I'm Assuming, Yes, But Is This An Infection?

[BreathingHeat]

We have brewed about 15 batches of all grain beer now and never had an infection.

This is a hoppy brown ale that has been in the fermentor for over 3 weeks. American Ale 1056 yeast. It was finishing up 7 days of dry hopping. It has been at 1.012 for over a week. The krausen fell almost two weeks ago. When we added the hops it looked like this (normal):

It now looks like this:

If it is infection, what are our options now? Dump it? Is it dangerous to still try it and keg it if it tastes okay? I smelled some of the airlock air and it smells normal.

We appreciate your help.

 

[brettprevans]

it would help to see it without the lid.

if you dry hopped it may have gotten a bug in there. but if it smells fine, tastes fine....its prob fine.

ive once had an infection from dry hopping and it smelt and tasted ok, so i kegged and just left the last litre or so being careful not to suck in any of the top gunk and it was fine (YMMV).

 

[mje1980]

Im no expert, but the fact there are pretty perfectly formed circles looks like bad news. However, do the taste test. If tastes ok, bottle/keg. Like cm2 says, take the lid off and you should get a better idea

 

[Mikedub]

unless your lid has some funky design on it Id say it is infected, have you had a taste?
also do you normally take readings by placing the hydrometer in the fermentor, that could have been where it happened

 

[BreathingHeat]

Thanks. For what it's worth, these bubbles are not moving. They are very much stationary.

Other opinions?

 

[barls]

if its a white film with bubbles then yes its an infection unless its suppose to be a lambic or sour beer, its fine

 

[brettprevans]

Thanks. For what it's worth, these bubbles are not moving. They are very much stationary.

Other opinions?

not wanting to sounds narky but what other opinions are you expecting? people are either going to say yes its infected or no its not based on a unclear pic through a fermentor lid. its not much to go on.
we have given you our advice on how to judge if it is an infectection. seeing the actual top of the wort will be the next step.
the only other piece of advice is to look at the 'infection thread' see if it looks similar and make up your own mind.

 

[pk.sax]

It's because 'we' did it, not you. Do your own brewing and it might turn out OK.

Too many heads spoileth thy bru

 

[kario]

Def looks like infection pics form the infections thread. Don't fret too strongly though...like others have said, taste it, if it tatses ok, rack it down to just below that surface trying not to disturb it and you should be fine. It most likely happenned when you took that gravity reading directly into the brew once it had finished fermenting....not necessarily from your hydrometer, even just the fact that you let fresh air (with fresh bacteria) into your vessel, sat on top of your beer, had fresh oxygen, good temp and food, so started growing (just like exposing a glass of beer to fresh air, then sealing it and leaving it for a week). Most greeny, silky, infections are only surface deep and if observed early enough, there is nothing wrong with the beer under it....that's what I keep reading from people anyways.

 

[BreathingHeat]

not wanting to sounds narky but what other opinions are you expecting? people are either going to say yes its infected or no its not based on a unclear pic through a fermentor lid. its not much to go on.
we have given you our advice on how to judge if it is an infectection. seeing the actual top of the wort will be the next step.
the only other piece of advice is to look at the 'infection thread' see if it looks similar and make up your own mind.

Easy there, champ. I was replying to your post alone, i.e. one opinion. Two more opinions came in while I was writing. Relax...

It's because 'we' did it, not you. Do your own brewing and it might turn out OK.

Too many heads spoileth thy bru

Not sure if I'm following you. Please explain.

 

[stux]

Looks like an infection. The beer is probably okay.

Keg it asap. leave the top layer of beer in the fermenter.

Drink it asap.

Best to get it chilled and under c02 as soon as possible to slow down the infection.

If the beer tastes like ****, toss it.

And then clean and sanitize the hell out of your fermenter, keg, keg line and tap

...

ps: call it a sour beer if its sour and pretend like you meant it

 

[white.grant]

In your first picture, the one with the hydrometer in the wort - that's not such a good idea, and is probably why you have green space monsters hiding under your lid.

Better to draw a sample off through your tap into a measuring tube, you can buy plastic ones for a couple of dollars.

 

[BreathingHeat]

Update

Here are some pictures with the lid off. Many of the bubbles popped when I moved the fermenter. The beer smells and tastes normal, actually really good. That said, an 80 g dry hop of Nelson Sauvin could cover up most funky flavors/smells, with it's own .

We went ahead and racked the majority of the beer to a keg, carbed, purged, and now it's sitting at 0 . We threw away the fermenter, hop bag, airlock, etc.

I really appreciate everyone's help.

In your first picture, the one with the hydrometer in the wort - that's not such a good idea, and is probably why you have green space monsters hiding under your lid.

Better to draw a sample off through your tap into a measuring tube, you can buy plastic ones for a couple of dollars.

I actually don't use a tap. Maybe it's time I started. I tried using fermenter taps when I started brewing, but those plastics ones can be faulty. I was told that dropping a clean and well sterilized hydrometer into the beer was no less safe than sticking a siphon or turkey baster in it to get the sample. We generally only take readings when we have another reason to gain access to the beer (dry hopping, racking, etc.). I'm in the process of migrating to glass carboys, how do you take a reading then?

 

[bradsbrew]

Is that a piece of string?

 

[donburke]

Is that a piece of string?

a frayed knot

i thought tampons were sanitary

 

[BreathingHeat]

Is that a piece of string?

Hop sock drawstring. Boiled before adding.

 

[beerdrinkingbob]

i'll drink it, bring it over!!!

 

[1974Alby]

a frayed knot

classic response!!!!! :icon_cheers: :icon_cheers: ...had a giggle at that one!

 

[Thefatdoghead]

Sorry mate I have to ask, when you say "we" are you referring that there are 2 people doing all these things?

 

[BreathingHeat]

I get it now. Yes, my girlfriend and I live together and brew beer together, hence the "we".

This was actually the first beer she has brewed completely by herself. She did it while I was away on a fishing trip. I was completely effing gutted to see the crap on the top today. She was still at work. It was like having to tell her that her dog died .