Infected?

[malt81]

Hi. Another is it infected thread.
Propably it is and I will dump this, but I'd still like to show this.

Muntons Bock, one can, 2,2 lb brewing sugar.
Replaced the original yeast with S-04.
OG 1.039, FG 1.009 for two days.
Fermented nicely 2 weeks. 66F.
Smells good, like other 5 batches I have done.
Taste - sour, and dry like wine :S Nothing like 5 last batches.

probably there is no point to bottle and wait if this taste disappears...? This sour taste is quite strong. It is not like aftertaste, right after putting it in my mouth, it is sour and dry.
There is some foam on the surface of the wort, even more there was but during taking picture it reduced quite fast. Usually there have not been foam after fermention is done.

 

[RM-MN]

Yes, you have it infected with S-04 yeast. Looks good but you might be tasting acetaldehyde, an intermediate product of fermentation. Try warming it to near 72 degrees for a few days and see if the yeast don't finish the fermentation process and convert that into alcohol like they should. The bubbles you show look to be from CO2 escaping like it normally does. No worries.

 

[mkyl428]

Looks pretty normal to me

DON'T DUMP IT!!! I think it is fine, I would bottle it and see if aging it helps, uncarbonated "green" beer tastes far different than the final product will in a glass

 

[fartinmartin]

There's nowt there that would worry me.
Taste matters but not at three weeks.
Leave it a bit longer , bottle, then try it in three weeks, and be surprised

 

[malt81]

Yes, you have it infected with S-04 yeast.

What do you mean?
If fact, this is the first time I use this yeast. So far I have used US-05.
OK, lets just wake a little bit and see what happens.
Thank you for the replies!

 

[m00ps]

wait, he said it had a very prominent sour taste...

How many times have you opened it and for how long to take pics? Ive found its pretty common for beginners to worry their beer is infected, only to accidentally infect it by leaving it open for pictures. I never take the lid entirely off my bucket until the beer is out of there, and spray the underlip for the lid whenever I open it. You can never be too careful

 

[chudsonvt]

I had a beer a while back where an early sample taste (about 10 days in) was so sour and "green" that I gagged and threw up a little. At around 3 weeks in, it still was noticeably sour but not as bad. I left it conditioning for another few weeks and it was a great beer that I received great reviews on. Just give it time...

 

[m00ps]

I would note that "sour" and "green", though not mutually exclusive, are very different. If its actually sour, it will not fade and will only get more prominent as time goes on

 

[malt81]

wait, he said it had a very prominent sour taste...

How many times have you opened it and for how long to take pics? Ive found its pretty common for beginners to worry their beer is infected, only to accidentally infect it by leaving it open for pictures. I never take the lid entirely off my bucket until the beer is out of there, and spray the underlip for the lid whenever I open it. You can never be too careful

I have opened it only once, today when taking picture. It was opened for 10 secs...

I think nothing to loose. Lets wait a little bit and see how it tastes. But it does not look promising...
I know how green beer tastes...it is not green...the sour is...sour, like dry wine, not like lager beer....:S Maybe a little bit vinegar as well...

 

[A2HB]

Just read a thread on here where people were saying they dont like S04 due to some weird "off" flavors it produces, even when fermented at low temps. Its possible youre also picking up on that same flavor perhaps?

 

[chudsonvt]

I would note that "sour" and "green", though not mutually exclusive, are very different. If its actually sour, it will not fade and will only get more prominent as time goes on

My idea of sour may be skewed... I have eaten so many sour patch kids, sour skittles, warheads and the like, since I was a kid, that these are just sweet candies to me now, lol.

 

[malt81]

Just read a thread on here where people were saying they dont like S04 due to some weird "off" flavors it produces, even when fermented at low temps. Its possible youre also picking up on that same flavor perhaps?

I have read it too about S04....maybe it is...but still, taste was quite frightening...maybe like cider which is expired some time ago...

 

[m00ps]

vinegar would definitely be an indication of infection. Hopefully the acetobacter gets outgrown by the good souring bugs and it will turn out ok...

 

[malt81]

Should there be airlock activity if it is infected?
It is totally quite today...although I moved it to warmer room, from 66F to 72F.

 

[fartinmartin]

Why move to a warmer room? At this point a cooler place is required to aid clearing.
Give it another week then bottle as you posted an FG of 1.009 it's done.

 

[rupert130]

Why move to a warmer room? At this point a cooler place is required to aid clearing.
Give it another week then bottle as you posted an FG of 1.009 it's done.

Warming a beer at the end of fermentation can encourage the yeast to clean up some of the more undesirable byproducts. It is common in lager beer production to perform a diacetyl rest, which involves raising the temp for a number of days.

In this instance, not knowing what is wrong with the beer, raising the temp for a few days may or may not help. It will, however, be one more data point to help diagnose the issue.

 

[malt81]

Bottled half of the wort. And dumped the other half
Now it is carbonating, lets see how it all ends.
I also used one plastic bottle to monitor what is going on.

My brother and mother also tasted the wort. Brother said he didn't notice anything strange. Maybe a little tart after I told him it is sour for me. Mother said its similar to kvass. And I'd say if I'd make a wine, then it has a good potential to be a good wine. Since I have also tasted two lager worts made with lager yeast (and also my ale worts) with no diacetyl rest then I'm still quite sure that the taste was not right for green beer...

I really want that some of you here can taste it But lets just wait.

 

[Jwin]

I got five on it's fine.
if you fermented it at 66 ambient, it possibly hit 72-76 in the vessel, especially with that much sugar.
Could just be a hot fermentation.

 

[malt81]

Bad news
It is now 2 weeks since bottling.
7 days carbonating, 6 days @ 54 F, 1 day in fridge.

Nicely carbonated, got some foam, clear, no strange visible signs, smell is OK. Taste is still the same - sour. I don't feel any bitterness and hops. Taste is like it is some combo of cider, wine and kvass. It is not so nasty, bot not a bear also.

Happens.
Now new beer is fermenting, in the same plastic fermenter, but I cleaned very thoroughly this time. First used OXI clean, rinsed and then Star San. I hope this batch will turn out good.
I have also heard that plastic is not the best practice but I have also heard that a lot are using plastic many years with no issues.
It was not nice feeling to dump my 6th batch Five previous were good.

 

[MarshmallowBlue]

Please package and send to me for further evaluation

 

[malt81]

Please package and send to me for further evaluation

Uh, I was fast and there is no more left...