I think I'm infected.

[masterjw]

Hello everyone. I'm a fairly new brewer and think I may have encoutered my first infection. I have a double batch of Irish Red that's been transfered to secondary (about a week ago). It's in two seperate carboys. One is nice and clean looking. The other has a thin white film that's developed in the last couple of days. I think it's an infection. Is there any way to determine this for sure? And is there anything I can do to salvage the batch if it is? Is it OK to drink (assuming it tastes OK), or should I just pitch it? This is my first encounter with a possible infection, so I'm a little unsure of where to go from here.

 

[djfriesen]

If you can take a picture and post it, we might be able to help you out. If you can't post a picture, then search for pictures of beer infections, find one that looks similar, and link to it. If it is an infection, and it still tastes OK, it should be good to drink. No known pathogen can survive in beer.

If you decide it's still drinkable, you can try to skim the top off with a sanitized spoon, or just rack from underneath the layer of film. Be aware that the infection will stay active, so the flavors could change while in the bottle. Depending on what the infection is (wild yeast or bacterial), you'll likely want to drink them quickly, before the infection makes them gross, gushers, or bottlebombs.

 

[Shaneoco1981]

Taste or smell it. If it smells or tastes bad, then yea, you have an infection. With you also having 2 right next each other, and one looks clean and fine, there is something a miss. Can you post a pic?

 

[masterjw]

Here are a couple of pics of what I've got floating in my carboy.

 

[Shaneoco1981]

Yea, it looks like Lacto to me. Anyone else? How does it smell?

 

[periwinkle1239]

Definitely post a pic and maybe we can help. When I first started brewing I thought that every other batch was infected. I was very paranoid. As I look back at it, I doubt that any of them were infected. They all tasted great. So hopefully yours is fine as well!

Always follow a good sanitation process and you'll be fine. Also, I believe a lot of infections are due to the lag time with fermentation starting, and something getting in there before fermenting. If you make a starter you don't have to worry about that hardly at all.

 

[Shaneoco1981]

Definitely post a pic and maybe we can help. When I first started brewing I thought that every other batch was infected. I was very paranoid. As I look back at it, I doubt that any of them were infected. They all tasted great. So hopefully yours is fine as well!

Always follow a good sanitation process and you'll be fine. Also, I believe a lot of infections are due to the lag time with fermentation starting, and something getting in there before fermenting. If you make a starter you don't have to worry about that hardly at all.

He did. Look 2 posts up.

 

[periwinkle1239]

Yup that's lacto based on what I've seen on this site. I've never had one myself (knock on wood). Hmm...not sure what advice to give now.

 

[masterjw]

I actually had something similar in the last batch. It was a chocolate stout (the first stout we've done). It developed a similar film on top in secondary. I didn't think much of it. I though it might have been some of the cocoa that managed to accumulate on top. I'm actaully drinking one now (the first) and it tastes good, so I'm not to concerned about it.

So assuming this is an infection, what's the prognosis? Any way to salvage it?

 

[Shaneoco1981]

Lacto usually makes it very sour, like spoiled milk. You should be able to smell it if it is lacto. If not, take a taste. You won't die from it.

 

[ericgedi77]

Is there any way to kill that infection and possibly salvage the beer?

 

[djfriesen]

Nope. If the beer still tastes OK, you can try to rack from under it and drink it quickly. If it tastes bad, then it's basically a dumper.

 

[passedpawn]

Absolutely a bacterial infection. Nothing to do but let it take it's course.

Have you tried soured beers? Get a Duchesse or similar. If you can't come to terms with this style, dump.

But if you think you might like a sour, get some tart cherries (walmart?) or a ton of zante currants or similar and dump them in there. Get some oak chips in there too. This is a great journey. It takes time, but it's worth it in the end.

Have a looksee at this thread for inspiration: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f127/pellicle-photo-collection-174033/

 

[masterjw]

Looks like I spoke too soon. My second carboy is starting to show signs of the same infection as of this morning. I'm kind of bummed about this. I was really looking forward to this batch after having tasted it when I racked it to secondary. What are the chances of this beer tasting OK if I were to just bottle it and see what happens? I hate to just dump it, and really don't know much about sours.

 

[Shaneoco1981]

I have had a few sours and they are pretty good. With both carboys looking infected, I would start with replacing the auto siphon or siphoning wand, and the hose that was used. Obviously, one of them has a scratch or something that some bacteria is growing in. I have heard before that all plastic parts should be replaced about once a year. I am not so sure how accurate it is, but you got an infection somewhere.

 

[idahobrew]

Absolutely a bacterial infection. Nothing to do but let it take it's course.

Have you tried soured beers? Get a Duchesse or similar. If you can't come to terms with this style, dump.

But if you think you might like a sour, get some tart cherries (walmart?) or a ton of zante currants or similar and dump them in there. Get some oak chips in there too. This is a great journey. It takes time, but it's worth it in the end.

Have a looksee at this thread for inspiration: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f127/pellicle-photo-collection-174033/

I'd definately try the above approach to try and salvage your brew. What are your sanatation procedures, what kind of sanatizer do you use?

 

[ReverseApacheMaster]

Give it a taste, it may not be that bad. If it doesn't taste good now it's probably not going to taste good later. If it does taste good now, bottle it up and prepare to drink it quickly in case it starts getting off. If you do decide to bottle, make sure you clean your bottling equipment exceptionally well afterwards.

 

[travlinScott]

From "Home Beermaking" by William Moore

White Film on the Surface:
Problem caused by an airborne mold. Appears as a dusty white (very thin) film in the fermenter and then appears again in the bottled beer. White film mold is not usually accompanied with a taste defect, so it is ok to drink the beer.

White film mold is pervasive in parts of the country during the wetter months...

There is more and from your pictures I'm not positive this is what you have, but I thought it might be helpful.

Good luck man!

 

[travlinScott]

Does it smell bad?

 

[LazyEye]

I agree with others on this post, just wait it out and taste it. Look at it this way, cant taste worst than Corona

 

[masterjw]

I tried to smell it through the neck of the carboy last night and it didn't smell bad (though to be honest I didn't smell much of anything). I'm going to do a taste test on Monday after I purchase enough bottles to bottle it. If it tastes OK then it's getting bottled on the spot, and I'll take my chances. Either way, seems like I may need to revisit my sanitation practices to make sure I'm not missing something.

Thanks to all for your input! Nice to have a place to go with questions when problems like this arise.

 

[Bradinator]

My experience with a lacto wasn't too bad. I thought my beer was ruined but I ended up with an interesting dry stout. Definitely drinkable and enjoyable!