My first infection?

[Falcor]

So this is batch #7 for me, but the first time I've really thought that I may have an infection. When I opened the bucket after nearly 2 weeks of fermenting I noticed weird stuff floating on the top that I don't remember seeing in previous batches. When I put my autosiphon in today some of the clumps stuck to it. Also notice the strange ring a little above the beer level, not the gunk I'm used to but really hard and crusted on and kind of blackish in color. After siphoning to secondary I saw a brown stain on the side of the bucket, it rinsed right off with water and no scrubbing though. The top ring would not come off well so that's soaking w/ oxyclean now.

The recipe I made was the Stone IPA clone that I found here. Before I pitched the yeast I was concerned because it was really clumpy, but a little research here showed that it's normal for British yeast so I pitched anyway. Another thing is that I transferred from kettle at around 110 degrees cause it was 100 degrees outside and there was no way I could get it any lower. I let the beer sit in my swamp cooler, sealed, for a few hours until it dropped to a good pitching temp, so maybe that has something to do with this. I'm hoping that the British yeast that I'm new too is also to blame and that it's not infection. I guess another possible factor is that my temp control sucked on this one cause my house was around 80 degrees lately, the thermometer showed something like 74 at one point. So, any thoughts?

 

[Shinglejohn]

Get a wort chiller, a couple hours at 100 degrees is like bacteria heaven. Yikes! Pitch that yeast within an hour of flame out and make sure you pitch enough yeast to where it overwhelms any competing organism.

Thats looks really gross though it is possible that it is just krausen material. How does it smell?

 

[Falcor]

I do have a chiller, but the hose water was so warm that I could only get the temp down so far. I have an extra, maybe next time I should daisy chain them with the first one in an ice bath...

 

[Shinglejohn]

Good call.

 

[Falcor]

it is possible that it is just krausen material. How does it smell?

Like I was trying to say before, it's not like the krausen that I've seen in previous batches. It's never been firm before. The smell seemed normal to me, kind of that strongish astringent alcohol smell that you get when you take a big whiff out of the fermenter. A few hours may be exaggerating for time to pitch, may have been closer to 2 but it was 2.5 weeks ago so I don't remember exactly.

I have a hydrometer sample that I took while racking today. If I taste it, is there something I should look for too detect infection?

 

[509inc]

I would drink it. In fact I have. Check out the post.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/my-first-infected-batch-184333/index2.html

My batch was 100% drinkable

 

[Falcor]

Looks like you had the nasty ring, too, from those pics. Just smelled the hydro sample also and it seemed OK. So I took the plunge and tasted it, didn't noticed anything odd. I'm dry hopping this one, so maybe the antibacterial properties of hops will help if there really is a problem... I guess with this one I'll at least wait and see... Still curious to hear some other opinions though.

 

[japhroaig]

I have seen floaties like that before and didn't turn out to be infected, just didn't floccuate like normal. Rack it, and if it doesn't do that again you are free and clear (unless it tastes bad). the visible bad stuff is usually mold, which doesn't look apparent in your batch. I'd say it's a keeper.

 

[GottaGetABrew]

I bottled a batch a couple of weeks ago and had that filmy looking layer on it. As it racked to the bottling bucket and the level in the bucket got lower the film adhered to the side of the bucket. I was a little freaked out by the experience but I tried it and it was just fine. After a couple of weeks its still green but definately tastes good. I would guess you are just fine.

 

[Shinglejohn]

. If I taste it, is there something I should look for too detect infection?

Only whether or not it tastes bad enough to dump my friend, if it is tolerable, Cheers!

 

[wyzazz]

Doesn't look infected to me, looks like yeast rafts & hop oils floating on top of the beer to me.