Might have my first infection. What now?

[subliminalurge]

I have a Midwest Supplies Cream Stout in primary and when I checked on it tonight I noticed the beginnings of what I'm pretty sure is a lacto infection. When siphoning this one from the BK to the carboy the siphon tube came out and landed on the floor. Instead of stopping the siphon and spraying down with starsan like I should have, I instinctively grabbed the tube and just shoved it back in the carboy. Heat of the moment, whatever you want to call it, I acted before I thought. Noob mistake for sure, but what's done is done.

Anyway, about two weeks into primary I'm starting to see some signs of infection. Based on pictures I've seen, I'm pretty much positive it's (just) lacto.

I have two options:

1. Leave it alone, ride it out.
2. Transfer to a keg and refrigerate ASAP.

I'm leaning towards kegging it up. I was wanting this one to age a bit longer, but I'm thinking the sourness from letting the lacto progress will outweigh any benefit of further aging. And I'm hoping that refrigeration will slow the progression of any infection.

Am I on the right track here? Any words of wisdom before I go ahead with my plan?

 

[Calder]

Any lacto infection will take a long time to have any significant affect; and a bit of sour in a stout is not out of place. It will give you an excuse to try it often to ensure it's doing OK.

 

[subliminalurge]

Any lacto infection will take a long time to have any significant affect; and a bit of sour in a stout is not out of place. It will give you an excuse to try it often to ensure it's doing OK.

Good to know. Maybe I'll let it ride for a few days and see just how well I can really RDWHAHB...

I know a bit of sourness is generally acceptable in a stout, but this was supposed to be a cream stout, so my main concern is keeping that sweetness in the flavor profile and not having it cancelled out or overwhelmed.

And as a pre-emptive strike for those who are sick of infection threads and sure to chime in... Please note that dumping was never on my list of options. This beer IS going to be drank...

 

[jonmohno]

Yeah, taste good drink it, you spent the money the worst is it would just taste like crap,and most of the time it gets better in most cases. I havnt dumped yet,and they always seem to go from ok to yeah i should have known better, over time.
Get some credible evidence first before being too paranoid, currently im having a hard time telling whats's what but i still bottled secluded and ive been wrong or at least too worried for nothing,its good to be cautious though and educate yourself with experience,pulling a bottle out every week from condtioning is a good idea if your uncertain.
A good thing to go buy is if they taste good and are carbed good then you may as well chill them.

 

[Chivo]

Taste it. I wouldn't be surprised if it is just fine. Krausen sometimes just looks or falls funny and nothing is wrong.

 

[BBKing]

Taste it. I wouldn't be surprised if it is just fine. Krausen sometimes just looks or falls funny and nothing is wrong.

Bingo, was going to say something similiar.

 

[subliminalurge]

Taste it. I wouldn't be surprised if it is just fine. Krausen sometimes just looks or falls funny and nothing is wrong.

Yeah, that's probably what I should do.

But I do have at least a hundred or so batches under my belt (probably more, I went completely nuts with brewing for the first couple years after I started). I've been doing this for quite a while, and I've seen lots of odd krausens.... This krausen fell about a week ago and the surface has been clear as a bell up until today when the "film" showed up.

I've also for some reason always been a big rubbernecker when other people post infection threads, so I've seen lots of pictures and I'm pretty darn confident that my lacto diagnosis is correct.

Guess I'll get my hydrometer out and sanitized and take a reading and a taste.

 

[subliminalurge]

Well, took a sample. SG is right where it was 4 or 5 days ago, and it tastes dead bang on the mark for what I was hoping for from this batch.

Kegging it up tonight.

 

[jonmohno]

I absolutly love my scottish 80, i thought was infected,right now, wow sometimes its 2-3 months then your beer is your beer.Finally just where you want it. And usually. Im definatly proud when im patient.