cloudy on top

[buzzbean]

I searched around but most of the threads I've seen deal with meads. 1st off I screwed up just about every step of this batch. I upgraded my equipment and tried a couple of tricks which means lots of room for errors. Newb tip! only change up one or two things per batch.

NE-way, I transferred to the secondary on Wednesday 3/7 and pretty quickly a cloudy layer formed in the top inch or so. Also, it seems like it is growing slowly.

Thoughts?

 

[phidelt844]

How recently did you pitch the yeast? Can you identify it as krausen? Infection perhaps? Got a pic by chance?

 

[TopherM]

Did you take any gravity readings, and if so, what was the gravity when you transferred? This could just be a new krausen due to a kickstarted fermentation.

 

[buzzbean]

I will take a pic tonight but I don't think it is a new krausen.

Was in the primary for 10 days with everything settling nice by the time I transferred. Transfer was nice and slow. My one concern was that it might be extra starsan though at the time it did not look like I had more foam than normal.

As to the gravity it was 1.018 (i think) when I transferred. Like I said I messed up several steps.

Had a new pot and do biab. My bag was surrounding the therm and I had the stove on to keep it in range. the temp did not budge for a while so I kept it on. stirred the grain and it shot up near mash out temp. after only 15 min into starch conversion.

the OG was 1.03 at the end of boil w/ hop additions so after reading the forum I figured what the hell and added 6oz. of sugar (as a syrup made by boiling water) to try and goose it.

Don't think it is infected since it appeared pretty quickly. but what do I know. This is my school of hard knocks batch for sure.

 

[TopherM]

Sometimes the sanitizer you use to clean the fermenter can cause a cloudy film on top of the wort. As long as it's a no-rinse sanitizer, and not too much of it, it doesn't hurt the final beer at all.

 

[buzzbean]

Thanks TopherM, that was my thought/hope since it seemed to rise up as I transferred. Just trying to pin down which mistake caused which outcome.

 

[buzzbean]

Would star San do this?

 

[buzzbean]

Sorry to bump, I'd just like an opinion on the pics. Could the Star San make it cloudy?

Would star San do this?

View attachment 51826



View attachment 51825

 

[Zeal]

Looks like yeast to me, what kind of yeast did you use?

 

[buzzbean]

Thanks for the Reply Zeal. I used Wyeast 1450 Denny's Fav.

Thing is this is the 2ndary and has been in there for about 5 days and that is off of a 10day primary. If it is yeast shouldn't it settle?

 

[Zeal]

Well, Dennys has Low flocculation, meaning it doesn't like to clump together and settle as well as some others this maybe the "problem". Although I haven't seen it manifest like this yet, but who knows I am but a simple homebrewer.

If your worried about it try some and see how it tastes. That should help you decide if you are just being a worry wort or if you actually have a problem.