Post your infection

[unionrdr]

You can't usually tell by looking at it as to what microbe is causing it.

 

[catdaddy66]

Bottle or dump, what do you think?

 

[unionrdr]

If it tastes OK, let it ride. If not, dump it, clean & sanitize real well.

 

[Baja_Brewer]

3 days @ 95*F was supposed to sour (WLP 677 lactobacillus brevis, 2nd use) the beer, instead I got this. Pasteurize and ferment or dump?

View attachment 1468880577859.jpg

 

[unionrdr]

I've seen some look like that when using souring blends. Hard to say?

 

[Baja_Brewer]

I pulled off a pint or so to save, took a gravity sample (1.006ish) and pasteurized at 165 for 20 minutes and saving it off into a keg. We'll see!

 

[mrgrimm101]

I took this 17 days after brew day when I carried the carboy to the fridge to cold crash, so the dry hops settled out. The little white spots were sort of grouped before the dry hop. Like I said, maybe I'm being paranoid..but I can't be sure based on smell or taste..

View attachment 1468966808173.jpg

View attachment 1468966822121.jpg

 

[whiskeypig]

@baja Looks like lacto had its way. In a big way - assuming this isn't what it looked like last time. Drink it up

Person above me, looks like the beginning of an infection. Those sort of iceberg looking chunks that float on top are, in my experience and to the best of my knowledge, not atypical of lactobacillus, though I can't say what strain or whether it's solely lacto at fault. Don't worry too much but additionally err on the side of caution with wait times

 

[unionrdr]

That " broken ice pack" looking stuff is definitely an infection taking hold.

 

[mrgrimm101]

My plan was to bottle in about 3 or 4 days. I guess we'll see

 

[SeraW]

3 days @ 95*F was supposed to sour (WLP 677 lactobacillus brevis, 2nd use) the beer, instead I got this. Pasteurize and ferment or dump?

Pellicles look different for different reasons. If that's sour wort with an l. brevis pitch, I'd say you're on schedule. Proceed.

 

[Wee3Pie]

Hey

Beginners nerves are setting in. Im about 5 days into my first brew and was wondering if this is normal?

Its a Coopers IPA.

Any help appreciated.

 

[mxstar21]

Hey

Beginners nerves are setting in. Im about 5 days into my first brew and was wondering if this is normal?

Its a Coopers IPA.

Any help appreciated.

Looks fine to me, but kinda hard to tell in the picture. To me it looks like krausen.

 

[whiskeypig]

Hey

Beginners nerves are setting in. Im about 5 days into my first brew and was wondering if this is normal?

Its a Coopers IPA.

Any help appreciated.

This is infected with lacto at the least

 

[beergolf]

Looks normal to me.

Stop opening your fermenter so soon. Learn the art of patience. Just let it ride.

 

[Jwin]

Yep looks fine. Close yer bucket.

 

[brewbama]

Yep looks fine. Close yer bucket.

...and I recommend keeping it closed. If you want to look, and I completely understand, get yourself a clear fermenter. ...and keep it closed, too!

 

[Wee3Pie]

Thanks for the responses - the fermenter has a clear lid the photo was taken without removing it. The gravity is currently sitting at 1014 & the temp is 21 degrees. Its been in the fermenter since Tuesday.

 

[whiskeypig]

Thanks for the responses - the fermenter has a clear lid the photo was taken without removing it. The gravity is currently sitting at 1014 & the temp is 21 degrees. Its been in the fermenter since Tuesday.

Once again - this is a contaminated wort, the telling signs are highlighted in my zoomed in screenshot below. The connecting spiderweb-like spindles, the very much white film that has accumulated around the rim, as well as which is coating the bubbles (unless the white effect is caused by the clear lid, though doubtful). If you poke one of the smaller coated bubbles you should see that it is not a normal healthy head. At the moment the infection is very early on/low level - as long as you don't stretch the fermentation out too long and clean the piss outta your equipment, theres nothing to worry about.


EDIT: Photo didn't upload. Refer to your 2nd photo - top left quadrant is a good area to look at.

2ND EDIT: See my post on the next page where I change my mind when presented with new evidence.

 

[Wee3Pie]

Where do you think the infection came from? It was all new equipment which im sure I cleaned thoroughly?

 

[Brownalemikie]

Where do you think the infection came from? It was all new equipment which im sure I cleaned thoroughly?

You may have cleaned it, but did you sanitize everything?

 

[Wee3Pie]

Yes with starsan.

Whats the plan of action now? Gravity is at 1.010. Bottle it? It still tastes ok.

 

[foam_top]

Yes with starsan.

Whats the plan of action now? Gravity is at 1.010. Bottle it? It still tastes ok.

Don't bottle it if it still has a head of krausen. You could end up with bottle bombs. I'm not convinced that's an infection. Let the krausen fall and be patient.

 

[Wee3Pie]

Ill take new photos. It looks more infected now.

 

[jimmytango]

I posted this in another thread, but I'm wondering if anyone can identify which infection this is? I'm really hoping it's brett since its a saison and I plan on drinking it in a few months.

 

[Brew_G]

Ill take new photos. It looks more infected now.

I'm no expert, but that just looks like krausen to me, especially because it's only five for six days old at this point. I'm willing to be proven wrong, though.

Let it ride for now and keep an eye on it. I'd be willing to bet that the "infection" will subside and eventually drop into the beer. In fact, it looks like the change from your first pictures to today's are indicative of that. If it does drop out, and no scuzz takes its place, then you should be good to go.

 

[foam_top]

Ill take new photos. It looks more infected now.

Looks a bit gelatinous but that's not uncommon for some yeast. Just to be clear, I don't think you should bottle when the krausen falls, I just meant you should let the krausen fall for further inspection. I never bottle under 3 weeks. Even when your hydrometer readings are steady you might as well let the beer "clean up".

 

[beergolf]

I posted this in another thread, but I'm wondering if anyone can identify which infection this is? I'm really hoping it's brett since its a saison and I plan on drinking it in a few months.

It is not possible to identify an infection by the pelicle. It definitely is infected. At this point all you can do is to ride it out and see how it tastes.

 

[whiskeypig]

Ill take new photos. It looks more infected now.

Hmm, after seeing these better pictures I'm singing a different tune. You are most likely okay.

Two questions:

Is the head mucoid in texture? Touch a bit with a spoon and feel it with your fingers, such a consistency is characteristic of acetobacter.

Are the bubbles in the head coated at all with a thin pelicle aka a film? Try popping one with a spoon. It looked like this was the case in your first pictures though not so much now.


I missed the part where you said this was all brand new equipment, but I'm not ruling out infection. LAB (lactic acid bacteria) occur naturally on grain and could've entered the wort thru any number of ways - something as simple as a plume of dust in your kitchen when emptying your grain in. Krausen definitely looks normal at this point. Furthermore, with the knowledge now that this wort is so young, I definitely think you're fine - unless the infection is rampant, signs do not typically become readily apparent until the better end of a week is up, and even then take practice to suss out. I worked in a commercial distillery so rattled with contamination from improper grain storage and milling too close to mashing and fermentations that LAB and aceto would beat out the yeast sometimes within a day of pitching. Can you say sweaty gym socks and vinegar?

 

[Wee3Pie]

Updated pictures: