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Knkbrand said:
I have been brewing three years, 21 batches, and I just got my first infection....I think. I am making a Chocolate Espresso Imperial Stout. Primary fermentation went smooth, Transferred to secondary onto 16 oz brew coffee and 4 oz of dry cocoa mixed into the coffee. The picture is what I have 5 days into Secondary. Any ideas as to what it is and how to go forward? Thanks in advance.
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well, smelled ok, tasted ok, went to the bottle ok. We will see in about 4 weeks
 
This is my attempt at a Munich/Saaz saison with Wyeast 3711. I did primary in a bottling bucket in a rubbermaid bin of water on a heat mat to keep the temp high and stable. To my horror, after 2 weeks the water in the bin had turned pretty cloudy and I discovered that the spigot's threads had split and were leaking slowly. I decided to rack to secondary and see what happens. This is what it looks like after another 2 weeks: a white swirly pellicle on top. It smells fine, should I taste it? Will it kill me? Any idea what the infection is?

i6RmAQ4.jpg


KiCLUwE.jpg
 
Hey guys, signed up just to post this. It's my second batch and the colour is definitely concerning me.

RiwPPMU.jpg


It is as bright as it looks there, a really artificial colour. Any ideas?
 
What's the blue stuff I'm seeing? Looks like a beer label or something floating under the krausen?
 
Thats what I'm concerned about, I don't see any way anything could have fallen into it, but there's something there.
 
I'm wondering now that beer labels were mentioned if when pouring the can in (I was using a coopers kit with some added hops) it may have taken a couple of chunks off the label. It was pretty scuffed up.
 
I would sanitize some tongs or something and fish that out... otherwise it looks pretty normal to me.
 
Fished it out, was definitely bits of label so I'm pretty happy with that outcome. It must haev just pulled off the tattered tip of the liquid malt can. Can't believe both the partner and I missed that, we were so particular about it.
 
I am not entirely sure if this is an infection or yeast. The beer is definitely sour/tart, happily I enjoy the taste. However, I was wondering if someone with a bit more experience than myself can identify what is going on in this picture. A couple things to note, first the brown substance is a "film" that stuck to the wine thief when I took a sample. Second, the "film" seems to be dropping off slowly. Is this perhaps a "wild yeast"?

Best Regards,

Will
heather_infection_zps7aefb9f4.jpg
 
willburn said:
I am not entirely sure if this is an infection or yeast. The beer is definitely sour/tart, happily I enjoy the taste. However, I was wondering if someone with a bit more experience than myself can identify what is going on in this picture. A couple things to note, first the brown substance is a "film" that stuck to the wine thief when I took a sample. Second, the "film" seems to be dropping off slowly. Is this perhaps a "wild yeast"?

Best Regards,

Will
heather_infection_zps7aefb9f4.jpg
Click to expand...

That looks like my first Hefe, infected as hell.


In other news my San Diego Super Yeast ate the hell out of any other mold spores that were in my fermentor. 3 weeks after I had scooped the moldy bits out, I had nothing but a clear top.
 
This is an Oktoberfest that I've just started to bring down to Lagering temps for the next 12 weeks and I noticed these little brown floating islands on top. I wasn't planning on transferring to a secondary, but may after seeing this. Any advice?
LfftoBs.jpg

Saa3DEe.jpg
 
I got this from a fruit addition in a wheat beer....not sure what made the pellicle but it tastes good.

IMG_20150110_133304.jpg


IMG_20150110_133309.jpg


IMG_20150110_133323.jpg
 
narddawg314 said:
This is an Oktoberfest that I've just started to bring down to Lagering temps for the next 12 weeks and I noticed these little brown floating islands on top. I wasn't planning on transferring to a secondary, but may after seeing this. Any advice?
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I think your Oktoberfest is safe. I believe that's just yeast floaties and stuff :p
 
Ok, I need to know what I need to do. This is my first batch in many years and I'm told it's a infection, not really what I wanted to hear but it is what it is. What do I do now?

This wort is only 10 days old today, I'm sure I cleaned everything good.

Do I toss it and start over? Do I transfer it to another carboy?

I'm not sure what to do at this point?





thanks
 
rekamefink said:
Ok, I need to know what I need to do. This is my first batch in many years and I'm told it's a infection, not really what I wanted to hear but it is what it is. What do I do now?

This wort is only 10 days old today, I'm sure I cleaned everything good.

Do I toss it and start over? Do I transfer it to another carboy?

I'm not sure what to do at this point?

thanks
Click to expand...

Let it ferment all the way out, maybe give it a good 20 days... try a sample, if it's good drink it. Don't toss it right away without sampling first. Looks like the brett infection, maybe, I got... it gets worse looking if it is. Mine had bigger bubbles and webbing between. I caught it in 3 batches and have drank 2... the third is in my basement for after winter when I get back to brewing and drinking.
 
Welp kids, I done messed up. I angered the fermentation gods, and they struck down upon me with a great vengeance. I have consulted my LHBS and my penance is 3 Lagunitas Brown Sugga's and a KBBS.

I did a back-to-back brew day about three weeks ago, 5 gallon off-style kolsch and a red IPA (a SN Flipside clone I am working on). I must have had an issue on the cold side transfer, as both batches had the same infection. Here are the casualties, in all their glory:

Kolsch is first, red IPA is the second pic. I raked them under the film to their respective kegs, no off flavors or small yet.

What say the collective? Do I need to burn the house down to be sure to kill it?

EDIT: Both pics are now up.

photo 2.JPG


photo 1.JPG
 
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YeastMode said:
Welp kids, I done messed up. I angered the fermentation gods, and they struck down upon me with a great vengeance. I have consulted my LHBS and my penance is 3 Lagunitas Brown Sugga's and a KBBS.

I did a back-to-back brew day about three weeks ago, 5 gallon off-style kolsch and a red IPA (a SN Flipside clone I am working on). I must have had an issue on the cold side transfer, as both batches had the same infection. Here are the casualties, in all their glory:

Kolsch is first, red IPA is the second pic. I raked them under the film to their respective kegs, no off flavors or small yet.

What say the collective? Do I need to burn the house down to be sure to kill it?

EDIT: Both pics are now up.
Click to expand...

I'm wondering the same thing as my infection looks very similar to yours on the last two batches. I guess all we really can do is drink it fast. Now the question for me is where the frick did it come from?!?!
 
Everything was going great. Brewing and drinking beer in the garage while I listened to music. It was a perfect Saturday afternoon. Then it came time to transfer the wort into the carboy. When I was making the switch, the funnel w/ screen was filtering so much of the trub/sludge that the filter kept getting clogged. Now before I started the transfer I had in my mind that I would filter out as much true/sludge as possible. This lead me to stop my transfer, empty out the funnel screen, then continue pouring. I feel as if I might have contaminating the batch with my sloppy practice.

Would you guys mind weighing in? I'm 6 days into fermentation, airlock is slowly bubbling, and beer smells great but something doesn't look right. Maybe I'm being paranoid.

IMG_0875.JPG
 
Mattsbay18 said:
Everything was going great. Brewing and drinking beer in the garage while I listened to music. It was a perfect Saturday afternoon. Then it came time to transfer the wort into the carboy. When I was making the switch, the funnel w/ screen was filtering so much of the trub/sludge that the filter kept getting clogged. Now before I started the transfer I had in my mind that I would filter out as much true/sludge as possible. This lead me to stop my transfer, empty out the funnel screen, then continue pouring. I feel as if I might have contaminating the batch with my sloppy practice.

Would you guys mind weighing in? I'm 6 days into fermentation, airlock is slowly bubbling, and beer smells great but something doesn't look right. Maybe I'm being paranoid.
Click to expand...

That beer is fine. Wait another week and then take a peek. It looks like the yeast is still working and hasn't fallen yet.
 
(sorry no pic because beer looked healthy)

If my beer tastes acidic or a bit sour after two weeks of primary (nothing floating after krausen dropped, no film or other infection symptoms) and 3 weeks of bottle carbing it can't be because of lacto infection right?
It was acetaldehyde right?
Or did i overdone my phosporic acid addition? This is the first time i used it, i added 8ml to 5gal of brewing water. (mash and sparge combined) My water is super alkaline. (i came up with 8ml after messing with brun water and brewersfriend calc.)
 
I brewed this ale in the primary for 5 days with apples before transferring it into the secondary. The first two pics are from this morning and the second is from this evening when i got home and shook it up a bit to see if the film would break up.

If the batch is a loss thats no big deal. I am more worried about what i need to do to ensure it doesnt happen again. Any extra steps to ensure the carboy is clean after i remove the batch?

Thanks

View attachment 1422662058845.jpg

View attachment 1422662080040.jpg

View attachment 1422662129374.jpg

View attachment 1422662167206.jpg
 
ncpierced said:
I brewed this ale in the primary for 5 days with apples before transferring it into the secondary. The first two pics are from this morning and the second is from this evening when i got home and shook it up a bit to see if the film would break up.

If the batch is a loss thats no big deal. I am more worried about what i need to do to ensure it doesnt happen again. Any extra steps to ensure the carboy is clean after i remove the batch?

Thanks
Click to expand...

That's a lot of headspace for a secondary. Why did you rack and so soon? A slight oily film is normal, a hazy one with bubbles indicates some infection. Yours looks fine.

Just clean well with carboy brush and PBW/Oxiclean and sanitize (Starsan) as usual.
 
medic2887 said:
View attachment 253460

Is this infected? It's a witbier that just finished up in the primary
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As theck said, it looks and is probably OK, but those bubbles may be an early sign of something developing. Each time before you lift the lid you need to clean and sanitize like crazy underneath the rim area. Small rag soaked in Starsan and/or spray bottle with Starsan. Best to leave the lid on until you're ready to bottle. You can peek through the grommet hole with a small flashlight if you're curious. It won't disturb the headspace and not much can fall in.
 
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