Yeast OR Bacteria?

[MegaMania]

Hello, here is yet another perhaps, overly concerned newb question.

I had a pack of Coopers Ale yeast (little gold pack) that I had pitched into a stout extract brew. When I opened the yeast it gave off a strong smell... But I put it in as I noticed the smell, so I ran with it. After 1 week, the strong yeast smell still lingers, but after a transfer to a second fermenter, and then a bit of time in the fridge before bottling day, the smell has somewhat vanished, so that's very good news. However, when I was getting ready to bottle and I open the lid on the 2ndary fermenter, I notice... what looks like tiny round/specks of yeast colored things. I just sat, staring over the fermenter and more and more begin to pop up, here, then there, then here.... Is this just the yeast flocculating to the top? I had the 2ndary in the fridge for about 1 day and back out 1 day before bottling. Cant take Pictures, phone is sheisty.

 

[Rockn_M]

Sounds like little yeast rafts. How does the beer taste? How does it smell? If it taste and smells like you would expect then your probably ok.

 

[unionrdr]

Cooper's ale yeast packets always smelled like yeasty white grapes to me. Those were probably lil yeast rafts floating to the top.

 

[MegaMania]

Yeast rafts, new term thanks. Glad they have a name. Did i bottle too soon?

 

[MegaMania]

Not exactly what i was expecting, that particular batch of yeast may have had something wrong.... very pungent. But with age, its smelling better, and doesnt send my taste buds into shock anymore.

 

[Rockn_M]

Next time I would wait longer than a week to transfer. The only way to really know if it is done fermenting is with a hydrometer. If you don't have one I would pick one up.