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CrazyGnome07 said:
I'm making a lager, and I'll admit that I had a lot going on that day and might not have followed my ordinary procedures.

This is only my second lager, and I have no idea what I'm looking at here. Its almost like someone left a white ghost in my beer.
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I think your diagnosis is correct. Your beer is not infected, but unfortunately, it is haunted. Hope that it is a friendly ghost.
 
Brewed Gruit from a Northern Brewer kit and went to bottle it about 20 minutes ago and when I pulled off the cover I found this...



They are round globules of whatever. Can I bottle this and how will it taste?

I just realized those are the Cranberries.... I think I can siphon around those.
 
This does not seem right. Week or two ago it did not have anything like it. It seems like Lacto. Am i right?

IMG_20170627_182551[1].jpg


IMG_20170627_182558[1].jpg
 
Not sure about this one. I started a steam ale kit on Fathers Day. Instructions say ferment 2-3 weeks. I worried about this batch because I got ZERO action in the air lock. So, today was 2 weeks. I figured I'd open it up and take a sample to see if I was near my estimated FG of 1.010. When I opened it up, this is what I found. It still smells like beer (but the bucket still smelled like beer after i cleaned it after its first use lol) I took my sample and measured it and its down to 1.014 from 1.056 so fermentation happened/is happening and it tastes like beer. What are your thoughts? Thanks guys.

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DOMIN8R28 said:
Not sure about this one. I started a steam ale kit on Fathers Day. Instructions say ferment 2-3 weeks. I worried about this batch because I got ZERO action in the air lock. So, today was 2 weeks. I figured I'd open it up and take a sample to see if I was near my estimated FG of 1.010. When I opened it up, this is what I found. It still smells like beer (but the bucket still smelled like beer after i cleaned it after its first use lol) I took my sample and measured it and its down to 1.014 from 1.056 so fermentation happened/is happening and it tastes like beer. What are your thoughts? Thanks guys.
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Looking good [emoji4]
 
I have had 3 batches of yeast starter get infected in my ferment chamber this year. I think one was from a fruit fly, but the other two seem like it came from the air inside my ferment chamber.

I have a cantillon starter going in there and it is in a 2liter flask with airlock, where all the other starters just had an aluminum foil cap on them. I really doubt it was sanitation. It is possible an ant could have pushed thru into the yeast area, but I am also wondering if the cantillon bugs got blown around by the fan in there and made it inside. I have never had any issues with infections in my fermentation chamber, but everything has been using an airlock and only yeast starters were able to breathe the air in there.

I am still looking into it and since I had extra starter wort after finding my yeast infected (or bugged), I am going to see if I can start a culture off the air in the ferment chamber.

I would probably not be too bummed if cantillon bugs were always available in my ferment chamber.

For now, I will be using more starsan spray as needed on all my flasks and will avoid leaving yeast starters without an airlock in my ferment chamber.
 
I had a big problem with contamination when I started brewing because my secondary was too big (6 gallon Bigmouth), the size of the air pocket inside was the issue. Someone pointed it out to me and since then, using a 5 gallon glass carboy, I haven't had any contamination in my secondary fermenter.
 
Making English pale Ale (Brewer's Best Extract kit). OD was 1.044 compared to target of 1.042 - 1.046. Fermented 5 days, till bubbles stopped. FG = 1.014 (1.010 - 1.014) racked to secondary to let clear before kegging. Followed usual cleaning and sanitation with PBW and no-rinse sanitizer.

Clearing was progressing well for first several days, then I left for a couple days. Returned, intending to keg, and found beer bubbling and foaming, with almost primary fermentation activity in ferm lock. Photo Beer1


I let it sit, and after several more days, it calmed down, and now has stopped, with some foam, and quite cloudy. photo beer2

Any thoughts to what's gong on?

beer1.jpg


beer2.jpg
 
In my novice opinion, I'd say you just kind of reactivated the yeast a bit by transferring and maybe it wasn't quite done fermenting. After your FG reading of 1.014, did you let it sit and check it again to make sure it was stable? My guess is it wasn't quite finished, you transferred it and just saw the remainder of the fermentation going on. I'd be curious to know what the hydrometer reading would say now.

I think you're fine, but we'll see what the more experienced guys say.
 
I will try it. it is completely un clarified which is something that is also different from the norm. Used Irish moss, and usually that settles things out pretty well.

Will post the final numbers.
 
Short answer: your fine

Long answer;
Looks like you may have accidentally used a secondary correctly (before fermentation was complete but after the bulk of fermentation).
Unless the FG is abnormally low, little work worry about.
What is to worry about is your giant secondary as that can lead to oxidation and, if bulk ageing, more likely to get infected. Most Homebrew is infected on some level or another. But when you give the critters room to grow(unneeded oxygen in secondary) they can take off. That's why glass carboys come in two sizes.
6.5g carboys are.meant for primary
5g for secondary/ageing.
 
I found this in the primary after racking. APA with US-05, in primary 19 days and at stable gravity. Never seen trub like this before. Does anybody know if it's a problem, or just some unusual flocculation?
Edit: The gravity sample tastes good, with good hop aroma.

Infection Q - Trub, Pebbles - 142 APA - 2017.jpg
 
ncbrewer said:
I found this in the primary after racking. APA with US-05, in primary 19 days and at stable gravity. Never seen trub like this before. Does anybody know if it's a problem, or just some unusual flocculation?
Edit: The gravity sample tastes good, with good hop aroma.
Click to expand...


Did you use kettle fining? Looks like whirlfock trub to me.
 
brewbama and seatazzz: I used Irish Moss as usual, but I used 1 tsp instead of the 1/2 tsp that I usually use. I'll bet that's the difference. Thanks much for the replies.
 
Hey guys!

Ouch! I think I infected my wort due to raw cacao nibs.

So what do you think?

Greetings from Germany :mug:

Sorry, I don't know why the image is rotated :confused:

IMG_1297.jpg
 
If we get more pictures up I think this thread should be stickied/(called prost thread here?). It'd be helpful for a lot of new brewers who may be worried that they have an infection.

Me two.
 
heywolfie1015 said:
Any thoughts on these? I brewed almost two weeks ago and only took a gravity sample earlier this week (after soaking the wine tuief in StarSan). This is a Fizzy Yellow Beer using US-05.
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That looks totally normal to me. It's a little odd to have that much stuff on top after 2 weeks, but based on the way it looks I wouldn't be concerned.
 
popsicleian said:
That looks totally normal to me. It's a little odd to have that much stuff on top after 2 weeks, but based on the way it looks I wouldn't be concerned.
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Here's to hoping you're right! Will update if it doesn't die down soon. It's just those big bubbles that aren't popping that concern me...
 
That's pretty much the norm for me with US-05. The bubbles just don't drop. Earlier this week, I was going to bottle a batch with that yeast, but the bubbles were still on top. I hauled the bucket to my bottling area, but splashed it around more than normal since I had broken my finger and it was in a cast, so I couldn't carry it gently. When I got the bucket to the bottling area, I realized I wasn't up for bottling that day. I checked it the next day and the bubbles had dropped. I'm not suggesting splashing the beer is the way to do it, but that's what happened...
 
Let me start by saying I know this beer is infected, and it should be. This is my first Flanders Red. It's about a month or six weeks into secondary. I just wanted to get some reassurance. That's just a standard pellicle on top of my oak cubes, right? I haven't done a lot of mixed fermentations and it looked a little white and powdery, so I just wanted to make sure it wasn't mold. If it were, I'd rack out from under it, but all things being equal, I'd prefer to let it rest on the wood a little longer. Any thoughts appreciated.

IMAG0751.jpg


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The pics kind of suck, I know, so I understand if nobody can help. It's tough to get good photos with a flash.
 
I don't have pics to post but thought I would share I opened by fermenter to throw in some dry hops the other day and the whole bowl I had slipped from my hand and fell in. To make matters worse I instinctively plunged my hand right in to my beer to pull the bowl out before it sunk to the bottom...does sticking your hand and forearm into a batch count as an infection risk? Lol . Felt very stupid and cursed at myself a lot. To top it off I had major bubbling problems in my siphon, so this batch it probably a goner, but I just bottled it per usual. We'll see what happens.
 
r4dyce said:
I don't have pics to post but thought I would share I opened by fermenter to throw in some dry hops the other day and the whole bowl I had slipped from my hand and fell in. To make matters worse I instinctively plunged my hand right in to my beer to pull the bowl out before it sunk to the bottom...does sticking your hand and forearm into a batch count as an infection risk? Lol . Felt very stupid and cursed at myself a lot. To top it off I had major bubbling problems in my siphon, so this batch it probably a goner, but I just bottled it per usual. We'll see what happens.
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Good chance you could have contaminated the batch, but only time will tell. If it's already been fermenting 2-3 weeks, carb it, keep it cold, and drink it asap :)
 
First try at an infection. Been in the primary 4 weeks. Started to notice something on top 1.5 weeks ago. Now it looks like this. Thoughts?

2017-09-01 21.14.15.jpg


2017-09-01 21.13.39.jpg
 
se1911 said:
First try at an infection. Been in the primary 4 weeks. Started to notice something on top 1.5 weeks ago. Now it looks like this. Thoughts?
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Looks like yeast rafts and off gassing the me. Cold conditioning and/or a gentle swirl will knock some down if you want it to look nicer. But, you can just rack under it.
But, 4 weeks in primary... You ever plan on drinking it? :)

In all honesty, I have 2-3g of an experimental brew(spruce infused hops) that I did 3 months ago that I haven't gotten to yet that looks very similar.
As the beer sits, co2 comes out of solution as it equalizes with it's environment. As the bubbles rise, sediment(yeast) rides along.
 
Thanks Jwin. Bottled last weekend. Smeled and tasted good. It was stuck to the sides and when the beer was draining, it pulled from the center and ended up on the side of the jug.

2017-09-10 15.54.01.jpg


2017-09-10 15.53.38.jpg
 
infection or suspended proteins? Been fermenting for two weeks, just noticed it on top of the beer today.

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Last edited:
tomoncanterbury said:
infection or suspended proteins? Been fermenting for two weeks, just noticed it on top of the beer today.
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Unfortunately, this is a slight contamination (infection)... I've had this exact issue occur in a few bottles. You'll see those little spots grow and multiply (but they won't form a full pellicle). Beer will likely taste phenolic or like plastic. Drink it fast if it tastes ok (keep refrigerated), or dump and brew again!!
 

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