Looks super infected, safe to drink?

[mattprom]

This started out as an extract Irish Red kit. I left it in the fermenter for about 10 weeks (was pretty busy). I tasted it about a week before I took this photo, it looked fine and tasted fine. When I was taking the airlock off for that taste the (10 week old) sanitizer water got sucked back in to the bucket. I went about sealing it up and left it alone for a few days until I was ready to bottle.

Ok, so now I'm starting to rack this out and decide I should take a picture. It looks pretty funky. Tasting it at this time and it has a very strong banana flavor, nothing terrible, but something that wasn't there just a few days before. I chose to just keep bottling and leave it alone for a few weeks. I pulled one out to pop in the fridge this morning before work, and notice there is more white film in the bottles. If i give it a little shake it breaks up for a moment and then forms again.

This won't be my best beer by any means, but is it safe to drink? Would you drink it?

 

[Redcat]

Yes it will be safe to drink. That looks like yeast rafts to me, but I am not an expert (look at my join date).

Nothing unsafe to humans can live in beer.

 

[a6ladd]

I'd drink it! FWIW I also think it might be yeast rafts, but I've never seen them in my fermentor before. I would not however shake any more of the bottles. Keep the sediment settled at the bottom. Cheers!

 

[Rivenin]

looks like yeast to me does it smell good and taste good? if so... don't worry about a thing

 

[DPBISME]

I have always read that "Little Beaties" can ruin your beers taste but usually it is not toxic... I would like to hear different if any one else has a different opinion.

RULES TO DRINK BY:

1. if it tastes moldy don't drink it...
2. if it tastes bitter from to much hops let it age and then drink it
3. if it tastes sour decide if it is a "good" sour and then drink it.
4. if it has no flavor...blend it with something that does and drink it
5. if it has to much black patent or chocolate malt...blend it with something that does NOT and drink it
6. if you think it is going to go bad,,, drink it fast
7. if you still don't like it,,,, serve it at a party,,, some one will LOVE IT and drink it for you (just got rid of three (3) kegs that way...)

Ya,,,,,, I have screwed up a few batches....

 

[mattprom]

looks like yeast to me does it smell good and taste good? if so... don't worry about a thing

It tasted off on bottling day. Perhaps the very heavy banana flavor came from kicking some yeast back into suspension when moving my buckets around? I'll taste one tonight and see if its any good.

 

[gandalfiii]

I've never had an infected beer yet, but that doesn't look like any of the infections I've seen in other threads. Either way it's safe to drink as no human pathogens can grow in beer. I would not shake the bottles though.

 

[gandalfiii]

I've never had an infected beer yet, but that doesn't look like any of the infections I've seen in other threads. Either way it's safe to drink as no human pathogens can grow in beer. I would not shake the bottles though.

 

[gandalfiii]

I've never had an infected beer yet, but that doesn't look like any of the infections I've seen in other threads. Either way it's safe to drink as no human pathogens can grow in beer. I would not shake the bottles though.

 

[gandalfiii]

I've never had an infected beer yet, but that doesn't look like any of the infections I've seen in other threads. Either way it's safe to drink as no human pathogens can grow in beer. I would not shake the bottles though.

 

[BrewinHooligan]

Infections usually taste sour or like vinegar. Fruit tastes are usually esters produced from stressed yeast (underpitching or hot fermenting). Wait 3-4 weeks from bottling then move 1 or 2 to the fridge for a day or two before trying.

 

[mattprom]

Infections usually taste sour or like vinegar. Fruit tastes are usually esters produced from stressed yeast (underpitching or hot fermenting). Wait 3-4 weeks from bottling then move 1 or 2 to the fridge for a day or two before trying.

That's probably it! These sat so long because I was out of town for about 3 weeks during a relative heat wave. I'm sure my house was hovering around 80 degrees during this time. (next time I'll make sure to keep them cool)

 

[BrewinHooligan]

Those off flavors will fade with time. My first batch fermented hot and after a few months in bottles the fruit flavor had faded quite a bit. Try a few at a time every month to couple weeks, but keep them around 70f for storage so the yeast stays active to clean up the off flavors. In the meantime, get to brewing!!