Mold or yeast?

[trbig]

I am trying out a partial mash batch for the first time. It's a vanilla chocolate porter. I used White Labs liquid yeast (WLP001). I left it in the primary for @ 3 1/2 weeks and went to transfer to a secondary today, and saw this.









Mold or yeast? I've never had a beer batch look like this before. The porter still tastes great, but the look of the top of it is a bit gross. I chopped up 2 vanilla beans and put it into the secondary, then transferred the beer onto that, making sure not to suck up any of that top layer. I plan on leaving it for a couple more weeks, then bottling. Hoping this is yeast and not mold.. This was an expensive batch to make.

 

[KeyWestBrewing]

Looks kinda like the start of a pellicle but its hard to tell. There definitely could have been wild yeast on the vanilla beans if you didn't sterilize them. You'll definitely know if that's what it is if it keeps growing.

 

[jonnyp1980]

Infected sir. bout 98 percent sure from this photo. Sorry.

 

[jonnyp1980]

Look into sours. Don't have to waste this batch.

 

[trbig]

Looks kinda like the start of a pellicle but its hard to tell. There definitely could have been wild yeast on the vanilla beans if you didn't sterilize them. You'll definitely know if that's what it is if it keeps growing.

No vanilla beans added until just now in the secondary.

 

[trbig]

Look into sours. Don't have to waste this batch.

It tastes great right now. I would think an infected batch would taste awful?

 

[jonnyp1980]

It tastes great right now. I would think an infected batch would taste awful?

If it has just started no but it might taste off. Sour. Id bottle it ASAP or keg and drink it. Should be fine though. You could let it ride and see what happens and make a sour.

 

[unionrdr]

If I didn't know better,I'd swear it looked like wild blueberries getting moldy on top. that's just what it looks like. But as long as it tastes fine,go with it but keep an eye on it.

 

[trbig]

If it has just started no but it might taste off. Sour. Id bottle it ASAP or keg and drink it. Should be fine though. You could let it ride and see what happens and make a sour.

Will it not mold in the bottles as well if it does it in the bucket?

 

[unionrdr]

I'd say not in the bottles. The small head space would fill PDQ with co2. Molds need warmth,moisture & air to thrive.

 

[trbig]

I'd say not in the bottles. The small head space would fill PDQ with co2. Molds need warmth,moisture & air to thrive.

??? There shouldn't have been any air in the bucket until I opened it.

But thinking back, I did pitch the yeast while it was a little hot, and it took a couple days to start kicking off.

 

[unionrdr]

your bucket would also have a whole lot more head space than a bottle. and o2 mixes with co2 to a point in said head space. So it'd take a number of hours before the head space would be mostly to all co2.

 

[jonnyp1980]

??? There shouldn't have been any air in the bucket until I opened it.

But thinking back, I did pitch the yeast while it was a little hot, and it took a couple days to start kicking off.

Once you have an infection it's there. Something was either not cleaned and hid a nasty or you something you added was not cleaned.

 

[unionrdr]

Yup,quite likely. The yeast taking a couple days to get going gave the nasties the 3 things they need to propagate.

 

[trbig]

Once you have an infection it's there. Something was either not cleaned and hid a nasty or you something you added was not cleaned.

LOL.. Not really the only options. Everything was quite clean and sterilized, but wild things blow around in the air we breathe quite easily. You can have every piece of equipment and additives operating-room-sterile, and still get an infection from what's in the air.

I just happened upon an empty fridge. Would cold crashing do anything to inhibit the mold? I'll probably give it a few days at room temp and take a peek in there. If I see anything growing, I'll transfer to another bucket, then bottle it. I'd like to have at least another couple weeks for it to work on the vanilla beans, but it's not worth ruining the whole batch for. I could just pour in some extract I've been making... Madagascar Bourbon vanilla beans soaking in Virgin Islands rum. Smells yummy!

 

[jonnyp1980]

LOL.. Not really the only options. Everything was quite clean and sterilized, but wild things blow around in the air we breathe quite easily. You can have every piece of equipment and additives operating-room-sterile, and still get an infection from what's in the air.

I just happened upon an empty fridge. Would cold crashing do anything to inhibit the mold? I'll probably give it a few days at room temp and take a peek in there. If I see anything growing, I'll transfer to another bucket, then bottle it. I'd like to have at least another couple weeks for it to work on the vanilla beans, but it's not worth ruining the whole batch for. I could just pour in some extract I've been making... Madagascar Bourbon vanilla beans soaking in Virgin Islands rum. Smells yummy!

Youre right it could have been a bunch of things i just picked out the usual suspects. I dunno about the effects of dropping the temp to keep an infection at bay. Good luck and post some pics when it's in a glass I'm sure it will be tasty

 

[trbig]

Well, went ahead and bottled it up tonight. I transferred the beer to yet another bucket after adding about 3 oz. vanilla extract. It made it a bit too vanilla flavored, but I've heard it mellows over time. It is a very chocolaty porter.. I'd even call it a double chocolate. Very tasty even flat. I don't think whatever it was floating on top hurt it at all. O.G. was 1.066 and final was 1.012, which translates to a 7.09% alcohol. I'd added a pound of rice solids to the mix to bump it up just a touch, and it seems to have worked. No alcohol taste in the brew. Can't wait for a couple weeks to try it. I'll post a pic.