Can anyone identify this? Trouble in the Primary.

[Bouza]

Hey Guys,
After another break from home brewing (2nd child) I got back in the game a little over a week ago.
I put together two kits... mini-mash... an IPA and a Pale Ale.
My equipment has been sitting idle for nearly a year.
I began by an overnight oxiclean soak of both of my carboys. Both of which were rinsed thoroughly.
As they were drying, I noticed a "film" had developed within one of them. I had noticed this before I cleaned them but thought the cleaning process would knock it out.
Concerned, I pulled out my carboy brush and some one-step. Rinsed and dried... this seemed to work. The carboy looked good to go. Just to be sure I did the same with my second carboy.
Starsan was used on both.
I feel pretty confident that everything was cleaned and sanitized.

NOW... I've found this crazy stuff (related?) clinging to BOTH of the carboy's walls. Does this look familiar to anyone?
I've NEVER seen this happen before.

As a side note... the last two brews that I did (in these carboys) were WAY overcarbed. Almost undrinkable. Relation?

Here are a couple of images...
The IPA...

and the (not so) Pale Ale...

As always, thanks guys!

 

[Revvy]

The first picture looks like "scale" which is a residue that forms from a combination of oxyclean and certain water chemistry. the residue from oxyclean, you use a weak acid solution, Starsan works great, but you can also use a dillution of either vinegar or lemon juice is water.

To get rid of the "scale," you use a weak acid solution, Starsan works great, but you can also use a dillution of either vinegar or lemon juice is water. One step won't really dissolve the scale.

The second picture just looks like break material and other trub like stuff, stuck to the walls of the carboy instead of falling all the way through.

 

[TipsyDragon]

that just looks like yeast sticking to the side of the carboy.

 

[Bouza]

Revvy,
Would scale cause any off flavors or infection?
I did let both of these sit with StarSan in them for about an hour each. Would removing the scale take a longer "soak"?

 

[Revvy]

Revvy,
Would scale cause any off flavors or infection?
I did let both of these sit with StarSan in them for about an hour each. Would removing the scale take a longer "soak"?

If you sanitized then it wouldn't cause and infection, nor if you soaked with starsan, would the scale be there, then the first picture is more than likely just more trub/break/yeast hit by the light differently on the carboy.


Usually after a brief dip in starsan/acid, the scale vanishes.

 

[ShortSnoutBrewing]

that just looks like yeast sticking to the side of the carboy.

I'd have to go with this vs. being scale from any cleaner. Most of my batches look like this and have long before I discovered the power of oxi.

 

[weirdboy]

I think this is one of the dangers of using clear fermenters instead of opaque ones. If you had just used an ale pail, you would still be RDWHAHB.

 

[Bouza]

I think this is one of the dangers of using clear fermenters instead of opaque ones. If you had just used an ale pail, you would still be RDWHAHB.

Exactly what I was thinking.

Thanks guys... feeling better about this one... I JUST don't remember this much sediment clinging to the walls... in the past. Perhaps it is perfectly natural!

 

[Revvy]

I think this is one of the dangers of using clear fermenters instead of opaque ones. If you had just used an ale pail, you would still be RDWHAHB.

Yup....fermentation is often ugly and stinky, and bucket users don't realize it until they ferment in the carboy instead.

 

[Shooter]

Yup....fermentation is often ugly and stinky, and bucket users don't realize it until they ferment in the carboy instead.

That's why I use a bucket, don't wanna' see it!

Come to think of it, my oatmeal stout has been in for a week and a half now. I suppose I could take a hydro reading to make sure it actually fermented at some point!

 

[shortyjacobs]

I get carboys looking like this all the time. Never worried, never gotten a bad batch...sometimes I get grumpy and give them a swirl to knock that crap down, but it inevitably reappears within a few days if fermentation is still active...