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theonlysurfnbeer

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My 13th batch, yes 13, is infected. I transferred in to secondary about a month ago before vacation and came back to what looks like infection. At least I think so, there is a bunch of nasty looking stuff on top that I can acutally see movement in it. So should I dump it? Bottle it and hope for the best? Let is set? I also have some lacto in the fridge was thinking maybe I would give that a go. Kinda bummed. Any advice is appreciated. :(
 
Taste it before doing anything else. If it taste like beer without strange taste bottle it.
You can also post a picture. So that we can give you a better answer.
 
If it's the 13th batch its definitely an infection. :cross: Seriously, more info is required. How does it smell? nasty products usually smell nasty. That's why the great one put your nose directly under your mouth. So you could sniff everything before you eat it.
 
Here are the best pics I could get with my subpar camera. I don't know if it's anything. It smells fine and it tastes good. When I sit there for a few minutes, I am still hearing and seeing bubbles every few minutes. Is it possible that it's still fermenting? It was in primary for 4 weeks and has been in secondary for 6.

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Is it that dirty on the outside? Perfectly honest, I just see offgassing. I don't see anything that looks like pellicles, but it is kinda hard to see through.
 
If it was infected, you'd definitely taste it. When mine was infected you could taste the beer but it was quickly overwhelmed by a gross sour taste.
 
My 13th batch, yes 13, is infected. I transferred in to secondary about a month ago before vacation and came back to what looks like infection. At least I think so, there is a bunch of nasty looking stuff on top that I can acutally see movement in it. :(

Umm... To clarify, is it just movement from fermentation off-gassing , or is it a more 'self-aware' movement; like it will crawl out and eat your face while you are not looking type of movement?
If it is the second type.... Better get the baseball bat ready.
 
Thanks for the feedback. I guess I need to look at what a pellicle looks like. Excuse my ignorance but is off-gassing because it is continuing to ferment? Secondly, what would cold crashing do for it? Last, no, it's residue from the rum soaked cocoa nibs that I put in before transferring to secondary. Cheers for all the responses.
 
I think every beer I've brewed looked like that toward the end. I see yeast and co2 bubbles.

Rick
 
Thanks for the feedback. I guess I need to look at what a pellicle looks like. Excuse my ignorance but is off-gassing because it is continuing to ferment? Secondly, what would cold crashing do for it? Last, no, it's residue from the rum soaked cocoa nibs that I put in before transferring to secondary. Cheers for all the responses.

Off-gassing just means that something (co2 quite possibly ) is coming out of some form of solution (in this case wort) and is making bubbles. It's not a foolproof indication of continuing fermentation.
 
If it's the 13th batch its definitely an infection. :cross: Seriously, more info is required. How does it smell? nasty products usually smell nasty. That's why the great one put your nose directly under your mouth. So you could sniff everything before you eat it.

No more drinking for you tonight...:tank:
 
Bubbles mean nothing. Looks pretty normal to me.

Is this one done fermenting yet????

 
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Ha, my 13th batch was infected too! It did have a pellicle, I don't have a picture, I forgot. :( It didn't taste bad so I bottled it, waiting for it to carb up for a final verdict, but it's getting little mini pellicles in the bottles. :0

Replaced my fermenter, it was scratched, and brewed a Two Heart clone on Sunday. That one seems to be off to a good start, hoping for no infection in 14.
 
I skipped the 13th batch for that reason. Right from 12 to 14 and no troubles!

Looks very normal to me! But...have that baseball bat ready just in case...
 
What's the story on all the crud on the outside of the carboy? My guess would be that it's leftover from the transfer to secondary? Maybe something else happened? You say you still see it bubbling. Did you take hydrometer readings before you transferred to verify whether fermentation was complete?

Pull a test sample, get a reading and give it a taste. What do you taste? Hopefully, it'll taste like flat beer! If not, you might have to investigate a little further... :(

Wipe down that carboy!
 
What's the story on all the crud on the outside of the carboy? My guess would be that it's leftover from the transfer to secondary? Maybe something else happened? You say you still see it bubbling. Did you take hydrometer readings before you transferred to verify whether fermentation was complete?

Pull a test sample, get a reading and give it a taste. What do you taste? Hopefully, it'll taste like flat beer! If not, you might have to investigate a little further... :(

Wipe down that carboy!

taste it if it was infected youd know-trust me I brought some bootlegged mamijuanja back from the DR-that was an infection
 
My 13th batch, yes 13, is infected. I transferred in to secondary about a month ago...

They [the ancient mayan prophets] say that in year of a lord 2013 all homebrews and probrews will be infect. there will be a shortage of brew which will lead to fire and brimstone; the dead rising from the grave; dogs and cats living together; mass hysteria...
 
What's the story on all the crud on the outside of the carboy? My guess would be that it's leftover from the transfer to secondary? Maybe something else happened? You say you still see it bubbling. Did you take hydrometer readings before you transferred to verify whether fermentation was complete?

Pull a test sample, get a reading and give it a taste. What do you taste? Hopefully, it'll taste like flat beer! If not, you might have to investigate a little further... :(

Wipe down that carboy!

I know it looks like crud on the outside, but it's not. I had soaked cacoa nibs in rum and when I poured it in, that was left on the inside of the carboy. Outside is clean as can be. Did take hydro readings, no drop for a few days, that was when I transferred. Already tasted it, flat chocolate beer. After this thread and all the great feedback I'm feeling better about it.
 
They [the ancient mayan prophets] say that in year of a lord 2013 all homebrews and probrews will be infect. there will be a shortage of brew which will lead to fire and brimstone; the dead rising from the grave; dogs and cats living together; mass hysteria...

Ghostbusters FTW!
 
ButcherBoy said:
Ha, my 13th batch was infected too! It did have a pellicle, I don't have a picture, I forgot. :( It didn't taste bad so I bottled it, waiting for it to carb up for a final verdict, but it's getting little mini pellicles in the bottles. :0

Replaced my fermenter, it was scratched, and brewed a Two Heart clone on Sunday. That one seems to be off to a good start, hoping for no infection in 14.

Well two weeks in the bottle, couldn't resist chilling one down and opening it today. No gusher, that's good, carbed up nicely. The taste is OK, not great but not bad either. So... it looks like I got away with that one, I know it still could go south on me. But, it's the only finished beer in my pipeline for now so it doesn't have to last long.
 
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