Contamination?

[cwork_vmi99]

I need to know if my beer is contaminated based on the picture. I am brewing a Belgian Abbey with an 8.2% ABV. This picture is taken after 8 days of fermentation. It is still fermenting consistently with bubbles in the airlock every 30 seconds or so. The main concern I have is the smell. It's hard to describe but it is strong and smells pungent. Made my nose tingle and eyes water a little. Nothing in the picture jumps out at me but a little nervous with this being my first batch. I plan to keep this in the primary for a total of 14 days and on to the secondary. Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!

 

[SteveLikesBeer]

Try to identify the closest thing to the smell it's producing. I don't think I've had a brew that had a smell that made my eyes water or nose tingle.

It does look a little weird to me, but it doesn't look obviously infected (to me at least). Unless those lines are chunks or some kind of pellicle.

What yeast did you use?
Did you get a full boil going?
Did you use top up water that wasn't boiled first?
Is it a rotten egg or vinegar smell? (http://www.howtobrew.com/section4/chapter21-1.html)

 

[andhou27]

You're brewing a Belgian so it might just be the yeast you're using

 

[TANSTAAFB]

DON'T PANIC! It looks like krausen and I've had some fermentations that smelled funky...Google brewing and rhino farts!
I would leave it on the yeast in the primary for at least 4 weeks. This has some gravity to it and the yeast will clean up much of the mess they make. I never secondary unless I'm adding fruit/ wood/ etc. or aging for a very extended time.
Even if it IS infected it might turn out awesome. Don't dump it or screw with it, just let it ride...brewers make wort, yeast make beer!

 

[TANSTAAFB]

BTW, what temp is it at?

 

[cwork_vmi99]

Thanks guys for responding! The yeast is what is recommended for the kit, White Labs WLP530. The local supplier I bought it from recommended I pitch two viles since it is such a high gravity. So I did. I did achieve a boil for the recommended amount of time indicated in the directions. I used bottled spring water that I boiled to ensure sanitization to bring up to 5 gallons. It did take a while to reduce the wort to pitching temperature at 68 to 70 degrees since I don't have a wort chiller, about 1.5 hours in an ice bath. I have been fermenting at 69 to 70 degrees which I have monitoring with a temp sensor. Recipe calls for 66 - 72. I would say the smell does not smell like vinegar but somewhat strong. This could be that I smelled a puff of air coming out of the air hole which could be concentrated CO2 from the yeast it's thing. It sounds like I am fine but the smell just threw me off! So 4 weeks is what is recommended? The guy at the store said 2 and that the secondary would clear it up and allow it to "mellow". I understand that after the fermentation has stopped it is good rack the to a secondary in order clear things up. Is that wrong? Thanks all for the help! Cheers!

 

[TANSTAAFB]

Doing a secondary is not wrong, just not necessary in most cases. You risk introducing contaminants every time you open the lid and move the beer to another vessel. This risk is mitigated by good sanitation practices, but is a risk nonetheless. The beer will clear whether you rack it or not. Give it time and all the yeast and trub will make a nice compact cake that you can practically vacuum the beer off when you rack it to the bottling bucket. I recommend that much time because of the high gravity. A 5% beer would be done in a couple of weeks. The yeast keep working after active fermentation is over and time will just help the flavors blend and mellow. It would do this in the bottle as well, but I find that it happens faster and more consistently when I bulk age rather than bottle age...and I am not tempted to drink beer still in a bucket before it is at its best! An 8.2% Belgian will be good a couple weeks after you bottle it, it'll be very good in a couple months, it'll be great in 6-8 months, and the last bottle you drink will be the best one!
I suggest you get another bucket or two and brew some batches that you can turn around in a couple of weeks so you don't drink that Belgian up as soon as you get it in the bottle...

Sent from my Xoom using Home Brew mobile app

 

[cwork_vmi99]

I think you are right, I will leave it the primary. I have a feeling the Kraeusen will be there for a while. What do I do if it doesn't fall? Also, One question when it comes to priming sugar though if I leave it in the primary. I have been reading that boiling a small amount of water, adding the priming sugar to dilute and then gently mixing it into the beer before it is bottled makes for more even and better carbonation as opposed to adding it straight to each bottle. If I choose this method how can I mix the priming sugar into the fermenter without disturbing the trub and other junk on the bottom?

 

[TANSTAAFB]

1) the krausen WILL fall. That is yeast and bubbles carried to the top by active CO2 production. Quit checking on it or get a carboy...I still LOVE watching active fermentation. I'm like a 5 year old every time a brew takes off!
2) you do not bottle from your primary fermenter. You need to buy a bottling bucket with a spigot and a bottling wand. You will boil the priming sugar in a little water, cool that syrup, pour it into the bottom of your sanitized bottling bucket, make sure the spigot is closed (ask me why I add this step!), and siphon the beer from your primary over your priming sugar, stir with a sanitized spoon so it mixes well, and bottle away. Invest in an auto siphon...it'll make racking so much easier and you can get nearly all the beer off the yeast cake when you transfer.