recipe, pitched yeast ect. Came back home about about 24hrs later to the sweet sound of my airlock going crazy, thought all was good until I unwrapped the towel and saw a significant amount of large bubbles with a brown looking film on top. Today (about 48hrs from pitch time) It looks like it's supposed to (from what Ive read...no krausen looking thing at all just a lot of small Co2 bubbles...and yeah, smells nasty).

Given the fact that it went away I'm not too concerned but it just got me to thinking of a few questions

a) While it looked a lot like a few of the Brett pellicles i've seen it's my assumption that they dont develop that quickly and they shouldnt go away correct?

b) any ideas as to what it could or could have been? I just got concerned when I read that there shouldnt really be anything but small Co2 bubbles during fermentation

c) I'm using a better bottle and saw a few suggestions that plastic equiptment be replaced in the presence of an infection...seems drastic?

d) I know theres a ton of sour beer brewers out there, are there any special cleaning/sanitization processes when wild yeast strains are present?

Thanks for the time and input!

Click to expand...

A- no, you would have to do something pretty silly to get brett so fast.

B- could have been the yeast stressing in their new environment.

C- no need to replace your equipment, just cleanse and sanitize dilligently.

D- nope, if anything it can be the opposite of 'cleaning', many lambic breweries use open fermentors/dust/cobwebs to get the wild yeast into the wort.