It happened...it finally happened.

[luckybeagle]

I racked half of my Belgian Tripel to a sanitized* 5 gallon bucket after fermentation in order to free up a carboy. I decided to go in for a wine-thief pull to taste it before bottling, and this is what I saw:

In over 200 gallons brewed, I've never had an infection. I have no idea how this happened but, needless to say, I'm very disappointed!

The other half was racked to a keg for 50F conditioning prior to putting on tap at my office (whenever the doors open again, that is). No infection in that one.

I don't know how to differentiate infections, bacterias etc... Is it safe to drink/sample?

Thanks.

 

[Jag75]

If it makes you feel better that's some really cool looking pellicle !

If it smells and tastes good rack underneath it and enjoy quickly is what I always see here . But I'm no biologist or science guy so I wouldn't take my word . Someone with a higher pay grade will respond .

 

[Jayjay1976]

Might be delicious, hard to say. I'd say keg it up and keep an eye on the pressure as souring continues. Me personally, if it tastes good, I'd try to enjoy it quickly before it has a chance to become toooo funky. Unless you're into that, in which case milk the funk.

 

[day_trippr]

Awesome pic, fwiw. No idea what alien force has settled in.
I'd be cautious about bottling and would track the SG for a few days to see what's going on...

Cheers!

 

[brownni5]

No question there - beautiful pellicle! Not surprising after racking to a bucket - lots of O2 exposure. No way to tell what the culprit might be, at least not from looking at it, but would be safe to sample.

 

[couchsending]

Leave it and see what happens!

 

[jrgtr42]

I would say to give it a little time to see what happens.
You may end up dumping it, but it may end up tasty.
However, you should dump that bucket once it's empty - whatever bugs have taken up residence can be awful hard to get rid of. They can hide in micro-scratches that you can't scrub out and sanitizer often can't get to.
Either use it for dry storage or toss it entirely.

 

[Miraculix]

Might be delicious, hard to say. I'd say keg it up and keep an eye on the pressure as souring continues. Me personally, if it tastes good, I'd try to enjoy it quickly before it has a chance to become toooo funky. Unless you're into that, in which case milk the funk.

Doesn't have to become sour.

I would also just try it and see where to go from there. If it tastes good, key it and keep an eye on the pressure.

If it tastes not good, you can either dump it directly, or you can track it into a smaller vessel with little to no head space and see what half a year might do to this beauty.

 

[kh54s10]

Doesn't have to become sour.

I would also just try it and see where to go from there. If it tastes good, key it and keep an eye on the pressure.

If it tastes not good, you can either dump it directly, or you can track it into a smaller vessel with little to no head space and see what half a year might do to this beauty.

Other than the autocorrect incorrect changes - this would be my approach. But - NO BOTTLING -.

 

[luckybeagle]

Thanks everyone! It does look extra-terrestrial. Maybe I'll take a picture of it with my wife's nice camera and set it as my desktop background--partly because it looks cool, but also as a reminder to exercise better sanitation (and to not secondary if I don't have to!). Before this, I've never racked to secondary either.


Maybe this mistake might end up being a happy accident? I will brave a taste test today and will report back. Good to know about repurposing the bucket after this, too. I bought the bucket from a farm supply store and, honestly, I can't remember if I filled it up/sprayed it down with sanitizer before racking to it. It's not like it for me to forget, but it was a busy, rushed day of beer-related projects so it is possible??

 

[kh54s10]

Maybe I'll take a picture of it with my wife's nice camera and set it as my desktop background[/QUOTE

Cool idea!!!

 

[brownni5]

NO BOTTLING -.

Why not? If given time and it reaches final gravity, bottling poses no problems. Lots of us bottle sours and other "infected" beers.

 

[Miraculix]

Why not? If given time and it reaches final gravity, bottling poses no problems. Lots of us bottle sours and other "infected" beers.

Sure, of you want to wait at least half a year, that's definitely possible!

 

[nicoharris]

It's definitely safe. The large majority of human pathogens cannot grow in media below pH 4.6 (which this is likely closer to 4.1-4.3)--FDA says any fermented food below pH 4.6 is safe. To my knowledge, there are no human pathogens that look like that pellicle. My bet is it's brett.

 

[kh54s10]

Why not? If given time and it reaches final gravity, bottling poses no problems. Lots of us bottle sours and other "infected" beers.

As Miraculix stated the timing of reaching full FG with an infection is almost impossible to determine. It may take that long or possibly even longer. And how low it goes is also not a given.

 

[brownni5]

I respectfully disagree. I wouldn't bottle higher than 1.010, but would have no qualms at 1.002 or 1.004 - do it all the time, as long as that gravity is stable over a long period.

Planned mixed-ferment beers can be just as unpredictable.

 

[couchsending]

If its at 1.004/1.006 I’m fine with bottling it... but only in heavy glass. I’d never put any mixed culture beer in regular glass.. ever.

 

[hottpeper13]

I had a 25 gal barrel of 10% bock get this way. We tasted it and it was off but good,so we kegged it. Mine waqs gone in 2 weeks and didn't change much in that time. One got dumped at 4 weeks,and another was dosed with a campden tablet and was consumed over a 3 month period with no change.