Raspberry Wheat Beer, Possible Infection?

[quantocks]

Hi all,

just racked from secondary to keg, the berries on top of the brew looked fine and a taste revealed it was quite alright, however I noticed sitting on top of two or three berries was this white powder looking substance.

similar to this, but only as big as a 50c coin,

could this be an infection? if it was only on top of the berry, any chance it will spread now I racked off the berries and into the keg?

 

[Fourstar]

looks scary mate.

The raspberry i made was racked onto the berries in frozen form and didnt cop any creamy looking substances on my 2ndary fermentation (standard yeasties and some raspberry seeds). If it is wild, the best you can hope for is a good brett ferment or hope its nothing wierd. Only time will tell and a better close up picture aswell.

 

[kook]

Fourstar - thats not his pic as far as I know, it's a lambic fermentation.

Quantocks - really need more information to tell what the problem is.

What was the original beer? Were the berries added fresh, frozen, tinned? Did you pasteurise them or treat them in any way? How long were the berries left to ferment for?

It could simply be yeast working on the berries. If it looks exactly like the above picture, but just in patches, it's probably some form of wild yeast though. If it's come from the fruit I wouldn't be too bothered with it. Just enjoy the beer, and nuke your fermenter with caustic, or replace it.

 

[quantocks]

the berries were frozen, I had used a Coopers Wheat kit + Coopers liquid wheat malt, 1kg Frozen berries in secondary,

it looked the same kind as the pic I attached (pic isn't mine) but it was only a TINY amount on top of the berries.

I'll see how it goes in the keg, just a little worried as this is my most expensive brew so far.

Coopers wheat - 17$
liquid wheat malt - $11
wb yeast - $5
1kg frozen raspberries $14

kinda don't want to stuff it

 

[kook]

It could have simply been yeast slowly working on the fruit juice within the berries - how long did you leave it? Were the berries a grey colour?

I doubt you'll stuff it. As you've added the raspberries in secondary (alcohol present) you're unlikely to pick up any bugs that are too nasty. Some may produce flavours that complement the fruit. If it looks like that picture it could be brett, but in my experience it takes 6-8 weeks minimum for a pellicle to start forming.

Bigger concern would be the fermenter. Make sure you give it a damn good cleaning. I keep seperate fermenters, airlocks, racking hoses, etc for fruit beers and any where I'm adding non-saccromyces innoculations.



edit - By the way, by "nasty" I mean dangerous to your health, not your beer

 

[Jakechan]

I had the exact same white growth right across the top of a Chilli beer I made a few weeks ago. I racked the beer and added the chillies in the secondary, then the white stuff appeared (just like in the pic above).
The tastings during SG checks continued to taste fine, so I kegged it and drank it, finished the keg yesterday actually (just as a mate came around for a few beers...).

I was sure that what I had was an infection, but I think Kook may be right about it just being a yeast going at it. In any case I seemed to survive the attack of the white floating stuff.

Cheers,
Jake

 

[Fourstar]

Fourstar - thats not his pic as far as I know, it's a lambic fermentation.

Thaught it looked like a Pellicle. If it is looking the same as shown i'd say you would have some wild yeast activity going on. Is it possible to provide a picture of yours? As what seems to be the same, may not be exactly what you think it is.