Infected?

[krazy22]

I was about to bottle this coffee stout after a week in secondary and the top has a crust over it. The beer smells and tastes fine. I think its infected, but wanted to confirm before tossing the batch.

 

[jonnyp1980]

I was about to bottle this coffee stout after a week in secondary and the top has a crust over it. The beer smells and tastes fine. I think its infected, but wanted to confirm before tossing the batch.

How long has it been in primary? Don't toss it especially if it smells and tastes fine

 

[CBMbrewer]

Looks kind of suspicious, but it could just be hop trub and coagulated protein. Since it smells and tastes fine my guess is its okay. If you have another carboy or bucket I would rack the beer from under the "crust" and leave the last inch or so in the primary. If the "crust" forms again or the gravity continues to drop, then I would start to get worried.

 

[krazy22]

The beer was in primary for a week and secondary for a little over a week. Will try leaving the crust behind to see if the "crust" forms again.

 

[jonnyp1980]

The beer was in primary for a week and secondary for a little over a week. Will try leaving the crust behind to see if the "crust" forms again.

id cold crash then bottle after you're sure its done fermenting..id avoid racking a third time... good luck update on how this turns out

 

[unionrdr]

I see it's tinted green by hop pellet debris. But since it's braking up like ice pack on a lake,it's an infection. I can never remember which one,but it's minor at this point. If the beer is at FG & cleared ok,then rack out from under it & Package it.

 

[Yooper]

It looks like it's in a bucket. Keep in mind that buckets are great for fermentation- but if you're going to rack it to a clearing vessel (a "secondary") that a carboy should be used. Once fermentation slows, the protective co2 layer that helps keep the beer from allowing oxygen in stops forming. Racking the beer to a bucket allows a big wine headspace, and usually a wide headspace is part of what allows infections to happen.

 

[unionrdr]

That's the reason I traded for the better bottle. The smaller tapered head space seemed like a better idea. I got that same thing once or twice in buckets. So now I just ferment in them. The BB will get all the secondary stuff now.

 

[krazy22]

Thanks for the tip on the bucket. I will try that on the next run.