Newb Worries. Infection?

[tcbucher]

Heres the scoop:
NB Irish Red Extract Kit
In primary one week so far, heavy fermentation between days 2-6, checked gravity with beer theif to see FG, decided to leave it in primary a little longer.

Bubbles started re-forming afterward, first very small clusters, but recently growing larger. I'm wondering if I screwed the pooch on this one.

One of the larger bubbles has this hazy white line on it.

Thanks for dealing with my stupidity

And I REALLY appreciate those of you who browse this foru.jpgm and help out new brewers!

 

[Clann]

Looks normal in those GIANT pics

 

[tcbucher]

Thanks! (And sorry, desperately trying to resize them as we speak!)

 

[eastoak]

sometimes it seems like the yeast is done fermenting then they suddenly decide to wake up and get back to work. maybe the temperature went up a bit? stop looking at the individual bubbles and you won't have anything to worry about

 

[camus]

Looks like beer (in the making) to me. Did you move it to take reading?

 

[rycov]

it all looks good!. my prediction is tasty brews in your near future. i'm assuming that this may be one of your first few beers, so i give you this in response (losely translated from my readings on HBT): "fermentation is ugly at best, unless it smells like satan's anus there is no reason to dump it. it will probably be fine." so yes, the inside of your bucket/carboy is ugly and stinky. but this is normal. as you go on brewing you will come to appreciate this stinky ugly mess. untill then just RDWHAHB and trust that thousands of years of brewing tradition will not fail you!

 

[Tall_Yotie]

Usually with an infection it is pretty damned obvious. I only had one, and it was from dead yeasties. I had green scum growing around the top of the fermenter.

How best to check is to smell it. Does it smell like a fish threw up a skunk on the pier? If so, then it is bad.

Also, take another hydro reading, and taste the sample. Even if something bad is growing, it will not be harmful to you. If the sample tastes like green beer (and not gross) then you are golden. That is the easiest way to tell. Plus, it is another tasting! I usually use up a bottle's worth or more of hydro samples as I love to see what is happening to my brew throughout the entire process (great way to learn! I recommend tasting hydro samples to all new brewers) and can get excited about the brew.