Wild yeast or bacteria?

[BamaPhil]

On Saturday I did my first all grain brew with my new mash tun. I only have the boil capacity for a 3 gallon batch but I sparged with enough water for a 5 gallon batch (don't ask me why, perhaps I was too relaxed, unworried, and had too many homebrews).

So I ended up with 2 gallons of ~1.030 wort in a couple jugs. I thought "hey, I'll just keep it and use it for a yeast starter or two. And why worry about sanitation? I'm just gonna boil it anyway." Again, too relaxed and unworried. I then left on a work trip early the next morning.

Last night I got home and one jug was fermenting away. There was a small krausen and the jug was getting pressurized. Good thing I came home from my trip early! As of this morning there was a good bit of sediment on the bottom of the jug so I put it in the fridge in hopes of getting whatever monster I've created to settle out.

I thought about decanting and keeping it and trying out my "house" yeast on a small experimental batch, but how do I know what I have? I haven't seen an infection yet so I don't know if I have a yeast or some other microorganism. What should I look for? The junk floating around is in clumps more like egg drop soup and the stuff at the bottom definitely isn't as "clean" as the yeast cake you see at the bottom of a fermenter. I hesitate to say it "stinks" but it's definitely not the same fermentation fragrance I've gotten from my real batches.

So should I toss it before it becomes self aware and kills me in my sleep or try to keep it?

 

[Hopinista]

Pics please! This is kinda exciting

 

[m1batt1]

I say keep it and let it ferment out. Could be the best mistake/accident of your beer makings career. Could also be disgusting only time will tell.

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[beergolf]

Let it go for a couple of weeks, crash it and then make a small 1 gallon batch to test it out. You never know what you have until you try.

I captured some wild yeast from my yard last spring that is great. I did a small batch to test it and the flavor was great. Belgian/Saison like. I have since grown it up and used it for several 5 gallon batches. It is kind of cool having your own strain of yeast.

 

[Barley_Bob]

Some people freeze their extra wort so this doesn't happen... But it sounds like they're missing out on a fun experiment. How long has it been fermenting and at what temperature?

In any event, you're probably safe if you decide to eventually try to drink this. I have only a couple of thoughts to contribute. First, you probably actually would want this to be hopped. A few IBUs would beat off some unwanted bacteria. You could go for more of a gruit without hops, but even then you'd want some herbs to contribute flavor. Second, a gravity of 1.03 is pretty low and would make a thin beer anyway. If it were me, I would brew a new batch of wort for a lambic with some aged hops and pitch in what you have as a starter. You'd want to let it ferment and then age for a long time before you really tried it. Between now and when you brewed a new batch, you'd also want to watch this starter to see if it turned nasty or had black mold turn up, which would tell you it's time to throw it out. The Mad Fermentationist has some really great articles you'll find relevant. Anyway, that's all just my $.02. Have fun with this! I'm thinking about trying a spontaneous fermentation later this year, and I'm certainly interested to see how this turns out.

 

[downwardzspiral]

Keep in mind that having not boiled the wort means chances are whatever wild yeast you may have propagated here is more than likely going to be "tainted" with lactobacillus seeing as it is naturally present on the grain itself. While that's not necessarily a bad thing, if you dislike all beers that fit into the sour family, this "house yeast" you have might prove to have little use for you.

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[Yooper]

Keep in mind that having not boiled the wort means chances are whatever wild yeast you may have propagated here is more than likely going to be "tainted" with lactobacillus seeing as it is naturally present on the grain itself. While that's not necessarily a bad thing, if you dislike all beers that fit into the sour family, this "house yeast" you have might prove to have little use for you.

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That's what I was going to say. Unboiled wort, especially unhopped boiled wort, will be contaminated with lactobacillus (the responsible bacteria for sour mashing) and will be sour within 24 hours.

 

[BamaPhil]

Some people freeze their extra wort so this doesn't happen... But it sounds like they're missing out on a fun experiment. How long has it been fermenting and at what temperature?

In any event, you're probably safe if you decide to eventually try to drink this. I have only a couple of thoughts to contribute. First, you probably actually would want this to be hopped. A few IBUs would beat off some unwanted bacteria. You could go for more of a gruit without hops, but even then you'd want some herbs to contribute flavor. Second, a gravity of 1.03 is pretty low and would make a thin beer anyway. If it were me, I would brew a new batch of wort for a lambic with some aged hops and pitch in what you have as a starter. You'd want to let it ferment and then age for a long time before you really tried it. Between now and when you brewed a new batch, you'd also want to watch this starter to see if it turned nasty or had black mold turn up, which would tell you it's time to throw it out. The Mad Fermentationist has some really great articles you'll find relevant. Anyway, that's all just my $.02. Have fun with this! I'm thinking about trying a spontaneous fermentation later this year, and I'm certainly interested to see how this turns out.

I didn't think about hopping it for bacteria inhibition, I wish I had but I'm really just treating it as a starter now. Once it finishes I'm gonna try to wash the yeast/bacteria/microgremlins and store it til I have a batch to try it in.

Keep in mind that having not boiled the wort means chances are whatever wild yeast you may have propagated here is more than likely going to be "tainted" with lactobacillus seeing as it is naturally present on the grain itself. While that's not necessarily a bad thing, if you dislike all beers that fit into the sour family, this "house yeast" you have might prove to have little use for you.

Sent from my XT1053 using Home Brew mobile app

Good point, it definitely smells sour. Worst case I make something completely undrinkable but since I'm basically just experimenting anything I learn will be considered success!

 

[beergolf]

Ahhh, I missed the no boil part. It will get sour.

 

[Hopper5000]

since it isn't hopped aren't there potentially concerns with something not good for you growing in that?

i would agree that it's most likely lacto though