What is this and is the beer ruined?

[DoubleD]

I boiled a midwest supplies pumpkin ale kit in early august. I added approximately 60 ounces of canned pumpkin at the end of the boil. The pumpkin had no preservatives in it and was baked at 350 degrees for 30 mins prior to adding to the boil. After the six week period I observed that the krausen cap did not fall to the bottom of the carboy. I decided to let the wort sit in the carboy until the krausen cap fell to the bottom of the carboy. Approximately a week and half ago the cap fell but I was not able to keg it. I checked on the beer today and noticed the white milky growth ontop of the beer. When I shook the beer I saw some yeast fall to the bottom. Is this beer ruined? Should I bother kegging it?

 

[deadfall]

That's wild. I looks like it grew over the krausen line. I'm thinking the only way to know if its any good, is to take a sample and try it. It looks like kombucha pumpkin ale.

 

[DoubleD]

Deadfall,
Thanks for the reply. Do you think I should let it settle out before trying to taste and keg it? I'm actually afraid to try it. I don't want to get sick.

 

[BigJack]

Pull a sample and check its gravity, smell it, and taste it.

If it is infected, it might be a tasty infection.

 

[CBMbrewer]

Nothing in beer can make you sick. Give it a smell and taste. Don't forget to post with updates.

 

[deadfall]

Think positive. It might be awesome. A sample is the only way to know for sure.

 

[DoubleD]

Thanks for the replies, I will give it a taste tomorrow and give you guys an update.

 

[Tiedye]

Did the temp drop? I had a something similar happen when I did a cold crash with a blow off tube. Sucked my starsan back into the fermentor.

 

[Setesh]

Did the temp drop? I had a something similar happen when I did a cold crash with a blow off tube. Sucked my starsan back into the fermentor.

The original krausen ring is so low compared to this new ring, I would think it would have taken quite a lot of Starsan solution to form that stratum. Did yours form a layer disproportionate to the amount of Starsan solution sucked up?

That's a pretty cool looking layer up top, it looks like the foam on a cappuccino!

 

[deadfall]

Did you ever take a sample?

 

[Carros]

Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[Tiedye]

I would think it would have taken quite a lot of Starsan solution to form that stratum. Did yours form a layer disproportionate to the amount of Starsan solution sucked up?

My "sani-suck" was proportional to the amount slurped up. The picture posted showed the blow-off tube going into a bucket that appeared empty or low. Hard to tell from the picture how much solution may have originally been in there.

 

[passedpawn]

Did the temp drop? I had a something similar happen when I did a cold crash with a blow off tube. Sucked my starsan back into the fermentor.

Exactly what I think it is. Starsan solution pulled back into the carboy when the temp dropped.

I've had this happen and it looks just like what you see there. The starsan won't hurt you, but it's very possible that the flavor is now trashed. I kegged mine but there was a soapy taste that made it disgusting. Beer was dumped.

 

[DoubleD]

I just got finished kegging it. I keeged the middle of the carboy. It tasted very good, sweet and pumpkin flavor in the finished product. I didn't keg the top layer but tasted a sample. It had a stronger pumpkin flavor then the middle. Some of the star san was in the blow off tube, however, it don't think alot got into the beer. I am wondering if somehow the pumpkin on the bottom of the carboy was rising to the top after fermentation? The beer is cooling of the the keezer as I am typing this. Thanks for everyones replies.