Could Infection Lead to Longer Active Fermentation?

[Morkin]

I'm not worried about my last batch. I've learned that worrying over beer is completely worthless, because most times it comes out great. This is just more of a hypothetical more than a worried question.

Anyway my question is this, can an infection lead to a longer and crazier active fermentation? My beer as been in active fermentation for about a week, with crazy airlock activity. The Krausen is huge. Smells good as well.

The beer took about 4 days after pitching to start, but it's been on a steady pace of active fermentation since then. The beer is an Americen Stout, with an OG of 1.72 and i used Saflager Ale yeast, Safale US-05 Dry Ale Yeast (Formerly US-56) Yeast.

I've never had an infection yet, so I'm just a bit curious.

 

[Corkster]

I'm not sure if it can or not... I've not yet read about infection causing a longer fermentation... but with that high OG I would expect fermentation to last longer as there is more consumable sugars for the yeasties to feast upon...

 

[Evan!]

Not likely. You know what a krausen from Saccharomyces looks like...well, here's what a pellicle from an infection looks like:

Furthermore, you're not talking about an extra few days or something like that. I brewed my Flanders Red last July and it still has a pellicle. So, short answer: no. You just have a long fermentation going on.

 

[Corkster]

Evan knows all the big words!

 

[Morkin]

Along the Same line of thought, does infection happen in greater instances in a High OG Beer? It seems like I never see infections in low OG beers.

 

[Corkster]

Again I don't really have the experience to give a definitive answer about that, however I've read a bajillion and 4 threads here at HBT and have not come across any information stating that this would be the case....

 

[malkore]

Along the Same line of thought, does infection happen in greater instances in a High OG Beer? It seems like I never see infections in low OG beers.

OG has nothing to do with it really. It all about cleanliness, and sanitizing, and reducing risk/exposure to things that can infect beer with unwanted bugs.


In all honesty, its not that easy to make bad beer, and its not easy to infect beer. When you pitch yeast you innoculate the beer with millions/billions of yeast cells. This alone is a great way to fight infections by 'infecting' a large colony of the bugs you want (the yeast).

Poeple have sneezed, coughed, stuck dirty hands into their cooled wort, and they still get great beer with no infections.

Its simply a matter of increased risk when you do these things. Its not a guaranteed infection.

 

[Morkin]

I knew I should not worry. Today, the Krausen is just a half inch of foam, no bubbling. Active Fermentation lasted about a week. I should have just relaxed. Anyways, thanks for the infection question. I take extream caution in sanitation for my beer, it's good to know that you must try to get an infection by being stupid. Thanks.