does anyone know what this is?

[sorefingers23]

could someone tell me what this is in my beer?

http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/9635/cimg0818.jpg

http://img833.imageshack.us/img833/1784/cimg0819.jpg

http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/8285/cimg0820.jpg

 

[joebagodonuts]

I don't know what it is but it looks gross.

 

[iparks81]

I can tell you that it deffinatly is a form of infection, but I could'nt tell you what it was called. have you tasted it at all?

 

[grampska]

I thought it was a satellite image of Dagobah.

 

[carnevoodoo]

So many infections look alike. Taste it and you might be able to narrow it down.

 

[jessup]

you should post your infection if you haven't. if looks like Lactobacillus and some other unknown evil terdage. see these for more growths to match up:

post your infection: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/post-your-infection-71400/
pellicle collection: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f127/pellicle-photo-collection-174033/

 

[sorefingers23]

I can tell you that it deffinatly is a form of infection, but I could'nt tell you what it was called. have you tasted it at all?

i think ill pass on tasting it hah, this is my first infection, what do i do now, is the beer ruined??

 

[maxamuus]

i think ill pass on tasting it hah, this is my first infection, what do i do now, is the beer ruined??

Well if you wont taste it i think its fair to say its ruined.

 

[jessup]

i think ill pass on tasting it hah, this is my first infection, what do i do now, is the beer ruined??

look at the pellicle collection before you dump anything. us sour lovers drink some stuff that's borderline scary before the beauty sets in search around for more info and you'll find that you should try it and if ok then rerack so you leave all the funk behind. take a hydrometer reading when racking and continue checking to see if your SG is dropping. when SG stops dropping (possibly 1.000 with some infections/sours) it's ok to bottle since you're no longer in fear of bottles bombs.

 

[JebCkr]

I had one look similar to this and it turned out fine. I just racked took SG, racked it, took SG a week later and it was the same. Bottled and it was fine. Also, my FG was right on target despite the infection.

 

[l1ranger]

yeah, if it doesn't smell like rotten tortoise snot I"d give it a taste. it won't kill you.
then i'd follow the above about racking and checking gravity and bottling. ya just never know

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

pediococcus delbrueckii

 

[Cape Brewing]

Looks like a classic brett "infection".... God I hate that word. brett, pedio and lacto are all COMMON "bugs" to use in the production a some of the best styles on the planet.

I wouldn't call it "infected" as much as "fermenting differently than originally intended".

If it has green mold on it, it is "infected"... this doesn't.. it looks like a simple Brett pellicle.

If you like sour beers, I would suggest letting it go a few months so it actually develops into a sour beer (assuming the style originally intended would be ok as a 'sour')

If you DON'T like sour beers... you can bottle it up quick and hope not much of the 'sour' flavor has developed.

either way, the beer hasn't gone "bad" and tasting it isn't going to make you sick and it won't be "gross".... it is simply different than what you intended.


Sorry... one edit.... If you are going to bottle it, you probably don't want to leave it laying around in a reasonably warm environment for TOO long (a few months) as the brett will continue eating every sugar in the beer over time. The more the brett eats, teh more carbed the beer will become in the bottle (it'll eat all the way down to the 1.000 neighborhood if given the chance).... if you leave it for an extended period of time wtihout chilling at some point and therefore slowing the brett down, you'll have bombs on your hand.

 

[Homercidal]

I was going to say that even if it's "infected", taste it and see if it tastes bad. Most infected beer is not going to taste bad for a long time. If it tastes fine, then bottle/keg and drink before it actually goes bad. Keep it cold and drink it quick and you'll probably not even notice.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

It is pretty common also to refer to beers under this condition as being "sick". And as such, like having a cold, all you can really do is wait for it to feel better or put it down.

 

[smmcdermott]

I made a sweet stout once that looked similar to this one. I kegged it, racking from under the "infection" and didn't tell anyone. I got more compliments on that beer than any that I made.