Infected or yeast pockets?

[Merch3014]

Hello! Super new home brewer (only 3rd brew). I brewed an oatmeal stout back in around November. I moved it to the second fermentation in December. I’ve heard of most people keep stouts in longer, so I was just getting ready to bottle it and saw these bubbles on the surface. I tried looking up things and couldn’t tell if they were yeast pockets or if it was infected. When I moved the beer out of my closet, the bubbles popped and looked like yeast or something. The picture with no bubbles is what happened when I moved it and the bubbles popped.It’s kind of hard to see but I added them in the picture and figured I’d ask before dumping. Thanks in advance!

 

[IslandLizard]

Definitely taste it first!

I don't like the looks of those bubbles, there's some abnormal surface tension, but I don't see any accompanying surface haze or pellicle as the usual giveaway of an infection.

That little yeast rafty in the 1st picture looks odd too. Can it be a floating piece of mold covered with some yeast remnants?

On a side note, that's a lot of headspace for a secondary. It's definitely not helping your beer, and could be cause of the problem.

 

[RPh_Guy]

Definitely taste it first!

I don't like the looks of those bubbles, there's some abnormal surface tension, but I don't see any accompanying surface haze or pellicle as the usual giveaway of an infection.

That little yeast rafty in the 1st picture looks odd too. Can it be a floating piece of mold covered with some yeast remnants?

On a side note, that's a lot of headspace for a secondary. It's definitely not helping your beer, and could be cause of the problem.

+1 all of this.
I suspect something wild growing in there (some pellicles are clear).

Beer should generally be packaged within a few weeks of brewing.

 

[IslandLizard]

some pellicles are clear

Yeah, they're kinda slimy, oily.

 

[bracconiere]

Definitely taste it first!

+1

 

[Merch3014]

Thanks everyone for the feedback! Sorry if this is a dumb question, but I can’t really find the answer. If it is infected, can it be harmful for you? Or in any situation could this be harmful?

 

[ccous]

Almost assuredly not harmful. Hopefully still tastes good; agree that it looks like wild infection

 

[RPh_Guy]

If it is infected, can it be harmful for you? Or in any situation could this be harmful?

Nope.*

*This is not medical advice.

 

[RM-MN]

If it is infected, can it be harmful for you? Or in any situation could this be harmful?

Yes! Whether it has infection or not it can be harmful. It contains alcohol. Take in moderation. Overindulgence in alcohol can result in liver failure in the long term and in the short term can cause hangovers. The infection itself isn't harmful, nothing that can harm you can survive in beer.