White Spots On Surface

[BeerPirate]

Ok, I hope I'm jumping to conclusions but I am a little scared that I may have a contamination problem. I brewed an IPA on Thursday night. (tons of hops) I left town for the weekend so I didn't get to watch it do anything. Last night (sunday) when I got home there was obvious evidence of fermentation, krausen ring settled hops. There is very little bubbling from my airlock and the size of the krausen ring suggests the fermentation is done, but I have a hard time believing that a beer with 7 lbs. of DME is done in 3 days. Also, I have some light colored spots on top of my brew. I was in a hurry this morning and I didn't get a real good look at the situation but I think it could be mold. I take sanitation very serious so I doubt it is an issue but I am curious. This is only my third batch and I've never seen a beer this hoppy before. Is this unusual to have an IPA ferment this quickly? Can mold propigate this quickly? And what does mold typically look like?

Bottled - English Pale
Secondary - German Bock
Primary - IPA

 

[homebrewer_99]

Like little circles about 1 inch diameter? I've had then many times.

Take a hydrometer sample and check your gravity. Then sample the brew. If it's sour tasting in any way then it possibly is contaminated.

If it tastes OK the there's probably nothing to worry about.

 

[uglygoat]

take a real close look when you get home. it could just be that it's the accumulation of thousands of tiny bubbles of co2... i had a batch that had a constant stream of small bubbles that worked their way up from the bottom, either the result of some unfinished fermentation, or airpockets trapped in the trub at the bottom. the bubbles would all collect at the top in perfect circles, i thought it was mold, but when i broke the seal with the cane, they dissapeared and the beer was fine.

 

[BeerPirate]

Yeah, they were pretty small, 1/4" probably. It's good to hear that others have seen this too. I hope that it's nothing to worry about. I'll poke it with a stick so to speak tonight and see if it is CO2 or what. I may taste it too. If my Gravity is low enough, I may rack to my secondary. Thanks for the advice, I really enjoy the community here.

 

[homebrewer_99]

Laramie, WY. I stopped there before and got some brew.

I don't mean to offend, but I heard some truckers discussing (on the CB) that Laramie was off limits to military personnel because of the high syphilis rate.

Is that true?

 

[BeerPirate]

Not that I know of, I have been and still am in college there, University of Wyoming. As a beer drinking college student you can imagine I've been exposed to the dangers. I've stayed clean for six years (knock on wood) so I'd say that the myth is busted. But then again, I like to think I have standards, I can't speak for all of the town.

Laramie, although small (around 30,000 people) has some fantastic beer. We have two breweries, Altitude's - probably 10 brews depending on the season. And the Library Brewery, they have 7 beers typically.

You may have inspired me though. I think I'll call my next one - STD IPA

Truckers Beware

 

[homebrewer_99]

You may have inspired me though. I think I'll call my next one - STD IPA

Truckers Beware

HAHAHA!!! Glad to help!

Looking at the initials as a joke you can call it a "STUPID" or add an Italian touch "hey, you STUPIDA, or what?"