Infection, please advise

[Vex]

I racked my witbier onto some cherries 5 days ago.

Was getting ready to bottle when I opened the secondary to this sight.

I suppose my question is: What exactly am I looking at?

 

[brewmeister69]

I'd say you are looking at some kind of lactobacillus infection.. It may still turn out OK but if it was me I would get rid.. Sometimes you get lucky and the final product tastes fine with no off flavors..

Edit to add: Did you use any campden tablets to sanitize your cherries ? or boil first ?

 

[m00ps]

you could try adding some brett to help clean up any potential off flavors from whatever infected your batch. IME You always want some brett in a sour to help keep things clean

 

[Gavin C]

Massively underfilled secondary with oodles of air. Oxygen loving microbes having a feast.

Buckets are a poor choice for a secondary vessel. Typically you want to fill the secondary like you would a beer-bottle; all the way to the neck. Carboys are useful.

 

[Vex]

I'd say you are looking at some kind of lactobacillus infection.. It may still turn out OK but if it was me I would get rid.. Sometimes you get lucky and the final product tastes fine with no off flavors..

Edit to add: Did you use any campden tablets to sanitize your cherries ? or boil first ?

Although I have no source, I believe I had read at some point that bringing the cherries to 170 degrees for ~10 minutes was sufficient. Was not aware a boil was necessary.

Also, thank you for the quick reply.

 

[Vex]

you could try adding some brett to help clean up any potential off flavors from whatever infected your batch. IME You always want some brett in a sour to help keep things clean

I appreciate the quick response. I have no experience with purposely infecting using brett, was just going for a simple fruit beer for the girlfriend to enjoy. I'll just chalk it up as an experience and try again.

 

[Vex]

Massively underfilled secondary with oodles of air. Oxygen loving microbes having a feast.

Buckets are a poor choice for a secondary vessel. Typically you want to fill the secondary like you would a beer-bottle; all the way to the neck. Carboys are useful.

Thank you for the specific response and input. Duly noted.

 

[Gavin C]

Sorry for your bad luck on this one.

BTW.

Welcome to the forum!

 

[brrman]

If you brought the cherries to 170 then you correctly pasteurized them.

Your issue was the huge airspace in the secondary as Gavin pointed out. Lesson learned, sorry for the lost batch. It always sucks to lose one.

I would probably toss that bucket unless it's fairly new, by the way. Any scratches in it might retain the infection no matter how much you sanitize it.

 

[unionrdr]

I got that on dry hop sacks of hop pellets, oak, etc. Even in my 6 gallon better bottle. This last time, when adding more hot peppers & dry hops to my Hellfire IIPA, I used a thick glass shot glass to sink the fine mesh 2 gallon nylon back to the bottom of the bucket- primary- for 7 days. No infection this time.


Although, in all fairness, I did switch from muslin grain sacks to nylon 2 gallon fine mesh paint strainers I got with my 2 gallon bucket for vinegar making.