What is this floating on my beer?

[banesong]

I recently brewed a 10 gallon batch (really 8 gallons at a higher OG, but that is neither here nor there) of a Northern English Brown. Split the batch into two buckets, and checked it a week later. One bucket hit it's terminal gravity and was normal. The second bucket is matching the gravity reading, but has a viscous substance that completely covers the beer (picture attached). When I reached in with the thief, it cleared a hole and a bit stuck to the thief. The hole in the gunk was gone when I checked it a day later.

What is this stuff? The beer tastes a bit.... odd; not sure that I can identify what the difference between the two buckets. Do you think this is savable? Is the bucket reusable, or should I use it to make my CIP solution?

TIA.

Thomas

 

[causeimthesquid]

looks like krausen to me.

 

[banesong]

looks like krausen to me.

I would normally agree, but that was almost two and a half weeks after pitching. The other bucket cleared in about 5 days.

FYSA - I pitched a commercial slurry from Gordon Biersch; half in each bucket.

 

[causeimthesquid]

looks like krausen to me.

 

[causeimthesquid]

I would normally agree, but that was almost two and a half weeks after pitching. The other bucket cleared in about 5 days.

FYSA - I pitched a commercial slurry from Gordon Biersch; half in each bucket.

I have had persistent krausens stick around for more than two weeks on a couple of scottish ales. It doesn't look like an infection. Perhaps someone else can chime in on why krausen may be more persistent. My guess would be related to protein content of the beer - but that's just a guess.

 

[Mdsutton]

Taste odd, like band-aids? If it does, infected, you will need to dump it. I just had to do that to a batch. Sanitize the bucket REAL good and you should be ok to use it again.

 

[banesong]

Taste odd, like band-aids? If it does, infected, you will need to dump it. I just had to do that to a batch. Sanitize the bucket REAL good and you should be ok to use it again.

I don't think I get a band-aid taste, but I will take another sample to taste again later today.

 

[unionrdr]

IT IS NOT INFECTED! I REPEAT,IT IS NOT INFECTED. That's just stubborn krausen. The thicker heavier kind. It's nothing to worry about,the beer is fine...albeit green at this point. Completely normal,it's just that some fermentations produce this sort of stubborness. When the beer's done & it's still there,just rack out from under it. This should explain further...so please pay very close attention;

 

[DaveHunter5]

I'm in line to think its the krausen as well. I have that layer on the small beer I am currently experimenting with. Maybe when you split the wort into two batches that particular bucket received more of the protein than the other or perhaps that bucket got more of the less floculent yeast than your other batch. An explanation for it tasting odd could be you sucked up part of the krausen and was tasting that in your beer.

 

[PastorofMuppets]

that is definitely nothing to fear.

 

[stevem86]

I brewed an IPA and had a layer of krausen for about 2.5 weeks. It turned out fantastic!!!
From what I was told, hop oils tend to make the krausen last longer, so if this is a hoppy beer that could be the krausens persistence.

 

[unionrdr]

Huh. I used more hops in my IPA's this time around,& by 2 weeks the krausen was just spots of bubbles left on the surface. I know there are yeasts that can make stubborn krausens. But their names escape me. Don't think I've had one last this long...no harm though.

 

[PastorofMuppets]

hoppy beers and anything with wheat for me have that kind of top layer.

You can always use buckets and then never worry about it.
I like seeing fermentation but honestly its over rated after a while.

 

[BansheeRider]

That is krausen, it's all good. I brewed a belgian once that had krausen for 3 weeks.

 

[DrunkleJon]

Yep, krausen. No worries. Infections look more spiderwebby and waxy. Check out the show us your infection thread for examples. That creamy coating is definitely krausen.

 

[banesong]

All:

Fighting a cold at the moment, so haven't had a chance to retaste. Seems that the general consensus is krausen, so I will just RDWHAHB (hoppy, so I can taste it).

Thanks! Hopefully it will turn out, as this is a really popular beer at my house.

Thomas