star-san oil slick?

[motobrewer]

So, i'm getting a little bit of what looks like an oil slick on top of my beer that's in the secondary.

I used star-san, didn't rinse. there was quite a bit of foam in the carboy when i racked.

Is this because of star-san, or something else?

 

[stromam]

I highly doubt its from the StarSan, actually i'm like 99.99% sure. StarSan is absolutely no rinse. The yeast will actually metabolize the stuff when you add your wort. I'd say its from something else. Let it be for a little while and see if it doesn't go away. I'm no expert, but it may be hop oils or something. What kind of beer was it, also I'm guessing you didn't notice it in the primary, but it may have been there. It'll probably be fine.

 

[motobrewer]

if it was in the primary, i wouldn't have seen it, as there was a bit of a krausen cloud left.

it's a Bitter, 1.035 OG, 1.006 FG

it's barely noticeable. i was just curious....

 

[stromam]

Just did a bit more searching. It seems that it may be from the StarSan, or it may be hop oil, but either way don't worry. If it is StarSan than as it dissolves the yeast will metabolize it (it was designed to do that). If it is hop oils then, yay! It seems like all is well.

 

[Edcculus]

I've seen what you are talking about, and its probably from the StarSan. No big deal. StarSan has some surfactant to aid in its sanitizing ability. I think that causes what you are seeing.

 

[malkore]

I've seen what you are talking about, and its probably from the StarSan. No big deal. StarSan has some surfactant to aid in its sanitizing ability. I think that causes what you are seeing.

Yep. That rainbow effect is not oil, but the surfactant.

Just like you'll see rainbows in the bubbles that little kids play with.

Don't worry, it breaks down in the beer and becomes yeast food.

 

[motobrewer]

thanks for the info.

so, should I leave it in the secondary until it clears? Or just go ahead and bottle. Been in the secondary for over a week.

cheers.

 

[willyk57]

Good Information.

I was just about to ask the same question about the star-san slick. I just switched to the star-san and Saturday was the first time i used it in a carboy and didn't rinse it. I am always leery about "no rinse" cleaners and the rainbow slick on top of my beer was not making me feel any better.

Thanks for putting my mined at,

Willyk57

 

[ballzac]

Sorry to bring up such an old thread, but it seemed more sensible than starting a new one. I have similar 'problem'. I never notice this prior to bottling, but in the bottles I can notice a small oil slick on top of the beer, maybe a dozen or so droplets. When I pour the beer, these droplets spread out across the surface of the beer. My beers tend to have poor head retention, and I am inclined to blame this on the 'oil' on top.

In a previous life, I used sodium metabisulphite, and do not recall ever seeing these droplets of having such poor head retention. I am currently using iodophor. A lot of other things have changed since then. I am now doing all grain, and using a plastic watercooler as a mash tun. I used to use mostly extracts, with a small amount of grain.

I can't see how any of this stuff could make a difference, which is why I suspect the iodophor. However, I have kept beers for almost two years in the bottle and it has not disappeared, so if iodophor is meant to be metabolised like you guys say starsan is, then it can't be the iodophor.

If it is hop oils, I'm fine with that, but hop oils aren't meant to affect head retention, so the poor head retention must be due to something else.

Anyone got any ideas?

 

[ballzac]

Double post

 

[bagels]

First brew. Used star san. 2 stage. Had to double-rack using my bottling bucket since i only have one fermentation vessel at the mo. I got a bit of a slick, then the white floating things formed. After reading this thread I'm feeling more comfortable about the situation.

Only thing I haven't come across yet... my white floaters (yeast flocks, i'm assuming) seem to be carving trails through the slick... as if they were swimming around.

I'll admit, that did go even a step beyond the weirdness I was expecting after reading the comments on these forums.

White patches of yeast flocks are carving paths through the star san oil slick on my secondary fermentation.

Weirdest. Thing. Ever.