Wort chilled overnight but krausen - right to pour away?

[Dulwich North]

Yesterday morning I brewed a 10L recipe and chilled the wort down to 40C, but rather than waste water I then left it to settle and chill further overnight, intending to transfer clear wort from the pan and pitch the yeast this morning. A lid was on the pan, but I forgot to seal the lid's small vent hole until I went to bed.

This morning the wort's surface was 3/4 covered with what looked like a krausen and had a smell. I've not encountered this before when I've let a brew settle overnight, but my feeling is that airborne yeast must have initiated fermentation. Does that seem right?

Anyway, in a hissy fit, I decided to pour it down the sink rather than syphon the clear wort into the FV and hope for the best. I won't go thirsty, so does that seem a sensible decision?

 

[foxy]

Yesterday morning I brewed a 10L recipe and chilled the wort down to 40C, but rather than waste water I then left it to settle and chill further overnight, intending to transfer clear wort from the pan and pitch the yeast this morning. A lid was on the pan, but I forgot to seal the lid's small vent hole until I went to bed.

This morning the wort's surface was 3/4 covered with what looked like a krausen and had a smell. I've not encountered this before when I've let a brew settle overnight, but my feeling is that airborne yeast must have initiated fermentation. Does that seem right?

Anyway, in a hissy fit, I decided to pour it down the sink rather than syphon the clear wort into the FV and hope for the best. I won't go thirsty, so does that seem a sensible decision?

For me yes.You aren't brewing what you intended, sometimes a wild yeast will make a drinkable beer but if you left your brew in the kitchen there are all sorts of critters living in there who all crave sugar and will infect your wort. I have poured plenty of brews away not just because of infections but they just don't look as they should.