Has this Lambic gone bad

[Systricles]

Hello HomeBrewers!
I'm a big fan of this site, and I'm happy to be a member. I'm a novice brewer (only brewing for about 4 years), with a lot of successful beers. I've been reading this posts for a while and wanted to throw out a question to the community.
I brewed up a fruit lambic, modified slightly from the Clonebrews book. The instructions were not amazing for this particular recipe, so I had to make a few judgement calls. For example, they never mentioned removing the fruit between transfers and such, just to mention one thing I wasn't sure about. So my beer has been sitting for a little longer than a year in a dark closet. I pulled it out to transfer it, and noticed there is a white layer on top. It almost looks like a crust that has built up around the raspberries that have floated to the top. Has anyone ever had experience with this? I used the standard Wyeast 3278, so it's a bacterial fermentation following the primary yeast fermentation. Is this ok, or have I just invested a year making a really cool looking mess? I have a few pics attached.

Thanks!

 

[burninator]

Looks like an awesome pellicle. The yeast and/or bacteria form it in reaction to oxygen. Add long as it's not fuzzy, I'd say you're in good shape.

 

[burninator]

Here's a thread that might put your mind at ease:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=174033

 

[tagz]

Looks like you have an infection.

 

[badlee]

You are good,so long as your air-lock did not dry out.

 

[beergolf]

Looks perfectly normal.

 

[LostBoyScout]

Looks like you have an infection.

If by "infection" you mean "the yeast and bacteria you pitched are working properly" then yes. This is what a sour beer should look like after a couple weeks or more of fermentation.

 

[Dcpcooks]

Looks good to me! I'd be more worried if you didn't have one. What was your source of bugs outside of the yeast? Lacto pedio? Did you do anything to the fruit before you pitched it? Soak it in vodka or wash it well? When did you pitch the fruit?

 

[Systricles]

Dcpcooks - This was Wyeast 3278, which has Brettanomyces strains, a Lactobacillus culture, and a Pediococcus culture. The primary fermentation was with a Danstar Nottingham Ale yeast, but I was going to use a Wyeast. The term 'smack pack' needs be eliminated and an idiot proof label that says 'don't smack it too hard or it explode all over the kitchen,' should take it's place.

I washed the fruit (blackberries, raspberries and strawberries) under water, and did a quickie boil of them. I was trying to achieve something like a fast kill of the bacteria on the outside of the fruit, without ruining the flavor. I SO didn't think of the vodka idea, but I will keep that in mind for later (thank you). I pitched the fruit after the primary fermentation was done (and I actually had time to do it), which was about 7 days post inoculation of the primary yeast. I just put the quick boiled fruit in with a funnel, added my beer, then added the Wyeast 3278. The whole thing sat in the closet for a year hidden under a cover. I'm excited!

 

[BGBC]

Looks fine, pellicle like others have said.

The head space concerns me, as you want to limit oxygen exposure for long term sour aging. If you haven't opened the airlock in that yearlong period, it's likely fine though. Next time, try to minimize the head space though.

 

[Dcpcooks]

You should be fine. It's a pellicle. Please let me know how it turns out. I'm curious to see the fruit impact. We use
usually add fruit for the last month or two. Cheers!