white film on the top of my raspberry hefe

[DonQuixote]

I made a very good hefewiezen. I racked 1.5 gallons onto some raspberries that were frozen and simmered. I've let it sit for about 2 weeks. A white film is covering the beer. It has a sour taste but not terribly sour. I don't know if the sourness is coming from bacteria or the raspberries. I have plenty of beer and I don't need to drink this.
I'd appreciate any input.
Thank you.

 

[m00ps]

film = pellicle = bacteria infection.

pics would help be certain, but it certainly sounds infected to me. You can let it ride for a few months and bottle if you can spare the fermentor space for a while

 

[DonQuixote]

Thanks for the response. I added a picture to my original post.

 

[m00ps]

hmm yeah, definitely the start of a pellicle. Sounds like ti was from the raspberries but maybe jsut wild stuff made its way in there when the fermentor was open

If you can spare the fermentor for a few months, and dont mind sour beers, I'd leave it. Take a taste in like a month and see if the flavor is starting to change to your liking. Wait a few more months before bottling

 

[oceanic_brew]

This might be of some value to you: the last two sour raspberry wheat (sour mash) beers I did developed that on top of them. Neither one tasted or smelled infected. I added enough Campden tab to kill what I thought was an infection on the first one and kegged immediately to keep it cold.

The second sour raspberry was done in completely different vessels and developed the same white pellicle looking thing so I just left it and after a while bottled half and kegged half. None of the bottles turned bottle bombs or showed any further sign of infection.


Odd I know, and you may very well have an infection but if you are able to keg I would suggest doing that immediately. I find it hard to believe I had the exact same infection, months apart, in completely different vessels on the same beer but it sure did look like it in the fermenter.

I've never had an infection that I couldn't smell or taste but I'm sure it's possible.

 

[DonQuixote]

Thank you all for your input. I'm not crazy about sour beers. This is my first infection after about 40 batches. I might quarantine it somewhere for a few months away from my equipment and give it a try in August. It will be something to take to the the home brewer association meeting. The thing that puzzles me is how I got it. I'm very careful with sanitation.