New Brewer - Infection 3 days before bottling

[supershan]

Like many of the newbies out there I have come to rely on the advise in this forum for help when something seems amiss.
So here is my current problem. I was getting ready to bottle yesterday when I unwrapped my carboy to, what I gathered from another thread is a lacto. infection (silky white bubbles on top). Three days ago when I checked the FG for the first time there was no problem and everything looked good. I assume that I infected somehow when I checked the gravity.
With that in mind the infection has only been going for a few days... is it salvagable? Recommendations on a next step would be awesome.

 

[masterfool101]

Post Pictures . . . this may not be infection. The experts here can tell you (I'm far from an expert . . . but I'd like to see what it looks like!)

 

[mammothkraken]

I've had what appears to be silky white bubbles on top and the batch turned out fine.

A pic would help determine though.

 

[ETCS]

IMHO....I don't think that you have an infection (of course without pictures, it is hard to give advice). However, it is my personal opinion and experience that infections at the end of fermentation are less likely to happen and even if they do, taste the beer, see how it tastes, siphon the beer from around it and bottle anyway.

 

[supershan]

Thanks for the feedback! Here's a few photo's. You have made my day at the thought that I may not have killed it.

 

[ETCS]

You are fine....do a search on the forum for "Post your infection" and you will see that you are in really good shape.

Happy Brewing

 

[jdesrosiers3]

I'll echo the sentiments of the post above me....I expected something FAR worse.

You should be just fine.

Cheers!

 

[supershan]

You guys are awesome, and I have proven myself as just another freaked out newbie. Thanks for the advise, now I am off to bottle it up.

 

[beergolf]

just another freaked out newbie.

A big part of the learning experience that we all go through is the worrying about our brews. I used to check on them constantly.

Now , after brewing a lot of batches, I just let them be. I have figured out that it is really pretty hard to totally mess up a beer. I have dropped stuff in the fermenter, pushed a stopper into the carboy, and a lot of other things, and guess what? They all made beer.

Relax, enjoy the hobby. And don't sweat the small stuff.

 

[supershan]

Well folks, It turned out something was wrong. About half of my bottles have an oily sheen on the inside and flaky white stuff growing at the top. After I bottled on the 3rd of January, I left them set in a dark corner, and just got around to trying one. It tastes like a granny smith cider (quite tart). It's been three weeks since the bottling, and I had a feeling something was off. I'm not complaining, I'm glad I bottled it, I'm sitting here with my second one of the night... it isn't beer, but it isn't bad either.

Maybe it just needs more time... I'll set some aside to judge in a while, but the white flakes have me nervous.

 

[pacosarae]

I've had what appears to be silky white bubbles on top and the batch turned out fine.