WTF is that? (calm my fears)

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ShortSnoutBrewing

Kwanesum Chinook Illahee
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I'm not totally worried about infection, but this is just something I've never seen before.

First up, my xmass ale. About 3 weeks ago something started happening that I wasn't sure about. "Ice bergs" were forming, strange crystal looking formations and big huge bubbles:

XMassAle001.jpg


That's a tame picture. I listened to all the recommendations on here and did not dump. about 2 weeks later everything started to drop out, but I still have this "funk" in the middle and many many bubbles:

XMassAle002.jpg


These were taken about 2 weeks into seconday

Now my 999 Barley Wine is doing strange things:

999BW-WTF.jpg


It's hard to see in the pics, but it's getting the same "ice bergs" and crystals as the xmass ale was getting. This pic was taken today. Brewed on July 13th and in secondary about 3 weeks.

Am I paranoid??? Tell me it will be ok!!!
:drunk:
 
any similarities between the batches yeast, same carboy etc... What are you using to sanatize and is there any type of pellicle developing?
 
any similarities between the batches yeast, same carboy etc...

Well...Similarites start with injecting some CO2 into the dead space with one of them cartridge shooter deals...Similar to this

Then...I took a sample of the xmass, put the thief into sanitizer then took a sample from the 999. That's where all connections drop.

This is the first I've ever let anything bulk age this long so I'm hoping it's normal. I had thought a pellicle was starting on the xmass, but it dropped. There where some huge bubbles forming but they've all gone.
 
if theres no pellicle and your confident in your sanitation then i would just relax and wait. From here it looks like normal yeast activity maybe a bit odd but then again what fermentation isnt. I would sanitize your theif and take a taste. Nothin in there is going to kill you, at worst you will taste something a bit off putting.

What sanitizer did you use? And you sanitized before going into the xmas right?

edit: and what yeast and temps did you use?
 
the first pic is a little gross. big bubbles like that aren't good. However, the fact they dropped and there's nothing left growing on the surface tells me that it's fine. the second and third pics look a-ok. Those "icebergs" look like little floating colonies of yeast with CO2 bubbles stuck to 'em. They too will eventually drop to the bottom.
 
It's been my experience (and I've had way too much of it, frankly :mad:) that infections don't go away. The gross ass stuff on top just keeps getting bigger and uglier and never drops out. I've seen that first pic before and it's been normal. On the second pic I don't like the iceberg remnants but if it's gone and not coming back it's probably alright. Third one looks normal to me too.

I've got a pilsner that was infected back in July and I decided to keep it. It's got a thick mat of pellicle on top about 1/2" thick. It ain't going anywhere. Smells wonderful though.
 
I'm more shocked that someone is selling a $20 bicycle tire pump w/ a rigged up adapter for 50 bucks plus shipping!


Wow that's a good idea!! I'd thought about that, but I wasn't sure it would work. I'm about to buy one for $14 including shipping. :ban:
 
The first two pics are of the same batch, just about 2 weeks apart. The stuff in the middle is really odd looking. White and brown perfectly shaped...shapes.

What sanitizer did you use? And you sanitized before going into the xmas right?

I use Iodaphor. Yes everything was sanitized before going into both batches. I've since let the thief sit in a bleach solution and rinsed the dickens out of it.

I was going to bottle these both this weekend, but I think I'll let them sit a little longer and see what happens.

I'm more shocked that someone is selling a $20 bicycle tire pump w/ a rigged up adapter for 50 bucks plus shipping!
You mean that's not a good deal??? Kidding. They were just one of the first to come up in my google search.
 
I'd just pull a sample and calm your fears. It looks pretty normal to me. I had a batch go bad once and there was a kind of fuzzy growth here and there. I don't think that stuff will drop out like yeast would.

I've heard of yeast releasing itself due to slight movements or temp changes.
 
The tan colored stuff looks like yeast colonies and the white looking stuff looks like it could be Pediococcus but cant be sure just from looking at a photo. If I were you I'd do some research and keep a close eye on your brew. To me it doesn't look all that gnarly. As far as I know when it come to wine you can just carefully skim that stuff off. But this is beer and you are using a carboy which would make skimming almost impossible. Just don't panic, theres plenty of experienced brewers here to get great advice from. I repeat, don't panic.:D
 
The tan colored stuff looks like yeast colonies and the white looking stuff looks like it could be Pediococcus but cant be sure just from looking at a photo. If I were you I'd do some research and keep a close eye on your brew. To me it doesn't look all that gnarly. As far as I know when it come to wine you can just carefully skim that stuff off. But this is beer and you are using a carboy which would make skimming almost impossible. Just don't panic, theres plenty of experienced brewers here to get great advice from. I repeat, don't panic.:D

I'm sure he's not panicking anymore... this was like... 7 years ago.
 
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