Another... Is This Infected Qu?

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sluggerdog

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Hi All,

Was a little curious about a brew I made on the weekend so I had a peak inside, now from the look of it I am not sure if ti is an infection but to me it looks like the cold break.

It has been 48 hours since I put it down, pitched at 18C and slowly lowered the temp and it is currently sitting at 9C. - Liquid Lager Yeast


Anyone able to help me out and tell me what I have here?

:beer:

SD!

invection_maybe_210705.jpg
 
Sluggerdog, that does look weird.

Cold break sits on the bottom of the fermenter as a sludge. I have never seen it come back to the surface. Have even run off the very last dregs of the kettle, and allowed the sludge to settle in the fridge for a few days. It settled to the bottom and stayed there.

Is the wort clear or cloudy? It looks from that picture, it is clear.

Is the airlock moving?

Lagers do take longer to start fermenting, but generally by 48 hours you see airlock movement.

What lager yeast are you running? 9 degrees may be on the cool side for it. If your thermometer is out by a degree, you may be at 8 degrees, which is definitely cool.

Have done many lagers, but have never seen that. So cannot help out with a definitive answer.

With your temperature pitching regime, there has been much discussion about pitching warm or cold. The general concensus is to pitch at fermenting temperature, or close to it and get the beer down to fermenting temperature quickly. If you want to pitch higher, you must understand the pros and cons.
 
It almost looks like your yeast has settled/propogated on top.
Must be a real true blue lager yeast (top fermenting) :lol:
I'd give it a couple more days and keep and eye on it.
Definitely looks weird.

Doc
 
Thanks for the reply guys, it is 2000 budvar wyeast. I might crank the temps up a degree or 2 until I start to get some activity then drop it back down to 9-10C.

Yes POL the wort is clear but not airlock activity as yet..

I pitched a huge starter so I was really confident with this one.. probably the sludge from about 4 litres worth...

Will just wait and see.

Cheers!
 
Have to agree there - looks like a top fermenting yeast getting its act together... Now I know why I don't take the lid off my fermenter - some things are better left unseen - lol....
 
Hi Sluggerdog, What was your grain bill and mash program? Did you use a kettle floc?

Wes
 
Slugger,

The stuff on top is pasty yeast (slurry). You said you pitched the dregs from a previous batch? The odd part being is this stuff usually suspends towards the bottom of the fermenter. When you took the pic did you agitate the fermenter in any way?

Couple of questions. How old was the slurry and what temps did you store it at?

From what I can see fermentation hasn't begun yet. At those temps you'll most likely not see any krausen for about 48 hours. First signs of activity can be observed via wisps of white foam that start along the surface and outside edges of the fermenter. Over time they migrate towards the centre and become more prominent. Also observed by more airlock activity.

It's not infected more than likely it's just taking its time. Trick with lagers is to just leave the the things alone. If your yeast is healthy and your temps are OK things will happen albeit in slow motion.

If nothing further happens I'd be questioning the health of your slurry.

Warren -
 
Doc Posted Today, 10:15 PM
It almost looks like your yeast has settled/propogated on top.
Must be a real true blue lager yeast (top fermenting)
I'd give it a couple more days and keep and eye on it.
Definitely looks weird.

Doc

Ross Posted Today, 10:20 PM
Have to agree there - looks like a top fermenting yeast getting its act together... Now I know why I don't take the lid off my fermenter - some things are better left unseen - lol....

Sorry. Am I missing something?
I thought lager yeasts were bottom fermenting.
(Yes, I did notice the Smilie in Doc's post).
 
Hang on Slugger, I'm starting to put 2 & 2 together here.

This isn't the smack pack you posted about on Friday that hadn't fully swelled? I was assuming that you pitched the dregs from a previous batch?

Pack Not Fully Swelled

On another thread you said you were going to divide the pack up into additional starters yes?

Maybe in reality you haven't pitched "enough" yeast.

If you've tried to pitch a lager cold from a smack pack that hadn't fully swelled and have propagated additional starters, this puts a different slant on things.

Need more details.

Warren -
 
Warren, yes this is the same pack that did not fully swell.

What I did was split the starter up on the saturday after I got krausen and then I re-stepped it up with another 2 litres of fresh wort, making it a total of about 3-4 litres of wort's slurry. By sunday fternoon I was set with a bit slurry at the bottom of my starter bottle.

Ditched the top wort and pitched the yeast...

from the looks of the pics on asher's link, it all seems fine.

will wait and see how we go in a few more days.

Cheers for the help..!
 
Your photo looks quite familiar to me! I just racked a Czech Pils to secondary and the stuff on top of your wort is the same as the stuff in the bottom of my primary fermenter - which I decanted to a sherry bottle for use next week on an Oktoberfest lager.
I agree with Warren and I'd say you have a floating slurry of yeast - I'd get a sterile spoon and rouse the lot and see how you go in 48 hours.

If it's infected, you'll either smell it, or see pattered (eg lattice or small blobs) of typically white coloured stuff spreading out across the surface of the wort. This looks like you've carefully added rather chunky lager yeast slurry and not stirred it in.

Cheers,
TL
 
Very weird.

I agree with TL & others, it looks like some kind of yeast slurry or paste. What I can't work out is what it is doing on the surface.

Have your hydro readings dropped?

I would either stir it in & see how it goes or skim it off & pitch a fresh starter.

JIM
 
By the way Slugger, I would be interested to know the results of all this, keep us posted.

Jim.
 
Prob just the yeast sitting at the top, absorbing the oxygen and replicating.

Are U gonna use the St Pat's recommendation for finishing the beer at the right gravity.

Lagering and 'Crashing' the Budvar Yeast

The lagering temperature depends upon the yeast. Budvar yeast will flocculate out and stop fermenting at 37F (3C) while German lager yeasts must be colder, typically 32F (0C). When you reach your target final gravity, 1.010 for Budvar, drop temperature ('crash the yeast') to <37F for Budvar yeast and to 0C for most other lager yeasts. Lager for 3 weeks minimum up to 60-90 days. This difference may be practically significant because refrigerators can easily reach 37F but not so easily the freezing point.

Controlling Final Gravity
One of the fundamental distinctions between Czech and German lagers is the residual maltiness. German lagers are generally drier. This is primarily due to yeast and lagering temperatures. German beers slowly ferment during lagering resulting in a lower final gravity. Czechs choose yeast that can be shut down at higher temperatures, leaving residual sweetness and mouthfeel. This is one of the most significant aspects of Czech brewing that I learned during these trips. Homebrewers who keg their beer can mimic Czech lagering by "crashing" the yeast with a good temperature controlled fridge, then force carbonating the beer.

Seth out :p
 
Jim - Perth said:
By the way Slugger, I would be interested to know the results of all this, keep us posted.

Jim.
[post="64382"][/post]​

Will Do Jim, will check it out tonight and see what has happened though the day, if by tomorrow I still have the same thing I might give it a little stir with a steralised spoon and see if this helps get the yeast going.


Weizguy - yeah I will be doing that, I plan to probably lager for about a month, then wack in some gelatin and leave for another week then keg and enjoy!
 
Weizguy said:
When you reach your target final gravity, 1.010 for Budvar, drop temperature ('crash the yeast') to <37F for Budvar yeast and to 0C for most other lager yeasts.
[post="64386"][/post]​


Yum! Yum! Popcorn flavoured beer. Hope you didn't pitch too high. <_<

Warren -
 
Just what I wast thinking too warren....
 
Think I know why St. Pats are winding down the beer side. :ph34r:

Warren -
 
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