Don't think it is an infection, but honestly don't know what it is.

[TGFV]

Like the very long and curiously specific title says:

I don't think I have an infection (but who knows), but I haven't seen this before on my 20 or so batchs of extract, Pm or AG.

There is no pelican, but instead a ridiculous amounts of flecks (millions) floating atop the beer in the top 1-2mm. This has been present since the krauzen dropped on day 4.

Ive never brewed a Porter though, so for all I know this may be normal??

Took some pictures in my hydrometer chamber since I can't seem to get a decent one in my carboy

fermenter

 

[seatazzz]

To me that looks like hop bits from pellets. I'm seeing green. Did you use pellets or whole leaf hops? In a bag or straight in? And, goes without saying, but you've got that beautiful sample there...drink it! What does it taste like?

 

[RPh_Guy]

I can say it's definitely not a pelican.

If it smells & tastes fine I wouldn't worry about it too much. Just keep an eye on carbonation if you bottle.

Cheers

 

[TGFV]

To me that looks like hop bits from pellets. I'm seeing green. Did you use pellets or whole leaf hops? In a bag or straight in? And, goes without saying, but you've got that beautiful sample there...drink it! What does it taste like?

Was a PM using prehopped LME, so no hops were used, though I I originally thought the same.

And it tastes great, just a bit more bitter than I was expecting, but could be due to the alcohol content, and freshness (only two weeks on saturday) but at 7.5% I don't think it's anything bacterial that can survive up there.

As for carbonation, I'm planning on having a bottle at 1 week and 1.5 just in case. (learned my lesson from a friend mixing my dextrose and lactose together to "help" me make space), so hopefully I'll catch any gushes early just case.

 

[davidabcd]

@TGFV Me? I wouldn't have had a second thought about that. If it doesn't jump out of the fermenter and try to bite me, I just bottle it. Doesn't mean I'm right.
I don't use the cylinder but I see that kind of thing plus something akin to an oil slick in the primary often enough when taking an FG.

 

[Konadog]

Could be hop bits, but you didn't say what yeast you used. To me, it looks like bits of yeast still floating around.

 

[tgolanos]

I can say it's definitely not a pelican.

I concur, that it is not a pelican in the sample shown.

Looks like yeast to me. I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Definitely not a pelican. But could be microplastics, that crap is infecting everything.

Prolly just yeast tho'.

 

[TGFV]

Yeah I searched images of yeast rafters, and it looks pretty similiar.

Was just a very wierd look to it, though it may be just more noticeable since I do alot of lighter coloured beers (my only other ones were in primary for 6+months for aging).

As for the yeast it was slurry from a previous Milkshake IPA, using imperial Citrus yeast, so it could also have been a small amount of hop sediment, but it was bagged in the previous brew so I doubt much got in yeast.

Either way it's now resting in 4lb of blackberries for the next few weeks.

 

[Calder]

I think it is yeast and not a Pelican. I've never seen a pelican in beer before, so I could be wrong.

It is yeast, it will eventually drop, nothing to worry about.

 

[myndflyte]

Agree with everyone that it looks like yeast or hops. If it was a real infection, you'd see something noticeably weird in the fermetor. If it tastes fine, you're probably good.

 

[Miraculix]

I also don't think it is a pelican, but I could be wrong.

To make sure that it is not a pelican, open the air lock and wave a fresh fish in front of it. If it doesn't eat the fish, it is probably not a pelican.

If it does eat the fish though, then congrats on your new friend. Keep him well fed

 

[Moose_MI]

Yep...it’s a Pelican...dump it.

I had this happen to me a couple batches ago. Damn fruit fly got in my air lock and got sucked into the wort.

...2 weeks later...WAMMO.....a Pelican on top of my beer!

Glad I use buckets and instead of Carboys...I’d never have got that little ba$tard out of a Carboy.

BTW...I’ve since switched to Star San in my air lock. Apparently Iodophor cant stop fruit flys from becoming Pelicans

Cheers!

 

[ehk089]

Uhhh what’s a pelican?

 

[mongoose33]

Uhhh what’s a pelican?

Etymologically, it's related to the word "pellicle" which, loosely defined, means "weird crap on top of your beer that never looks like something you'd like to drink."

 

[grampamark]

Uhhh what’s a pelican?

It's what emerges when autocorrect sees "pellicle".

 

[Moose_MI]

Moderator...kindly move thread to brew science. We’re crossing into some pretty technical stuff at this point that I’m sure others will benefit from

 

[TGFV]

Etymology is very much a science and I agree.

I never knew birds could be summoned by my brewing and I feel this topic can give us lots of insight into studying them and this phenomenon.

(and I never actually noticed it was being autocorrected until just now to be honest. I was even reading it as pellicle)

 

[mongoose33]

pellicle pellicle pellicle

Must be the platform people are using. I'm in chrome, and no autocorrect.

 

[Hoppy2bmerry]

Pelican, must be in the name of this beer. "It's no Pelican Porter" just a suggestion.

 

[VVbrewery]

Uhhh what’s a pelican?

It's exactly like a duck only different

 

[Miraculix]

Etymology is very much a science and I agree.

I never knew birds could be summoned by my brewing and I feel this topic can give us lots of insight into studying them and this phenomenon.

(and I never actually noticed it was being autocorrected until just now to be honest. I was even reading it as pellicle)

Did you do the fish test yet?

 

[TGFV]

Did you do the fish test yet?

Yeah, but I only had guppies so no bite. May have to get a some anchovies since those are their natural diet.

Will report back tonight.

And "Pelican Porter" sounds better than simply "blackberry porter", going with that name for sure!

 

[seatazzz]

Just make sure you drink it fresh. Pelicans keep fish in their beak pouch a LONG time and that will negatively affect your final product.

 

[AkTom]

This needs to be moved to the debate forum. OP is obviously a practicing magician. We can’t discuss religion here. Jest, I jest kind moderator.
Too bad I didn’t see this post later, with a couple of brews in me. SHMBO would really be rolling her eyes at me.
Cheers

 

[TGFV]

So sad update...

Looks like it was some sort of infection or it was infected and that was rafters.

Had two bottle bombs in my speed card cupboard, and my non swing top bottles had bulging caps before I put them in the fridge.

The yeast was used from a batch that I thought was simply slightly over carved, so I worry that may have been the culprit.

 

[trevelynzx]

this is a sad end to an otherwise amazing thread.

 

[Yooper]

So sad update...

Looks like it was some sort of infection or it was infected and that was rafters.

Had two bottle bombs in my speed card cupboard, and my non swing top bottles had bulging caps before I put them in the fridge.

The yeast was used from a batch that I thought was simply slightly over carved, so I worry that may have been the culprit.

Autocorrect again?

 

[shetc]

Oh what a wonderful bird is the pelican,
His bill can hold more than his belly can,
In the tip of his beak,
He can hold fish for a week,
I wonder how the hell he can.

 

[TGFV]

Autocorrect again?

I wish the only problem was autocorrect lol.

Thankfully the beers tastes great, and the infection has given it a nice tart/sour edge to it which works great with the blackberry in the porter.

So it was a happy accident