First Ag - Infected?

[evil_as_skeletor]

Hi guys,

I put this (my first) All Grain lager brew into the fermenter Sunday midday following the beginners BIAB thread advice, it is now Wednesday night.

I made sure to thoroughly clean everything including the fermenter with the coopers sanitiser and hot water before tipping into the Coopers DIY vessel (fermenter).

The yeast I am using is Saflager 34/70 and it is fermenting at around 16C - Its probably handy to mention that the OG was 1.055 (very sweet).

I just checked it to see how it's going and it looks strange. It is the first time using this yeast, so I don't know if this is right or not... as the coopers can i tried first time didnt really go like this!

Aside from its looks, it also smells rather strong and 'maximum yeasty'.

Is it going ok or should I turf it?

Thoughts please.

Regards, Erin.

 

[keifer33]

This yeast is a lager yeast and the coopers can is an ale yeast so they can ferment slightly differently visually. Id try and drop the temperature as the range on this yeast is 9-15c so a few degrees lower will help keep it clean. Looks alright to me so let it ferment out and dont chuck beers unless you are certain there is something wrong.

 

[evil_as_skeletor]

This yeast is a lager yeast and the coopers can is an ale yeast so they can ferment slightly differently visually. Id try and drop the temperature as the range on this yeast is 9-15c so a few degrees lower will help keep it clean. Looks alright to me so let it ferment out and dont chuck beers unless you are certain there is something wrong.

Thanks very much, there are probably a hundred-million similarly titled threads on here already!
I will leave it and not disturb it for a few weeks - although it does smell a tiny bit 'farty' and burns the hair in my nose on a whiff!

The strip thermometer is saying 16ish but i am sure that that room (with window open in this freezing Adelaide weather) is a bit colder than that.

and also, PHEW!

 

[dpadden]

...it does smell a tiny bit 'farty' and burns the hair in my nose on a whiff!

All good mate, Lager yeast will give off that farty aroma and the CO2 thats filling your fermenter will burn your nose like that too.

Put the lid back on and leave it alone. You'll be fine :icon_cheers:

 

[evil_as_skeletor]

All good mate, Lager yeast will give off that farty aroma and the CO2 thats filling your fermenter will burn your nose like that too.

Put the lid back on and leave it alone. You'll be fine :icon_cheers:

Ha ha ha ha, eager NOOBs huh!

Thanks very much for the reassuredness (is that even a word?).

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

Looks fine for me. I've had a lager yeast going (now settled down, though) downstairs in a batch of malty german lager. Went bigger than this, despite the temp under the house being under 10 degrees at night, and no warmer than 15 in the day. Same goes for the FWK I put down for my brother, with the same yeast. Gotta love a cold snap.

Just these lager yeasts, I suppose. Trust me, you'll smell an infection, not just see it.

Don't get into the habit of opening the lid, as this will increase the likelihood of an infection.

Good luck.

 

[evil_as_skeletor]

Looks fine for me. I've had a lager yeast going (now settled down, though) downstairs in a batch of malty german lager. Went bigger than this, despite the temp under the house being under 10 degrees at night, and no warmer than 15 in the day. Same goes for the FWK I put down for my brother, with the same yeast. Gotta love a cold snap.

Just these lager yeasts, I suppose. Trust me, you'll smell an infection, not just see it.

Don't get into the habit of opening the lid, as this will increase the likelihood of an infection.

Good luck.

Ok, no more peeking! I'll let it be, I promise!

ps. love the Pinky and the Brain quote...!

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

I used to wander around high school in the mid-90's and we'd all quote the latest line we heard - "what if the chicken won't wear the nylons?" "where are we going to find rubber chaps our size?" "why would Sophia Loren do a musical?".

Sorry, on topic (te he he) - I use (mostly) the bunnings style fermenters, and you can't see through the lid. There is a thread (or several) about using cling wrap and the rubber band on the lid, which gives you visual confirmation, without opening up. Read the thread through, the debate rages both sides (do you poke, not poke; is it likely to give you an infection or not). I don't use it, but that has as much to do with 3 rug rats running around and probably incapable of not touching the cling wrap.

I do have a clear lid fermenter (which I used for this particular batch), and that's a good one for confirming.

That thick, creamy junk is called Krausen. If you want an experiment of it, get a spoonful of bread yeast, a spoonful of sugar, some warm water, and stir the crap out of it and leave for 20 minutes. You'll notice something that looks like sea foam from the fermentation process. The same thing is happening inside your fermenter.

I actually look for confirmation of this occurring. One way for my red lid bunnings fermenters is a torch to the side of the fermenter (where it is semi-clear) and shine upwards (briefly). I'll get an idea of how thick it is as well. I had a US05 (at 14 degrees as well) produce a 2 inch Krausen for the first time. It's just that the temps are lower here than is normal and yeast goes slower than normal, so I actually get to see the krausen, rather than the ring around the fermenter once it's died down. Part of it may also be that I'm being fairly meticulous with my yeast handling, and I may be reaping the dividends visually.

Sorry for the long ramble. Your beer looks fine. Good luck with the never ending journey. You never stop learning.

Goomba

 

[mwd]

+1 looks like a cracking good krausen to me. Skim the top and save the yeast for another batch.

I thought lager yeast was a bottom fermenter and you should not really have such a fine crust.

 

[Lord Raja Goomba I]

+1 looks like a cracking good krausen to me. Skim the top and save the yeast for another batch.

I thought lager yeast was a bottom fermenter and you should not really have such a fine crust.

I dunno, I have had 2 in the last 2 weeks from CB Swiss Lager Yeast (cooler than usual temps here in SEQ, I'm taking advantage of it) and both have had 2 inch Krausens. Must be a really good batch, or the perfect weather.

Even Nottingham, which has never done anything except stealth ferment over 4 days in frigid temps h34r: has fermented slower and managed almost an inch krausen. And didn't aerate those, which would at least be the explanation for the other two (which I did).

Must be the weather?

Goomba

 

[kelbygreen]

notto is my saviour ATM to cold for ale to warm for lager perfect for notto chips away at 14 deg just fine US05 sleeps at about 16 I found

 

[evil_as_skeletor]

Excellent! So it's good it's all scummy and thick, that's great!
I hope it all turns out well in the end then.
It's pretty cold here in Adelaide at the moment so I hope it goes alright.
It seems a little yeast has sunk already, I also read that lager yeast was a bottom dweller, but maybe this batch wasn't ???
Thanks for all your help guys, I'll let you know how it all goes!

Ps. If I was to "save some for 'ron", how might I go about doing so?