Infected?

[andruss15]

So I'm on my 6th batch so far and I brewed a Saison. I'm wondering if the beer is infected - it's been in the secondary for about a week and a half now. I'm not particularly worried, but I didn't see these tiny pieces in the beer before. What do you think?

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1468935220.014029.jpgView attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1468935230.171819.jpg

 

[Sagatho]

your hops was in pellets form?

 

[andruss15]

Yeah, there was no dry hopping - all the hopping was done in boil and these guys just showed up the other day

 

[BrewerBrad82]

Those really look like little yeast flocs that have floated up from the bottom of the carboy. Any residual CO2 can collect on yeast chunks and cause them to float. Everything looks perfectly fine to me!

 

[Gavin C]

Outside possibility but given the huge airfilled headspace in that secondary vessel it could be fruit fly larvae.

Probably not.

In future if using secondary vessels (regardless of problems or not in this batch) fill them to the very neck just like you would a beer bottle.

Like so.

 

[andruss15]

Thank you for the responses - I certainly hope it's not fruit fly larvae! If it is, I'm assuming that would be grounds for dumping?

I'm glad you brought up the head space because I've been having an issue when transferring from the primary fermenter (plastic bucket) to the carboy... I always have a thick sediment that I try to avoid siphoning and end up with a lot of head space. Would you recommend a smaller carboy?

 

[Gavin C]

Thank you for the responses - I certainly hope it's not fruit fly larvae! If it is, I'm assuming that would be grounds for dumping?

I'm glad you brought up the head space because I've been having an issue when transferring from the primary fermenter (plastic bucket) to the carboy... I always have a thick sediment that I try to avoid siphoning and end up with a lot of head space. Would you recommend a smaller carboy?

If you decide you use a secondary vessel it should be sized to match the volume of beer to be racked. Typically a 5 gallon carboy is commonly used for that purpose.

There a bazillion threads on secondary usage/non usage for you to explore and decide the merits of either approach. For the beers I make, a secondary vessel has no role to play.

I would stress that I think the larvae possibility is very remote. If they are present you'll see more of them. I don't want to be spelling doom and gloom. Best of luck with your brewing.

 

[theheroguy]

Your beer is fine that looks nothing like an infection. It is just some particles that floated up.

 

[unionrdr]

I agree that it's either yeast or some bits of cold break, as they do look sorta like wet popcorn?...