Infection?

[eadavis80]

I was able to take a better pic of my secondary fermentor today and wanted to know if you guys think it might be infected.

 

[civilbrando]

Nope


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[freisste]

Tough to get a good close up shot through the carboy.... The parts that are in focus look fine. The parts that are out of focus are impossible to tell. If you look at it and all the parts around the sides look like the bubbles in the middle, you are fine.

 

[Flipadelphia]

No

 

[HomeBrewMaster]

looks normal

 

[SDouglas82]

Looks great.


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[eadavis80]

This saga won't die.

This batch has been a real head scratcher. It failed after about 2 weeks to reach its target FG of 1.013. It bottomed out at 1.020. I could not raise the temp of the ferm, but I did give it a mild shaking so as to try to "wake up" the yeast. A few days later my hydrometer still read the same. Wanting to lower its gravity, I then, per some suggestions (who knows if they were good or bad), I pitched a packet of dry champagne yeast (Lalvin EC-1118) and also added some yeast nutrient. I was told that would help dry out the beer and lower its gravity. A few days later my hydromter still read the same. So, I then racked to secondary just to help settle out any remaining yeast and then I started seeing the stuff that was concerning, thus my pic on this forum.

However, we've now got a lot warmer weather and yesterday tied a record high. As a result, my ferm warmed up some and now I'm actually getting airlock activity (about 2 bubbles/minute). And you can see from the attached pic (which was taken about 10 hours after my first pic) that I now have a complete layer of mini air bubbles at the surface of my secondary.

Is the champagne yeast NOW doing its thing and the beer is STILL fermenting due to the rise in the ferm's temp? I had planned on bottling tonight since I figured fermentation would have been all done. I pitched the champagne yeast five days ago.

I certainly don't want to create bottle bombs. I have NOT taken another gravity reading since the ferm has raised its temperature and the top of the beer looks like it does now.

Can the addition of the champagne yeast make this beer's gravity even LOWER than the recipe's target FG of 1.013? Or, is FG based on the amount of consumable sugars the yeast have to eat only and it can only get so low regardless of how much/types of yeast are added to the beer?

What would be your course of action? Bottle? Wait for airlock activity to subside? Take a gravity reading? The beer, in its current state, smells fine, so my fear of infection has been greatly reduced and all samples throughout this saga have tasted fine.

 

[fartinmartin]

I would not even dream about bottling that brew for at least three weeks.

 

[k1ngl1ves]

Wait a couple of days for it to subside, then begin taking gravity readings every few days.

I wouldn't bottle it right now...

 

[unionrdr]

Looks like it's finally finishing up to me. I've had then start up again quite slowly after swirling up some yeast & raising the temp. give it a little time...

 

[freisste]

Without a gravity reading, it is impossible to tell. When the beer warms, CO2 is less soluble so it comes out of solution. Thus offgassing. It MAY have started fermenting again, but my guess would be offgassing unless you confirm further fermentation with gravity readings.

 

[kombat]

Was this an extract brew?

Note that bubbles and airlock activity do not necessarily mean fermentation is going on, particularly if (as you mentioned), you've experienced a warming weather trend. This can cause CO2 that was already in solution to effervesce out, without necessarily meaning the yeast are doing anything.

CO2 is less soluble in warmer beer, so if the beer warms up, CO2 that was happily in solution at 65° cannot stay dissolved at 68°, and bubbles out. Also, warmer weather usually correlates with lower barometric pressure, which would alter the pressure equilibrium of the CO2 in the beer, causing the excess to bubble out until the pressure of the CO2 in the beer once again matched the pressure of the surrounding atmosphere (consistent with the solubility of CO2 at that temperature, of course).

All that said, that's a heck of a bed of bubbles on the top of that beer to attribute to atmospheric factors. The only way to know for sure is (you guessed it) more hydrometer readings.

 

[eadavis80]

Yes, it was an extract kit. Yeah, I'm guessing only the almighty hydrometer can help me now. My question though remains about gravity - if the OG was 1.050 and the FG target was 1.013 and mine was seemingly stopped (even after adding champagne yeast before the warmer weather hit) at 1.020, is it possible for the beer's FG to be below the 1.013? Will the addition of the champagne yeast lower the beer's gravity even more. Or, is a the FG target the lowest the beer can get given the available sugars I gave the yeast to eat from the kit?

 

[Blarg21]

It really depends on the amount of fermentable sugars that are left in the beer. Just because the hydrometer reading says 1.020 that doesn't mean that there are any fermentable sugars left. There could be non fermentable sugars. I would like everyone else says wait a few days and take another hydrometer reading and if it stays the same then you know that your beer is done.

Cheers
Blarg21

 

[kombat]

Yes, it was an extract kit.

I suspected so. I think this is likely a big part of the reason. Extract brews have a reputation for often finishing high (the dreaded "1.020 Barrier"). Your beer is almost certainly done, but I would still wait until 3 weeks after brew day to bottle it.

 

[WayFrae]

Extract brews have a reputation for often finishing high (the dreaded "1.020 Barrier").

This is what I suspect also. I have hit the 1.020 barrier before and I think it is because I added all the LME at the beginning of the boil causing some of the fermentables to caramelize and become unfermentable. That pale ale turned out to be very dark because of it. I did an 80% LME late addition for my Imperial Red and I hit the target FG.

Don't worry too much OP. It will still be beer even if you hit the 1.020 barrier; it just might be a little sweeter than you would have liked. Try adding 20% of your LME at the beginning of the boil and then the other 80% with 15-20 minutes left in the boil. It works for me.

 

[Marc77]

Wait. It's not going to hurt anything to wait another day or two. Relax and have a homebrew or 5 while waiting.

 

[shortyz]

Wait. It's not going to hurt anything to wait another day or two. Relax and have a homebrew or 5 while waiting.

^ stop doing things and wait.

 

[Watzee]

Can the addition of the champagne yeast make this beer's gravity even LOWER than the recipe's target FG of 1.013? Or, is FG based on the amount of consumable sugars the yeast have to eat only and it can only get so low regardless of how much/types of yeast are added to the beer

Yes it can.

FG is based on fermentable sugars AND the type of yeast you use. You used 2 different types of yeast.

Like the others said. Let everything chill out. Wait for the action to stop and take gravity readings. Make sure they don't change for 48 hours before you bottle. Time cures all in homebrewing.

 

[eadavis80]

The beer turned out okay. It does have a hint of champagne taste/feel in it given the addition of the yeast, but it's a LOT better tasting than it was on bottling day and, like all home brews, will only improve with another week or two of bottle conditioning.

 

[shortyz]

little lacto up in this *****

 

[unionrdr]

Looks like it's just starting to take hold. If it's ready,rack out from under it & package.

 

[delarob]

What yeast did you use and what type of beer is that?

Some yeast will finish higher than others

 

[shortyz]

jalepeno cream ale recipe from here. brewed it numerous times. when i saw this i bottled it right away