Re: skim it off or wait longer - Now it's infected??

[andyg]

fellow brewers

Situation is: extract brew in fermenter for 3 weeks now. Hydro reading after 2 weeks says it finished. Yeast used was harvested wyeast 1275. 2 jars of yeast used but no starter. Issue I have is this really gooey layer of yeast sat on top of my beer that will not floc. It was there after 2 weeks and is still there now (after 3 weeks). I've had this before and it did eventually drop out after 2 1/2 weeks, but this time it's still there and I want to bottle tomorrow.

What d'you reckon? Skim the stuff off then siphon to bottling bucket or keep waiting.

Why does it do this sometimes? I've used this yeast 3-4 times with other batches and not had this.

It's horrible stuff!

 

[robsan77]

No problem skimming it off or just syphon from underneath. I do it all the time with us 05

 

[graysalchemy]

WLP0029 is like that as well it forms a really dense Krausan which never disappears. I would skim it put it in a sterilised tub and use it again for the next brew. :thumb:

 

[andyg]

use it again! surely not. It's so sticky i probably couldn't get it off the skimming spoon. I'd be very nervous using it again. I'll prob harvest some yeast from the bottom though.

thx for the replies, skimming it is then.

On another angle I suppose it creates a protective layer against the air (air has got it when i took reading with a ladle)

 

[graysalchemy]

If you want to reuse yeast you are better Top cropping taking off as it forms, the stuff on the bottom is made up of not only good cells but a lot more dead and spent cells plus all the trub as well. You would need to wash and seperate the stuff from the bottom, the stuff from the top won't need washing. :thumb: :thumb:

 

[andyg]

i've harvested from the bottom a few times now and yeh washed it. I've then just dumped a couple of jars (warmed up first obviously) into the fv. Or once i made a starter from it.

So whats the procedure for top cropping? Sanatise a jar then just scoop it off the surface and put it in. No sterilized water?

 

[rpt]

Isn't it too late to top crop? You normally do it when the yeast is very active so that you can pitch it straight into another brew.

 

[robsan77]

I just pitched a top crop from a 1042 beer into a 1040 beer that had finished fermenting and was the 6th day. It went off almost immediately.

Top cropping late is still better than slurry in my opinion.

 

[andyg]

Ok this is 3 week old yeast/krausen that is really thin and gooey. It's probably 2-3mm thick now. Was maybe 2mm thicker a week ago. So nothing like the initial krausen. No way am i going to keep this sticky mess.

 

[andyg]

The stuff did drop in the end. But it tastes infected. I've done a lot of reading on-line and am pretty sure it's infected. It smells and tastes sour. Hard to describe the flavour, maybe medicinal?? but it isn't pleasant. I decided not to waste my time bottling a potential dud so kegged it instead.

The reading at week 2 was 1.014 I thought that must be done. I only took one reading. Yesterday at weeks 3 it was 1.012 maybe 1.011. This is over attenuation is it not, as I've never had an ale drop that low before? And with the yeast being very stubborn to flocculate are these classic wild yeast infection signs. Plus the horrible taste and smell.

Sounds like I have answered my own questions, but I like to hear other peoples thoughts. Kind of hoping the taste and smell will go away.

ps. it was an extract brew. 3kg of light dme, some challenger and fuggles hops. This will make you laugh too: The yeast used was harvested from another batch that ONLY NOW do I suspect is infected (same smell and taste). Funny thing is that I have used the same harvested yeast in a batch and it's come out fine. Wyeast 1275.

 

[Darcey]

Medicinal tends to come from an infection or chlorine cleaning chemicals not being rinsed fully

D

 

[rpt]

1.011 is not too low for an ale - what was the starting gravity? I thought wild yeast would take it much lower than that.