Infected brew?

[HSD]

Hi, slightly confused on this one.

I 've got a HBC Full extract Blonde ale on the go, 23L, been in FV for 2 weeks, fermentation was slow to start so pitched in an extra half packet of same yeast as a starter after 24 hours, and it appeared to kick in and get going and ferment well, steady lock activity and good frothy head. I'm fairly careful sanitation wise, nothing touched the wort without having been zapped, only opened lid twice and briefly. I had to split the boil, went well and OG of 1.048. Fermented maybe little high around 22-23 degrees with Safale US-05 ale yeast

Checked brew two days ago and it appeared to have mould floating on top of a watery layer. Fluffy white/grey, throughout the brew it has had lumpy "blobs" floating in it, assumed this was yeast/proteins, and the growth appeared to on top of this. Checked again today after trying to figure out what to do and it has died back. Now completely disappeared, can a mould form and then die back and if so has it gone into the beer? Surprised it died back if able to form in the first place. Brew smells fresh and fermentation seems to have stopped, haven't had a chance to take readings/taste yet will do when home

Having looked it up opinion seems divided, chuck it or rack of from base and see what happens in the bottle. First time this has happened to me but keen to learn, any advice very much appreciated. Will the spores have permeated the brew, if it is mould, and can it make you ill re toxins?

 

[An Ankoù]

Sounds good to me as long as it tastes and smells good, it probably is good. Bottle it up, fingers crossed, and at the end of the day, what have you got to lose?

 

[RichardM]

As @An Ankoù says as long as it tastes and smells good it probably is. You certainly shouldn't even be thinking about chucking down the drain until you have given it chance.

 

[Gerryjo]

I brewed an Irish Red and had a white pelicle film but tasted fine at the time.Tried it one month later and knew it was infected and nearly chucked the lot.This was one of those brews you'll never recreat as it had this slight sour note to it which added to the complexity and flavour...

 

[Brew_DD2]

Sounds like krausen and it's completely normal. Disconcerting when you see it for the first time, but you should be more concerned if you don't see it.

Best to keep your fermenter shut for the duration of fermentation.

 

[HSD]

[/QUOTE]
It had a mould like structure, it looked more like that than krausen which Ive seen on all previous brews, done about 15 so far, spray lid with sanitizer etc and only opened briefly to check, I suspect the floating blobs acted as a raft for the mould if that’s what it was, they are still there but mould has gone?

 

[HSD]

Thanks all, I’ll rack into secondary and see what appears or disappears cheers

 

[The Baron]

Did it finish at the normal expected FG as a lower than normal or a extended fermentation say still fermenting after a week would be the signs of a infection IMO. As AA says if it smells right go ahead just be wary of bottling if it has had signs of a extended fermentation, if so just leave a little longer before bottling

 

[terrym]

If the sanitisation regime is good, and frequent 'opening the lid' is avoided it will be unlikely to have been infected with something, so it's most probably yeast. Different yeasts have their own visible characteristics in the FV. For example I am using CML Midland at present, and it it fiercely top fermenting and has a thick sticky krausen for much of the fermentation and when it does begin to drop you get big lumps of it in suspension for sometime after. Only cultured 1698 yeast rivals its behaviour in my experience of beer yeasts.
However if you believe it may have become infected for whatever reason and do decide to bottle use at least one PET bottle so you can monitor the pressure inside. Rock hard may mean an unwanted extended fermentation and gushers or worse bottle bombs.

 

[HSD]

If the sanitisation regime is good, and frequent 'opening the lid' is avoided it will be unlikely to have been infected with something, so it's most probably yeast. Different yeasts have their own visible characteristics in the FV. For example I am using CML Midland at present, and it it fiercely top fermenting and has a thick sticky krausen for much of the fermentation and when it does begin to drop you get big lumps of it in suspension for sometime after. Only cultured 1698 yeast rivals its behaviour in my experience of beer yeasts.
However if you believe it may have become infected for whatever reason and do decide to bottle use at least one PET bottle so you can monitor the pressure inside. Rock hard may mean an unwanted extended fermentation and gushers or worse bottle bombs.

Will do great tip many thanks

 

[smithsj1]

I had a brew that finished OK and I decided to add some finings before kegging and then left it a few days and noticed that I had white "mould" blobs appearing on the surface and a pellicle starting to form. I racked the beer into the keg and added the CO2 when I came to taste it a few days later it tasted absolutely fine. I then decided to sanitise the fermenter with bleach and I had the same issue on the next batch. So this time I have used VWP and dismantled the rubber bungs etc left it all soaking for half an hour or so and will do that again on brew day. Planning on getting a Better Brew IPA going tomorrow so will find out soon enough if I have dealt with the issue. My first real issue in 4 years but fortunately the actual beers have still been good.

 

[foxbat]

I doubt very much it was a pellicle. They don't die back in fact they grow and grow until the entire surface looks like an alien planet (google "Pellicle images" and look at the real ones, not the ones from worried brewers confusing fermentation artifacts with mould). In other words, you're almost certainly fine.

 

[HSD]

Quick update, beer racked off into secondary bin, reads as 1.012 down from OG of 1.048. No off smells, brew nice and clear, taste bit like Newcastle brown bit more nutty/ sweet almonds, no sign of mould or the film forming on the secondary thus far been in two days. I’ll take another reading in a couple of days then look to bottle. Thanks for all input!

 

[HSD]

Eventually Bottled into PETs as suggested, near three months on tried first and sorry to say it’s orrible, odd sour taste reminds me of yoghurt, slight haze to the beer, very lively though head dies down and collapses quickly.