I really hate to even start this thread

[user 29674]

but... do I have an infection? I've RDWAHAHB already, and let it go for a few days now, but its really bugging (ha, bugging, get it?) me. I brewed a Chocolate Stout on Thanksgiving eve. Pitched a vial of White Labs 013 London Ale. This was my first All Grain batch, first stout, and first batch with any adjuncts other than grains. 1lb of lactose, 1lb of clear candy sugar, and 8oz of Hershey's pure cocoa went in at 15 minutes.

Fermentation started off really quick, it was only about 12 hours before it was going gangbusters. Overnight, the starsan in my airlock all foamed up and ran out of the airlock, leaving it almost dry, there was a tiny little bubble of starsan left in the s-curve of the airlock. I refilled with starsan, and it foamed right back out in less than a minute. Boiled and cooled some water and filled the airlock with it. Not long after, the krausen fell from 3" to about 1/2" - never happened before but first stout, first time using this yeast, etc so I didnt pay it any attention.

Now the little krausen has fallen, and I have this very thin, white/milky/almost clear film floating on top of most of the beer, and it has bubbles from CO2 escaping inderneath. If i shake the carboy gently, it sorta moves around a little and the airbubbles underneath clump together. The beer has a VERY strong alcohol smell. The first whiff after I pulled the stopped actually burned my nose, the intensity toned down pretty quick after that first whiff though.

So, what the hell is this film? Is it oils from the cocoa? Something from the lactose or sugar? A lacto/brett infection? I haven't tasted it yet, waiting for the kids to go to bed so they dont notice the big bottle of what looks like chocolate milk behind the mirror in my bedroom and mess with it ;-)

Here's a pic or two, click them for larger versions, then click the larger version for a really large version where you can really see the film:

 

[jgbrown]

Infections don't usually manifest this quickly.

 

[alcibiades]

i had the EXACT same film on the top of my chocolate porter. It disapears really easily if you agitate the carboy, so I just racked to secondary and eventually bottled after tasting it. It didnt, and doesnt, taste infected at all. I suspect it is not an infection, but rather a result of using cocoa powder.

 

[WVbrewer]

Yeah, infections take more time to be discernible. Chocolate will make some funky looking stuff on the top...it's got the oil in it like you mentioned. The co2 is struggling to get through the slick. Let it go a few more days, then rack to secondary being careful not siphon the top funk (oils). Then when you bottle/keg, be careful again not to siphon any remaining funk. If it's funky after that, and tastes nasty, then think infection. Just some thoughts.

 

[Revvy]

Yeah, infections take more time to be discernible. Chocolate will make some funky looking stuff on the top...it's got the oil in it like you mentioned. The co2 is struggling to get through the slick. Let it go a few more days, then rack to secondary being careful not siphon the top funk (oils). Then when you bottle/keg, be careful again not to siphon any remaining funk. If it's funky after that, and tastes nasty, then think infection. Just some thoughts.

+1 I've got a pretty funky looking fermentation on my CHocolate mole Porter, happened the last time I made it to, oils from the chocolate.

 

[user 29674]

I knew it wouldn't be long before Revvy popped his head in here... ;-)

Thanks guys. I was pretty sure it was the chocolate, but wanted some encouragement/reinforcement. Cheers!

 

[lucasszy]

QUICK..... Bottle everything And send it to me, it just may kill you!

 

[Chad_C]

I'm glad you posted this, I made a Chocolate Coffee Stout on the 20th that looks very close to that. I only had about 1/2" of krausen and when it fell it left a bit of the oil slick ontop. Glad to know that its most likely just the oils in the cocoa powder.

 

[NYCBrewGuy]

Not that you need more confirmation, but I had the same problem with a chocolate stout last week. The white stuff that floats certainly seems like fat from the cocoa powder. Plan to pop the first bottle next week but I tasted the un-conditioned beer and it tasted great. No funk at all.

Now, has anyone added chile pepper to a choc stout? I've got a gallon of AHS Holiday Choc Stout in secondary with a chipotle pepper. Been letting it sit for 12 days now, think it might be time to bottle (mostly cause I really want to try it out!)

 

[user 29674]

Just took a gravity reading and a taste test. 1.022 down from 1.072 and tastes fantastic. Lots of chocolate on the nose, but not really coming through in the taste. Good body, mouthfeel is as expected. I think I'll add a little chocolate extract in the secondary to give the chocolate flavor a boost.

I had originally planned for this to be a mint chocolate stout, with some peppermint extract added in secondary, but now I'm thinking about leaving it as-is or maybe adding some orange extract instead of peppermint.

Any thoughts on that?