Just another beginner worried about an infection

[wanderlost]

Hey all,

I'm brewing a Belgian-style dubbel and just threw some bourbon-soaked oak cubes in it a week ago. Today I checked on it and I'm a little worried about infection. Would a normal Belgian strong ale yeast act like this two weeks after brew day? The cube-shaped things are the oak, but I'm concerned about the beige floaties. Never had an infection before -- is this one? It still smells pretty good though. RDWHAHB?

 

[Bellybuster]

yeast...... relax, CO2 makes things float that don't normally float. You're good, now keep that lid closed until bottling/kegging day

 

[Sammy86]

Yeast rafts perfectly normal! Brew on!

 

[ElJefeBrews]

I third the a-ok. I've seen this on my brews many times. Like bellybuster said, the CO2 pushes things to the surface. Go forth and brew.

 

[Resonator]

Hard to tell from the pic, but as long as those aren't transparent film like pieces in between those beige yeast rafts, everything looks normal.

 

[Subdivisions]

Hard to tell from the pic, but as long as those aren't transparent film like pieces in between those beige yeast rafts, everything looks normal.

.

Those are the oak cubes. Caught me off guard until I read it again.

I've got a wheat that has the same thing going on right now. Just rack from the middle of the fermenter if the yeast is still there at that point or cold crash it so that it drops out.

 

[Resonator]

.



Those are the oak cubes. Caught me off guard until I read it again.



I've got a wheat that has the same thing going on right now. Just rack from the middle of the fermenter if the yeast is still there at that point or cold crash it so that it drops out.

Not the squares. If you zoom in and look at the surface you can see a bit of something transparent around the yeast rafts and cubes.

It could just be hop oils, or yeast rafts just under the surface though.

 

[wanderlost]

Thank you all! There's no film between the beige floats, just oil on the surface, so it seems like it's fine. Never seen yeast floaters in a beer before; they weren't there after primary / before I added the oak so I worried.

It's true that it's easy to worry too much about your beers when things will really be okay! This beginner needs to take Papazian's advice. Cheers.

 

[Sailingeric]

Short of throwing a dead body in the wort it is hard to get an infection with decent sanitizing practices.

 

[Resonator]

Short of throwing a dead body in the wort it is hard to get an infection with decent sanitizing practices.

I think pretty much all infections a caused by something short of throwing a dead body in the wort -- unless you're a sloppy serial killer that loves to brew beer.

 

[Gerry_P]

Short of throwing a dead body in the wort it is hard to get an infection with decent sanitizing practices.

I carefully sanitize all dead bodies before I add them to my wort. I haven't had a problem yet.

 

[Gerry_P]

In case you're not already familiar with this little gem, here's a 17th century recipe for cock ale. Yum!

To make Cock-Ale

PERIOD: England, 17th century | SOURCE: The Closet Of the Eminently Learned Sir Kenelme Digby Kt. Opened, 1677 | CLASS: Authentic

DESCRIPTION: A drink of ale, chicken broth, & sack

To make Cock-Ale.

Take eight gallons of Ale, take a Cock and boil him well; then take four pounds of Raisins of the Sun well stoned, two or three Nutmegs, three or four flakes of Mace, half a pound of Dates; beat these all in a Mortar, and put to them two quarts of the best Sack: and when the Ale hath done working, put these in, and stop it close six or seven days, and then bottle it, and a month after you may drink it.

 

[k1ngl1ves]

Herpes. Definitely herpes.

 

[donbrew]

RDWHAHB! It is (only) beer, not a nuclear power plant ready to melt down and destroy the entire universe!

You do not even have to be "anal" about sanitation, just good. Wash your hands, use weak bleach solution & iodophor is really good enough in most brewing situations. The huge breweries don't have time to worry as much as many homebrewers do.

Ever been in a milking parlor? Lots of disinfectant, lots of poop, open sewer; very fast rinses of the SS with weak acid wash, iodophor on the teats sometimes to protect the cow. I daresay, milk production should worry more than homebrew production.

Did I mention; RDWHAHB?

 

[Gerry_P]

Speaking of RDWHAHB...did anyone read Gordon Strong's book "Brewing Better Beer" where he said something to the effect of "RDWHAHB is fine for beginners, but not if you wish to attain my level of brewing greatness..." (I took some liberties with the wording for comic effect.) I think ol' Gordon needs to work on his Zen a little bit.

Having said that, it's still a great book IMHO.