Is my beer infected?? Pic.

[scrambledegg81]

Experimenting gone wrong??


NEVER!!!! Saludos to you sir for being ballsy enough to even consider experimenting on this level.

 

[Revvy]

Experimenting gone wrong??


NEVER!!!!

Just as long as he doesn't end up like this,

 

[COLObrewer]

Yes, yes it is infected, I racked it about a week and a half ago and found this today:

So, now I have to determine what to do with it, took a sample today, gravity is still at 1.012, it still tastes the same with the bitterness moving to the front more and more, smells great but is not drinkable as is, no sour flavor at all however. The infection either came from the pumpkin in the fermentor (I doubt it) or my cellar (I had this open for quite a few minutes straining the pumpkin from it while it was in the cellar, I've had wild infection from the cellar before).

I am contemplating:

1. Leave as is to see if it ever becomes drinkable (Would take years with wild yeast, maybe add some other wild yeasts/bacterium) I have no problem with this, I can always brew more pumpkin beer but who in the world has a pumpkin lambic wheat?

2. Brew more pumpkin wheat to mix with it (Use a lot less spices for a lot less time in the boil, then do either 1 or 3)

3. Rack from under the pellicle, treat it with potmeta and bottle it in hopes the bitterness subsides.

4. Eat pizza all day and drink more home brew while contemplating the meaning of life, maybe brew something else.

Leaning towards #4, any other suggestions?

 

[jfr1111]

#4. Altough a "propper" Brett pitch after killing whatever caused the first infection might also be interesting and more controlable flavour wise (if you can control such a thing).

 

[KevinW]

Before dumping, I think you should consider selling as a prop for the next Alien movie:cross:

I was thinking the acrid bitterness could be from the roasted pumpkin skin but of course, what do I know I am just offering up my 2 cents!

Please update us on your final results!

 

[Runyanka]

HUH?

Oh you don't know about Colo's other epic thread...Can I culture yeast from Juniper Berries?

Actually our Brother from Pea Green Colorado has a ton of epic threads!

Do you realize what you've done... I read this thread, then spent the rest of the night reading about juniper berries!!!

 

[devilishprune]

Good joke gone wrong perhaps? Sorry for your loss (of your intended recipe).

 

[brewingkitty]

Holy mother of jeebus on a halfshell, wtf is that?!?!?!?!?!

i love YOU man! my thought exactly. i say chillies that had better days.

 

[COLObrewer]

Before dumping, . . . .

YOU SAID THE D WORD!!!, I suppose that could be #5 but I never considered it.

I was thinking the acrid bitterness could be from the roasted pumpkin skin . . . . . .

Interesting, do you have some experience with this? We tasted the pumpkin meat and it was fine but never thought to taste the skins at all.

 

[COLObrewer]

. . . your loss (of your intended recipe).

No loss at all, this is me learning.

 

[COLObrewer]

I had to do something with this brew so I decided to keep it going, Here is a pic before I racked it:

I racked it off into one of my recently bottled oude bruin fermentors (2 year old trub and oak spirals intact), I will feed this and get it up to 13+ gallons. Testing shows gravity is currently at 1.018ish, it's a nice dark orange and still has a very strong pumpkin aroma. The bitterness is starting to fall a little. Not a very good pic of the hydro sample:

I haven't decided if I want to keep feeding this strictly wheat or add barley wort to it. I'll probably feed it some party-gyles I have planned.

 

[MeatyPortion]

.

 

[jonmohno]

Is this a special halucenagenic beer ? cuz its making me see things.

 

[BrookdaleBrew]

Interesting, do you have some experience with this? We tasted the pumpkin meat and it was fine but never thought to taste the skins at all.

I had the same first thought when I read about the bitterness. Possibly tannins extracted from the pumpkin skin during the boil?

 

[D0ug]

I say try again, but scoop the pumpkin flesh out of the skins before you start.

I haven't tried a pumpkin, but I cook a lot. And I know that by roasting or searing, you can get a little burn that can be yummy, but too much carbon can be bitter. The skins look pretty crispy in the pix, so if you scoop out the meat....?

my two bits

 

[trubled]

what does it take like?

 

[tmurph6]

Spray it down with Lysol. Not only does it kill 99.9% of bacteria, it will also leave a wonderful citrus aroma.

 

[buckeyebrewer]

That's the craziest brew I have ever seen....I vote for option #5....dump

 

[HH60gunner]

Send me a bottle and I'll drink it and be a second judge

I'm not afraid.....

 

[COLObrewer]

I wonder why the gravity went up? It IS a different hydrometer and the old one seemed to be reading low all the time, that's got to be it, now I'm glad it broke.