Bits floating in beer :(

mm707 · Aug 9, 2016

Hi all,

I've been all grain brewing for a while now, made about 25 brews but I've just bottled the latest brew and there's whitish coloured bits flaoting in it. The dont seem to sink.
Two things I've done differently this time

1) I dry hopped prior to and during fermentation using 50g of cascade whole hops, I've not dry hopped before, I just threw them in.

2) I left if after fermenting for about 3-4 weeks before bottling.

I did sieve it after fermenting into another fermenting bucket and then just left it.

It smells fine and I'll probably drink it after secondary fermentation :)

Any ideas what's caused this ? ( trying to figure out how to attach a photo )

many thanks

mm707 · Aug 9, 2016

Photos of the bits :)

Chippy_Tea · Aug 9, 2016

How to post a picture - http://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=59899

We X-posted, i will leave this in case anyone else is having problems. :thumb:

Hoppyland · Aug 9, 2016

Was this a white film, floating on the top of the beer, that broke up into small bits when you disturbed it?

dan125 · Aug 9, 2016

Can't be bits of the hops can it if you used whole leaf???

Can you explain what you mean by dry hopping before fermentation? Did you leave the wort for any length of time before adding the yeast?

MyQul · Aug 9, 2016

Looks like a snow globe.

Could be too much trub in the bottles?

Dutto · Aug 9, 2016

I've never seen anything like that before!

On the top photograph it looks as if whatever the "bits" are they are lighter than the beer because they seem to be congregating near the top of the bottle.

Zooming in on either photograph indicates that the "bits" are mostly flat platelets rather than round pellets.

The combination of "light" and "flat" makes me think that, whatever the "bits" are, they were at sometime floating as a thin film (possibly on the top of the wort in the FV) that has been broken up (maybe during racking and bulk carbonation) and then syphoned into the bottles.

It may be that the "bits" settle out as the beer conditions but I would treat them with considerable suspicion until I had nailed down exactly what they are made of and where they came from.

For example, paint peeling off the inside of a bottling bucket would probably look exactly the same ... :thumb: :thumb:

... and I am sat next to a "Santa's Little Helper" who would happily use an FV of mine for such an endeavour ... :thumb: :thumb:

... and then claim that she was "helping me" and the FV was "handy". :whistle: :whistle:

DoctorMick · Aug 10, 2016

I know it's not what you were hoping for but that looks amazing!

Cwrw666 · Aug 10, 2016

Had this myself on a recent brew. White skin across the surface of the FV. Bottled it in the usual way drawing off from the FV tap which left most of the white stuff sticking to the sides of the FV as the level went down.
The beer tasted and smelt fine so I just think its remnants of yeast forming a skin.
Well I'll know for sure in a week or so when I sample the first bottle.:lol:

mm707 · Aug 10, 2016

Hoppyland said:
Was this a white film, floating on the top of the beer, that broke up into small bits when you disturbed it?

Yes, a bit like a very thin layer of porridge :)

mm707 · Aug 10, 2016

dan125 said:
Can't be bits of the hops can it if you used whole leaf???

Can you explain what you mean by dry hopping before fermentation? Did you leave the wort for any length of time before adding the yeast?[/QUOTE

I put the hops and yeast into the cooled wort at the same time.

Dutto · Aug 11, 2016

mm707 said:
dan125 said:

Can't be bits of the hops can it if you used whole leaf???

Can you explain what you mean by dry hopping before fermentation? Did you leave the wort for any length of time before adding the yeast?[/QUOTE

I put the hops and yeast into the cooled wort at the same time.

Click to expand...

As a general rule, cold hopping is carried out after fermentation has slowed down or completed stopped; and sometimes even after the beer has been racked into a second FV.

Hops are introduced into the cold wort to give a hoppy taste and aroma. If the hops are introduced with the yeast then the act of fermentation will carry a lot of the hops flavour and aroma out of the beer.

dan125 · Aug 11, 2016

mm707 said:
I put the hops and yeast into the cooled wort at the same time.

Interesting - Dutto is correct about the usual timing of dry hopping, but I've done exactly what you've done for the 1st time with my latest brew, as the recipe called for it (for a more aged dry hop character) and I thought I'd try it out.
I was also looking at an East Coast IPA recipe the other day that called for 4 or 5 dry hop additions before, during & after fermentation.
In over 50 brews I've not seen a porridge like layer on top of the beer though and fear this may point to an infection???

Hoppyland · Aug 12, 2016

mm707 said:
Yes, a bit like a very thin layer of porridge :)

Hmm, not so sure about my advice now!
A layer of "porridge" sounds like a top-fermenting yeast has been at work. But that wouldn't break up into the tiny white flakes you have.
Over the years, I've occasionally had an infection that I've known as Mycoderma - aka Flowers of Wine. I think "pellicle" is a more modern term.
This is a very flaky, crumbly, scum-like layer. With me, there normally has been a distinct off-flavour. Or, more like an off-smell. A bit like paint stripper, or maybe pear-drops.
I've learned that the infections that I've had need oxygen to thrive - every time I transfer my beer I now flood it copiously with CO2 from a Homeweld cylinder. Never had a problem since.

MyQul · Aug 12, 2016

As Hoppy land says this sounds like pellicle. You can often rack the below (I've done this before) and the beer will be fine. But by the looks of things you've stirred it in now

mm707 · Aug 12, 2016

Thanks for the replies. I think I'll dry hop later next time and use a muslin bag.
Still, if it's drinkable it won't go to waste :)

Dutto · Aug 12, 2016

mm707 said:
........

Still, if it's drinkable it won't go to waste :)

If it isn't then take the opportunity to rid your garden of slugs and snails by setting beer filled slug-traps.

At least they all die happy! :thumb: :thumb:

BeerCat · Aug 13, 2016

That is an infection. I had 2 of those last year. Although it didn't smell bad i dumped it. No way would i drink anything looking like that.

Bits floating in beer :(

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