Floating Scum

[dickTed]

Shone the torch onto the top of a beer I have in secondary (10 days) and it's a bit hard to see because of the condensation, but there are some little lumps - similar to breadcrumbs floating around the edge. I took a sample (1.026) and it tastes OK.

If there was an infection, I'd taste it wouldn't I?

 

[warrenlw63]

Shone the torch onto the top of a beer I have in secondary (10 days) and it's a bit hard to see because of the condensation, but there are some little lumps - similar to breadcrumbs floating around the edge. I took a sample (1.026) and it tastes OK.

If there was an infection, I'd taste it wouldn't I?

[post="64770"][/post]​

If it was breadcrumbs there'd also be some ducks in there too. :lol:

Probably just yeast clumps or dislodged bits of krausen dickTed.

Warren -

 

[Bilph]

What was the original brew, yeast etc.
I've certainly had brews kick off again when racked to secondary and deposit yeast clumps on the surface. I've had the same dilemma as you. By torchlight, through condensation on the lid, the imagination is left to run riot.
I've never had my worst fears justified and yes, you ought to taste most infections by this stage.
I normally stick the fermenter into the fridge just prior to CC'ing and I find the clumps drop to the bottom. Then I rack to the jerry for longer conditioning.

 

[dickTed]

Well it's due for bottling on Monday. That's 1 week primary & 2 weeks secondary. Could probably handle a bit longer, but I can't - if you know what I mean. I need a couple more fermenters before I can brew every week.

I'll be careful not to get any of them little floaties into my bottling fermenter.

That was a Safale 04, rehydrated and pitched at 24C and the temp has been steady on 18C until the last few days where it is now 16C. I've had a few Safales before and they haven't done this though. They were all fermented at higher temperatures, of course.

 

[dickTed]

I know what it was, because it happened again. I've been slack straining the steeped grains, and there's a lot of crud (trub) there. The yeast seems to cling to some particles, and swells them. And floats them.

Unfortunately, a lot of this can get into the secondary. Perhaps I should put that little thingy back in the tap.

Fortunately, as I rack to the bottling fermenter, nearly all those little floaties cling to the side.

Funny. I haven't noticed it floating in primary.

I'll use some muslin in my strainer. When I used that, I didn't have the problem.

 

[dickTed]

Whoops it seems to be worse this time. There are some whitish grey spots of various sizes looking kinda mouldy floating on top. They're growing. They could be just little blobs of froth.

Apart from that, there's bits of yellowy gunk suspended 1-2 centimetres from the surface. Looks swampy. Definately spooky. Doesn't look like something you'd want to drink.

 

[Ross]

Hey Dt, stop worrying - all sounds normal to me...

 

[jgriffin]

I remember the first time i used hop plugs in secondary. Forgot i had used them, and checked on the brew a week later to see all this green growth on top. For 30secs or so i was devestated.