Yeast raft?

Hey folks,

So I'm used to seeing yeast rafts floating on my beer, but they are usually the size of a grain of rice or maybe a dime. This batch, though, apparently has the Titanic of yeast rafts. It measures about 2 inches across and has a slightly oily sheen to it.

I'm starting to wonder if it's actually an infection instead of a yeast raft or other clump of protein. The floater has been about the same size and shape for several days now, but the most drastic change is that the smell coming out of the carboy now is VERY astringent -- it smells like a very high alcohol, which this batch should not be (should come in somewhere around 5.0%, but haven't done a FG reading yet).

I'm more curious than anything. I mean, I'm gonna at least try it and keep it if it's any good.

FWIW, it's an Irish Stout that I pitched on June 3. The brewing of this batch was a Charlie Foxtrot from start to finish, so I wouldn't be surprised if something worked its way into the wort. (The challenges of trying to brew beer while watching your 15-month old. A mistake not to be repeated.)

Pictures below. Any thoughts?

Have you tasted it?

Looks like the start of an infection

m3n00b said:

Have you tasted it?

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No, not yet. I figured I'd just wait a little bit and see if it broke up.

So you're saying it's a clump,& not a flat sheet? I've never seen one like that specifically.

unionrdr said:

So you're saying it's a clump,& not a flat sheet? I've never seen one like that specifically.

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Sorry, it's definitely a flat sheet.

Then I'd say it's an infection. Grows like a white sheet of ice that breaks up when disturbed. I forget the name specifically.

That's what I figured. Thanks!

On the plus side, you have a pretty good attitude toward this:

ztexz said:

I'm more curious than anything. I mean, I'm gonna at least try it and keep it if it's any good.

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I don't have any experience with infections, but two points to consider:

1. If you do keep it, I think you have to wait a LONG time for this to come into its own.

2. Whether you keep it or not, be careful with all of the equipment you used moving forward. It is tough to really clean stuff that has held infected brews, so its common to infect future brews (from what I understand).

freisste said:

On the plus side, you have a pretty good attitude toward this:

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Haha, thanks. I mean, it IS just beer

Thanks also for the tips. I'll do some reading on how to sanitize the stuff that's touched it. I wonder if it makes sense to get it out of there sooner rather than later?

If it's going to take a really long time to be able to do anything with, I'd rather just toss it and move on to the next one.

I say get your gravity reading and give it a taste. If you're at FG and it tastes ok, go ahead and rack from under it into a new clean vessel. May lose a little bit to avoid getting that in there, but better than the whole thing.

Looks like the portal into another dimension to me

I realize this is an old thread.... researching yeast raft-
giant yeast raft here... pitched safale 05 at 82 maintaining 64/66

its been in the fermenter for 18 hours

when I gave the ferm a spin-no splash-just enough to disturb the yeast on top - ten mins later it fell and BAM bubbling away

Yeah, the one time I got that it took a day to break up, sink & start fermenting. Haven't seen it again since then?!

frankjones said:

I realize this is an old thread.... researching yeast raft-

giant yeast raft here... pitched safale 05 at 82 maintaining 64/66



its been in the fermenter for 18 hours



when I gave the ferm a spin-no splash-just enough to disturb the yeast on top - ten mins later it fell and BAM bubbling away

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Did you sprinkle dry yeast on top? It probably just all stuck together. If you had done nothing it probably would have been fine. You just get to see the action a few hours earlier.

I just dumped it in from the package.

frankjones said:

I just dumped it in from the package.

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I believe that is why you had the "issue" you had. I put that in quotes because I don't actually think it would cause any problems and the situation would have remedied itself. Yeast are good at finding sugar.

It is generally accepted that rehydrating yeast gives them the best chance and does the least to reduce cellcounts. Lots of people have no issue sprinkling in dry, though.

I think I'm going to rehydrate the next time.