Do your pellicles go away?

[brownni5]

Occasionally I see recommendations that one shouldn't disturb the pellicle on a sour beer, and/or packaging should be delayed until the pellicle is gone. I think more often I see that it's fine to package while there is a pellicle present, and I follow this guidance. However, I've been brewing sours/Brett beers for a few years now, and haven't seen a pellicle go away. Beers in the fermenter up to about a year still exhibit a pellicle, and by that time, I'm usually ready to package (my patience exhausted).

What really got me thinking about it was a Biere de Coupage I bottled back in January. I checked a couple of the bottles the other day and noticed a pellicle in the neck. I doubt these beers are ready to drink yet, but am curious to see if the pellicle goes away without disturbance.

What are your experiences?

 

[henchman24]

I can't recall any of mine just going away, but I've never worried about it falling (or developing). When the sample is good, I transfer.

 

[RPh_Guy]

Nope, my pellicles stay on top indefinitely if they're not disturbed.

There's no reason why they would sink without being disturbed. They float because they're hydrophobic, not because they're held up by CO2. (Science, not superstition!)

 

[brownni5]

Then that would beg the question - why suggest one should wait until the pellicle is gone before packaging?

 

[RPh_Guy]

Then that would beg the question - why suggest one should wait until the pellicle is gone before packaging?

I wouldn't, that's a myth.

 

[brownni5]

At any rate, it's good to know that I'm not just a spaz. I mean I am a spaz, but maybe more than that.