Can the beer be rescued?

[Prawn]

Hi all need some advice, this toffee bonfire stout for some reason did not start fermenting as I'd expect. No bubbling at all in the air lock and the gravity is basically the same after a whole week. Yeast pitched at 21 degrees and no air leaks.

About mid week i gave it a stir to see if it would kick start any activity.

Opened it today because I was about to pitch more yeast and noticed some what I think is mould on surface (see picture) .

Should I scim that off, give it a stir and pitch more yeast?

This is from a beer kit so if they gave me bad yeast should I ask for refund?

Cheers for any advice
Lewis

 

[HSD]

By bad yeast expect you mean old and dead, understand mold likely from airborne contamination (peeking in common culprit) or sanitation issues, Been told anything breaking the surface offers a foothold for spores. If past it’s date Iwould chase the supplier up may be worth a go? Or get another sachet in pronto. I now keep a neutral gervin in case needed to resurrect a brew.

If you can carefully take the wort out from underneath, not racking any of the surface bits in you might be lucky. Or if only the one bin scoop it out as carefully as you can. I’ve had mold on floaty bits that broke the surface before and beer was “ok”, I would try taking it off, does it smell sour? taste it and if not horrible or “off” tasting give it a go with a fresh yeast? Probably start yeast off as a starter to get it going or pitch in asap, or both !

read somewhere when I had a similar panic to boil up the wort to kill any nasties and repitch fresh yeast once cooled down etc as normal.

others with more experience may have better advice, I’ve learnt not to be too hasty or give up too soon on a brew! And hate waste (especially money)

worth a read and highly recommend getting the book if you don’t have it
http://howtobrew.com/book/section-4/is-my-beer-ruined/common-problems

 

[Obadiah Boondoggle]

I agree with HSD - how does it taste?

If it's OK rack it off but try not to include any of the muck off the top

What is the SG now? Has it fermented at all (sounds like it hasn't)?

If it has, boiling it will get rid of the alcohol that is there

If it hasn't my view is that they have given you some bad yeast, and you should raise it with the seller.

What I can see from your picture is not normal, they look like fungus spores on the side of the bucket and fungus on the top of your brew. You will need to do a deep clean and sterilise before using that bucket again

Good luck!

 

[An Ankoù]

Doesn't look good to me, Prawn. There's definitely mould floating on the surface. I like those black spots on the sides of the fermenter, above the waterline even less. It looks as if your yeast, or something, has finally taken hold, though.
I'd follow Obadiah's advice, skim that mould off as carefully as you can and then rack the liquid into a new, clean fermenter. I wouldn't be too optimistic, but fingers crossed.
Tell us about your cleaning and sterilising regime.

 

[Oneflewover]

I'd be chucking that down the drain and chalking it off to experience. I can't imagine that it's retrievable, and I wouldn't want to waste the time and effort attempting to do so

 

[Prawn]

Thanks for advice guys. Just a quick one about the the black bits on the side - they are 'oak chips' that came with the beer kit.

I'll skim off the mold and transfer to another fermenter and get the new yeast in.

Cleaning wise I wash everything in washing up liquid then sterilise using star San. Occasionally use boiling water if I think it needs it. Only been brewing a year, this is my 5th batch but only one where it's gone wrong!

 

[Prawn]

Wow this is crazy just transferred to new bucket added yeast and within 5 minutes the air lock is bubbling! So proof I had bad yeast in the kit!

Anyone think I am eligible for refund if I contact the seller?

 

[Stu's Brews]

Wow this is crazy just transferred to new bucket added yeast and within 5 minutes the air lock is bubbling! So proof I had bad yeast in the kit!

Anyone think I am eligible for refund if I contact the seller?

I hate to say it but 5 minutes isn't long enough for the yeast to get going to the point that it would be producing enough CO2 for it to start bubbling. What you are seeing is probably the result of either a temperature change or air absorption during the transfer.

 

[EsterBanana]

In all seriousness, that black mould is nasty stuff, I would bin the lot, the beer, the fermenter, everything!

Then look into your home for the source of the mould and sort that and the damp problem out before brewing again.

Black mould is really bad for your health:

https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/lifestyle/can-damp-and-mould-affect-my-health/
I recommend a desiccant humidifier, the DD1 from Ecoair is excellent as it has a very good filter too. Dessicant rather than a compressor based dehumidifier as they work much more effectively at lower temperatures.

It is possible that the alcohol will kill off the mould, but it's not a risk I would like to take personally.

Edit: Oops - just spotted the oak chips part, I would still not be happy with any brew that had started developing mould, but it's not as bad as I originally thought!

 

[HSD]

Wow this is crazy just transferred to new bucket added yeast and within 5 minutes the air lock is bubbling! So proof I had bad yeast in the kit!

Anyone think I am eligible for refund if I contact the seller?

Did it taste ok? Probably too soon for the yeast to get going though shows good seal on bucket, probably degassing from transferring etc worth a go though !

 

[foxy]

Thanks for advice guys. Just a quick one about the the black bits on the side - they are 'oak chips' that came with the beer kit.

I'll skim off the mold and transfer to another fermenter and get the new yeast in.

Cleaning wise I wash everything in washing up liquid then sterilise using star San. Occasionally use boiling water if I think it needs it. Only been brewing a year, this is my 5th batch but only one where it's gone wrong!

How did you add the oak chips? Did you soak them in a spirit i.e whiskey. Did you taste the wort before adding the new yeast.?

 

[Prawn]

Yeh tested it, wasn't too bad. Nothing that made me reel in disgust.

The oak chip came finely ground like geound coffee so just emptied them straight in - hence the black spots that got everyone worried.

Gravity was the same as the starting gravity so the wort just sat there for a week doing nothing but get contaminated.

The air lock still bubbling away consistently right now - looks like fermentation to me!

 

[foxy]

Yeh tested it, wasn't too bad. Nothing that made me reel in disgust.

The oak chip came finely ground like geound coffee so just emptied them straight in - hence the black spots that got everyone worried.

Gravity was the same as the starting gravity so the wort just sat there for a week doing nothing but get contaminated.

The air lock still bubbling away consistently right now - looks like fermentation to me!

When using oak chips best to give them a soak in some alcohol to sanitise them. Being as yours were fine maybe putting them in the oven before using to sanitise them. Agree with HSD yeast doesn't kick off so quick, I would be very wary of 'what,' has started the fermentation. Even though dried yeast can last years depends how it has been looked after, especially higher temperatures. Kits are notorious for firing blanks where the yeast is concerned.

 

[Stevieboy]

Doesn't look good to me, Prawn. There's definitely mould floating on the surface. I like those black spots on the sides of the fermenter, above the waterline even less. It looks as if your yeast, or something, has finally taken hold, though.
I'd follow Obadiah's advice, skim that mould off as carefully as you can and then rack the liquid into a new, clean fermenter. I wouldn't be too optimistic, but fingers crossed.
Tell us about your cleaning and sterilising regime.

NB The black spots are from the oak chips - I've just made one of these kits.

 

[Stevieboy]

Note to self - read whole thread next time.

 

[Prawn]

Thanks for the help everyone, will see how it goes now!