is this infected?

[ravey]

First time using LME though probably not relevant, I've just gone to transfer from fv for bottling and the surface had a white layer. When the surface was disturbed it "cracked" and broke up into sections.


I started syphoning while I went for my phone to take pics as I wasn't thinking straight, so it's a ways down by the time I took this:

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Then I noticed as it got nearer the bottom I could hardly see anything, but the few bits less were more concentrated looking than the thin layer:

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I was worried that it had all broken up and been sucked through the syphon, but when I finished syphoning early and removed it I found out where it went:

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I ran my finger over it and it was a kind of soapy emulsion feel (and yes, I know what it looks like):

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I'm not sure if it looks like mold, but I've never had an infection so not sure what to expect. I've syphoned from underneath and I'll try bottling it but welcome any comments.

 

[Leon103]

Had to tell from these pictures. I have had someone similar and beer turned out OK. What yeast did you use. Did you dry hop?

 

[ravey]

It's just a finlandia traditional ale kit, standard yeast, no hopping. It was in the FV for 17 days, though I racked after a week and left it for a secondary ferment. It tastes fine fwiw

 

[strange-steve]

Difficult to tell from the pics but I don't think it's mould. It could be the start of a pellicle from a bacterial infection but I reckon you'd be able to tell by now from the taste. Just bottle it and hope for the best :pray:

 

[ravey]

Well I bottled it and popped some fizz in a litre or so and drinking it now. Seems okay but we'll see if I survive the night.

 

[Cwrw666]

I have had this before. The beer turned out fine but bottles that got some of the white stuff in turned out to be gushers and needed refrigerating before opening to calm them down. So I would guess it's wild yeast rather than bacteria or mould.