Infected??

[afreitag]

I think I got my first batch of infected beer. Should I dump it?? Or what should I do??

 

[afreitag]

This is how it looked a few days ago.

 

[Bigsandiebrew]

I would wait it out. It just kind of looks gross during fermentation. Don't toss it without tasting it.

 

[afreitag]

Just kind of worried of how it looked a few days ago. Looked like a infection.

 

[LesIsMore]

Doesn't look pretty. What were you brewing? How long has it been in the fermentor?

 

[WayFrae]

Yep, that last pic looks like a lacto infection to me. Some people say dump it, others say let it ride. If it tastes good, then I don't see a problem with keeping it.

 

[afreitag]

A pumpkin ale. Its was in the primary for 8 days and its been in the secondary for 7 days now. When I racked it, it didnt look like this.

 

[Bigsandiebrew]

Yeah it could be I suppose but it still seems like a good idea a good idea to wait it out and taste it. Also if it looks better now that is probably a good sign. Was anything unclean in the process or not sanitized?

 

[LesIsMore]

A pumpkin ale was my first infected batch. The spices added to secondary weren't sanitized and the beer got pretty funky and ended up undrinkable after it was bottled. In my experience with it, it only got worse with time. Have you tried a sample? Does it smell funky?

 

[afreitag]

I am pretty sure I had everything sanitized but sanitation was a probably my problem.

 

[afreitag]

A pumpkin ale was my first infected batch. The spices added to secondary weren't sanitized and the beer got pretty funky and ended up undrinkable after it was bottled. In my experience with it, it only got worse with time. Have you tried a sample? Does it smell funky?

I added spices in the secondary as well. Did yours look this way?? I havent tried a sample but I smelt it and it smells like beer.

 

[LesIsMore]

There was only a little bit of stuff floating around after the spices were added. We took a chance and bottle it, but it just didn't taste good and some bottles turned to gushers. If you decided to bottle, just make sure you take everything apart afterwards to thoroughly clean and sanitize.

 

[Spelaeus]

I'd say definitely infected, though I'd be hard pressed to say if it's lacto or brett without a closer photo. Either way, I'd say let it ride. I don't know if you're fan of funkier brews or not, but you never know. This could still turn out delicious.

 

[henchman24]

Yeah that is infected... let it ride!

 

[afreitag]

Ill let it go and try it. When I go to rack it to the bottling bucket what do I do. This is my first infected beer so im still learning.

 

[Spelaeus]

Quick question: What were the ibus on this recipe?

 

[afreitag]

quick question: What were the ibus on this recipe?

25

 

[Spelaeus]

25

All right. So that would be fairly inhibitory of lactobacillus but it could still be a hardier wild strain. I guess you'll find out once you taste it.

 

[afreitag]

Just sampled a bit of it and it didnt taste that bad to me.

 

[BigPerm]

It certainly looks like you've got a contamination, but if it tastes okay at the moment you can probably package. What's your gravity? Remember that 0.003 is all the gravity you need for full carbonation. A lot of microorganisms that can contaminate beer have the potential to consume sugars, so then may overcarbonate over time. I'd store them carefully (in a box, wrapped in a trash bag away from anything important) and be prepared to consume quickly. Whether you keep the bottles afterwards is up to you - I do, but I generally know what I put in there.

You can rack and bottle as normal, but be prepared to take extraordinary measures cleaning the equipment after you bottle, as I'm assuming you don't want this to become your house culture.

 

[afreitag]

The gravity is at 1.010.