Infection! Help?

[pete_3948]

Ok, so I checked on the brew today, and saw this brown coloured area on the top of the wort.
pretty sure its an infection, but what can i do about it?

The brew is a Canadian blonde, with 750g dextrose, 250g LDME,
saflager s-23 -from sediment of previous brew. (could the yeast be contaminated?)
Been fermenting nicely at 12 deg for 5 days now, and i have only just noticed this stuff on the top.
Also has a strong rotten egg smell, which i assumed was just the lager yeast??
Everything was sterilized with sodium metabisulphite.

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

[zoidbergmerc]

Rotten Egg smell to me sounds like some happy yeast, have a taste from the tap and see.

 

[thanme]

Yeah don't knock it til you've tried it
I don't think there's anything wrong with that photo?

 

[JestersDarts]

Photo looks normal - I don't think that you need to panic at this stage.

 

[pete_3948]

Yeah thanks, just concerned about the brown stuff to the left, figured if it was normal it would be on the other side too?

 

[mwd]

looks like Krausen to me. Although true lager yeasts are mainly bottom fermenters. H2S is common with lager yeasts too, nothing much to worry about.
Take a hydrometer reading and taste the sample. That should tell you whether it is infected or not, much better than wild guesses from a photo in a post. If it tastes rotten then it may become lawn food but not yet.

Edit: get rid of the Sodium Metabisulphite and splash out on some Starsan or Iodophor much better and costs next to nothing in real terms if you follow the dilution ratios.

 

[beerbog]

Looks normal to me....... :beerbang:

 

[pete_3948]

Alright, just checked Sg, its at 1032, OG was 1050 (filled it to 18L not 23L)
Also has a taste and it doesn't taste terrible, just a bit eggy from the H2S I think, not sour or anything though.
Thanks for the replies.

 

[JestersDarts]

I was hoping for an infection photo with the face of the devil and the tentacles of the Kraken!

 

[bum]

Peter, if you're worried about infections how about you stop opening up your fermenter for a quick peer all the time?

 

[Pennywise]

I agree with all above, looks fine. There's also no real need to open up the fermenter, whilst 99% of the time it wont do any harm, there is risk in it and unless you NEED to, don't :icon_cheers: This one looks the good though, so I wouldn't worry ATM

 

[michaelcocks]

+1
looks pretty normal to me
This your first brew?

 

[pete_3948]

This was the first time i've opened the fermenter, only did it to take the photo. I have a clear lid.
Not my first brew, first time lager. Done about 8 brews now, but they were all just k+k with kit yeast.

 

[manticle]

Looks like yeasty krausen but the photo is blurred.