Bad brew signs

[NickCarroll]

Hi guys, I was wondering if there are any telltale signs your brew is contaminated, I've a suspicion that my current muttons European pils is going bad in the FV

 

[Clint]

You need to post a picture...or describe what's happening.

 

[NickCarroll]

These white lumps are rising from the bottom then sinking again, I also noticed some funny white foaming occoring but that seems to have cleared up today

 

[obscure]

Honestly those look like yeast particulate, you could be right but it looks fairly normal to me.

 

[Clint]

Looks fine.

 

[Galena]

I wouldn't worry, let it finish then taste it, if it tastes disgusting then you had an infection, if it tastes okay (which it looks to me) then all is good.

 

[foxbat]

Looks normal to me. If you get an infection on the surface it tends to look like this.

 

[uDicko]

Looks normal to me. If you get an infection on the surface it tends to look like this.

I will be mortified the day this ever happens to me

 

[Fireside Ales Homebrewery]

I will be mortified the day this ever happens to me

@NickCarroll
It’s harder to get an infection and to ruin your beer than you think. I think most times, when people think they have an infection, they don’t. Personally, even after brewing for a good while now, if I taste my brew too early, I will be like. Omg there is something wrong with it. It tastes wrong. I’ll give it another week though and it will be perfect and I will be thinking to myself, chill out mate. Jeez.
Be clean. Follow a good recipe and don’t panic during fermentation. (People always panic during fermentation)

 

[Didge]

Looks fine to me.

I had a ginger beer plant as a child and used to love watching the yeast clumps rise and fall through the liquid, its like a natural lava lamp.

We would probably have more patience and enjoy primary fermentation more if all FV buckets were transparent.

 

[BackOfTheNet]

Using Mangrove Jack's M44 I had similar. Looked like little donuts. They would pop up when I took the lid off. No problem whatsoever with the beer

 

[NickCarroll]

Thanks for the advise guys, I've checked again today and all seems well, I've checked the gravity and it's down to 1.004, I've got some wine finings and noticed the stage 2 is the same solution as beer finings, can I use stage 1 solution in the beer or is it best to leave it out?

 

[foxbat]

1.004 is rather low for a kit brew but not beyond the bounds of possibility. Is your hydrometer reading 1.000 in room temperature water?

 

[Rodcx500z]

Looks good to go to me

 

[Rodcx500z]

You beat me to it Foxbat

 

[Rodcx500z]

The funny white foam was it in the first few days, if so it's krusen and is normal

 

[NickCarroll]

1.004 is rather low for a kit brew but not beyond the bounds of possibility. Is your hydrometer reading 1.000 in room temperature water?

I'll have a look, my starting gravity was 1.034 which seems low too

 

[NickCarroll]

1.004 is rather low for a kit brew but not beyond the bounds of possibility. Is your hydrometer reading 1.000 in room temperature water?

Room temp water is reading at 0.994/6, time for a new hydrometer?

 

[foxbat]

Room temp water is reading at 0.994/6, time for a new hydrometer?

No need to replace it, it's quite common for the paper scale in the tube to slip. Just add 6 points to your readings.

That makes your 1.004 actually 1.009 - 1.010 which is perfect really.

 

[NickCarroll]

No need to replace it, it's quite common for the paper scale in the tube to slip. Just add 6 points to your readings.

That makes your 1.004 actually 1.009 - 1.010 which is perfect really.

Cheers mate, much appreciated