Is my beer infected?

[spiffcow]

So yesterday I noticed that my primary fermenter's airlock had completely stopped bubbling. I checked with the hydrometer, and it said it was at 1.017, which is just about where it should be for this beer (OG was 1.072). I racked to my secondary, and now the secondary is bubbling. I'm concerned that it's caused by wild yeast or bacteria, since my beer should be done fermenting at this point.

I had previously put some snow in the secondary bucket (don't ask..), but I filled it with sanitizer solution and let it soak for half an hour before racking to it. I also used my mouth to start the siphon (I gargled with mouthwash first). Would either of these things cause infection? I'm really hoping I didn't ruin this batch, it was an expensive one to make. If it does sound like an infection, is there anything I can do to salvage this batch?

 

[rsmith179]

I can't really say that it is infected just by the release of CO2 bubbles in the secondary. A lot of times this is simply your beer naturally degassing after being racked over. However, starting a siphon with your mouth is just asking for trouble.

Even if you did gargle with mouthwash before starting the siphon, I'm willing to guess there are still millions of microorganisms in/on your mouth.

If it is infected, there's really nothing you can do about it at this point. Just keep an eye on it and when it's ready to be bottled, take another hydro reading to see if the gravity shot down quite a bit. Take a sniff and taste it as well. If it tastes really off, it's very possible that it's infected.... Best of luck man!

 

[BillyBroas]

The bubbles picking back up after you rack to the secondary is normal and not a sign of infection. It used to happen to me all the time, but nowadays I typically don't even use a secondary.

Also, just because the gravity is where it "should be" doesn't mean it is done fermenting. Only when the gravity doesn't change for a few days do you know for sure that fermentation is done.

Oh and take rs's advice on not using your mouth

Good luck!

 

[carnevoodoo]

Yup. You just roused the yeast. You'll be fine. It'll drop a few more points now.

 

[BierMuncher]

Yup. You just roused the yeast. You'll be fine. It'll drop a few more points now.

He speaketh the truth.

Keep that fermenter in the dark for a week or two longer and get on to your next batch.

Oh...fill your siphon hose with tap water at the sink...hold both ends with your thumbs...then drop the respective ends of the hose into their respective places and the beer will flow freely...sans the spittle.

 

[spiffcow]

He speaketh the truth.

Keep that fermenter in the dark for a week or two longer and get on to your next batch.

Oh...fill your siphon hose with tap water at the sink...hold both ends with your thumbs...then drop the respective ends of the hose into their respective places and the beer will flow freely...sans the spittle.

I'll try that next time! Heh, I had such a problem with the siphon part.. Everything I read said to siphon, and not to use my mouth.. But nothing I read actually gave any indication of how to do so without using my mouth.

 

[pompeiisneaks]

or get an autosiphon, love mine, and I think it was like, what 10 bucks? a few pumps after it sits in sanitizing water for a while... bam. Yeah its either just releasing some pent up co2 or its gotten the yeast stirred up and they are eating some more. Either way, you won't know until you let it sit a while and go to bottle/keg it. I agree also, never use your mouth for any part of it!

 

[HickoryMike]

Now that your beer is full of alcohol, it would be hard for some other organism to thrive in it. It's probably just "degassing" as some put it or perhaps the yeast has been roused and will ferment some more. 99.99% sure you're fine.

 

[impatient]

Definitely, send it on over and I will consume/dispose of it properly.

 

[Whut]

Definitely, send it on over and I will consume/dispose of it properly.

I would be more than happy to split this testing with impatient!