Infection?

[rye_so_serious]

So this is my first homebrew attempt. I went with a stout hoping that all the flavor would mask any off tastes. It is the "Brewer's Best" Whisky Barrel Stout. I boiled the wood chips to sanitize them then let them soak in 6 ounces of Elijah Craig Bourbon for a week before racking my beer on top of it. Anyhow the "barrel-aging" is almost done and I peeked to see the progress. I've noticed some residue floating on the surface of the beer. I was wondering if this the result of a bacterial infection? left over yeast? a result of the wood chips? Also how would you recommend handling it on bottling day? Ignore it? Strain it?

Thanks!

 

[eltorrente]

Looks like a bunch of mini yeast rafts. Doesn't look infected to me.

Keep the lid on until you bottle it. Lifting the lid makes you lose the co2 blanket that was protecting it from oxygen. Next time, just pull off the stopper and look through the hole with a flash light.

 

[unionrdr]

That's the start of a lacto infection. I just had an IPA do that.

 

[PDX_T]

As a general rule, don't open your fermenter unnecessarily. if you want to see inside, go with glass. I don't get caught up in what beer looks like at these stages. it can have all kinds of funny bubbles, rafts, whatever. what matters is taste and aroma. if you do have an infection, which I'm not sure is true, then you won't know until it's done and you've tasted it. Lactic acid producing bacteria grow in anaerobic conditions, as do some that produce diacetyl, or buttery flavors and aromas. Bacteria that grow with oxygen tend to produce vinegar or musty off flavors, and some will produce cooked or rotten vegetable flavors. Just wait for it to finish, and taste before packaging.

 

[twistr25]

I'm kinda torn, does look partly like the "ice shelfs" but could also just be yeast rafts. Did you take a gravity reading? I'd see where you are and be prepared to transfer or bottle if you have to.

 

[Math0]

You have to taste the beer to decide if you want to keep it or throw it away. That's going to be your decision to make. Not all infections can scrap a whole batch. They will alter the taste, yes.

 

[unionrdr]

Def not yeast rafts. they're a light tan to off white,& are thicker...kinda chunky looking. This is def lacto getting started like broken ice pack. It then progesses to slimy bubbles. I just went through that the last couple weeks with a batch. Managed to save it to bottle...so far...

 

[Math0]

Def not yeast rafts. they're a light tan to off white,& are thicker...kinda chunky looking. This is def lacto getting started like broken ice pack. It then progesses to slimy bubbles. I just went through that the last couple weeks with a batch. Managed to save it to bottle...so far...

There is a way to by-pass this kind of infection no? Removing the top part and bottling right away. Then drinking them asap

 

[rye_so_serious]

Keep the lid on until you bottle it. Lifting the lid makes you lose the co2 blanket that was protecting it from oxygen. Next time, just pull off the stopper and look through the hole with a flash light.

I know I am just a beginner but what about open fermentation? Aside from the risk of infection ppl seem to think its a great way to allow for spontaneous fermentation to occur

 

[Math0]

I would never recommend that... You mean using the yeast in the air or using a specific type of yeast and let the lid off?

 

[rye_so_serious]

Open air fermentation is a legitimate method people use, I don't know much about it but the fact that people do it leads me to believe peeking under my lid for a second or two won't largely affect my batch:

[ame]http://vimeo.com/12055691[/ame]

http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/forum/index.php?topic=13248.0

http://beeradvocate.com/community/threads/open-vs-closed-fermentation.17797/

 

[Math0]

Actually, it won't affect it at all. It is just safer not to take off the lid. Also, open air fermentation can cause trouble. Flies can fall into the beer and more risks of infections

 

[unionrdr]

Not the least of which are wild yeasts & other nasties that settle downward. So it depends on outside atmospheric conditions. Outside the fermenter that is.

 

[davekippen]

Im surprised so many think that is an infection. I have had many batches look like that when I opened the bucket and none of them were infected? Anyone else with me??

 

[unionrdr]

Sometimes,it just doesn't get much of a foothold by bottling time. It beat me this time,so I got to observe it start to finish.

 

[rye_so_serious]

do you think it'd be worth my time to cellar a couple of these bottles? or do you think they'll just taste terrible aging?

 

[IslandLizard]

One of your problems is racking into a bucket. There's way too much headspace and your protective CO2 blanket from your primary is gone. Secondaries should have small headspace unless you're into making sours. 5 gallon carboys are typically used for [EDIT] secondaries, and long term bulk aging.

It could be the onset of lacto. Time will tell. You could rack from underneath, but if it's an infection, the bacteria are in the beer, not just on the surface. Pellicles can form in presence of oxygen, air. Otherwise you would not see a pellicle forming.

Not all infections are bad. Taste some and take it from there. Maybe force carbonate in a keg and finish up quickly.*

* Oops, you probably don't have kegs. You could bottle in plastic bottles, or 1 gallon plastic "juice" containers. Don't bottle infected beer in glass, or you may end up with bottle bombs.

Again, your beer maybe just fine and these are floaters from the fermentation.

 

[rye_so_serious]

thanks, good to know. Probably a little over my head for a first batch...maybe should've avoided secondary fermenting

 

[IslandLizard]

thanks, good to know. Probably a little over my head for a first batch...maybe should've avoided secondary fermenting

Read around here and you'll catch up fast.

Not your fault. Most kits still contain instructions to rack off to a secondary, which in practice is not needed, and in most cases unwanted. That is, unless you want to lager, store or age long term, or add fruit or other adjuncts, and even then.... Just adding wood chips does not warrant a secondary IMO, neither does dry hopping.

There are reasons for secondaries, but I consider them for "advanced" brewing. Every time you touch the beer there is a risk for introducing infections and/or oxidation, unless you know exactly how to do it right and make better beer.

BTW, how does it taste?

I would let it ride a few more days and see if that is indeed an pellicle forming.
Let us know. We're curious.

 

[rye_so_serious]

Haven't tasted it yet, like you said everytime you touch it you risk introducing infection so i've tried locking it away and forgetting about it...but we bottle saturday so i'll probably do a good bit of tasting then. I'll let you know, and thanks again for the advice