First spontaneous fermentation

[brag]

Inspired by Mike's DCambic, and as fall brought cooler days, 4 days ago, I did a 2 L wort with DME and a pinch of yeast nutrient, and let it out under a tree (covered with only a cheesecloth) for 24h. I then brought it in.

I'm already starting to see a nice pellicle rapidly forming. I'm guessing that's a good thing...

I thought I'd share so some could give me some tips, and their opinion on what I'm seeing... Also it's cool and I wanted to share.

The two pictures of the pellicle are less than a day appart.

 

[brag]

I'm also seeing some whiteish residue build-up on the bottom; could this be "yeast"?

 

[TNGabe]

Microbes can't be visually identified by the pellicles they produce. The white stuff in the bottom is something. What is hard to say. Probably a mix or precipitated solids that were in suspension in the wort aka trub and possibly whatever you've captured in your wort that happens to be flocculant or just a poor fermenter and has settled out

 

[2drunk2]

How does it smell?

 

[brag]

Haven't smelled it yet...

 

[brag]

It smells like creamed corn!! So DMS I guess... I heard this could be produced by lacto? I also got a DMS smell with a "sour wort" I did recently, but it was more vegetables than corn...

 

[GluStick]

I tried to capture some wild yeast recently and I got the same thing. Creamed corn. I tried to let it grow up to pitch it into some wort, but I just couldn't get past the smell. It smelled so strong that I just couldn't handle it. maybe ill try again next spring

 

[brag]

But DMS is probably from the fact that it's a starter that boiled only 10 minutes... If I get some "yeast" I'll decant the starter and pitch, so I'll probably won't get DMS with a fully boiled wort.

 

[brag]

I stepped up the starter a week ago. At that time, there was a big white pellicle. I got some good activity a soon after adding the fresh wort. Krausen came down, but there is still a slightly slimey beige layer on top, maybe the old pellicle that has risen with the krausen.

Anyways, the smell I get now is yeasty (baker's yeast/yeast slurry) and belgiany (fruity, spicy)... I'm pretty excited!