I think I may have my very first infected beer. I can't be 100% sure but there's definitely something not right.
It's just a kit Coopers Mexican Cerveza kit with extra DME and sugar brewed pretty much to recipe.
I did a couple of things that, in hindsight, I shouldn't have. Firstly, rather than pitch the yeast supplied with the kit I decided to go with a 3/4 pouch of US05 that I had lying around. Now, this US05 has been sitting for about 6 months since I opened it, so it's not going to be the freshest to begin with. I didn't think it would cause too many issues other than possibly not starting as quickly as expected.
The next thing I did was move the brew from my kitchen (20 degrees) to my loft (14 degrees). I read on the US05 packet that it could ferment as low as 15 degrees, looking for a clean tasting beer I decided that is the way I wanted to go. I stuck it up the loft and forgot about it for a week. When I went up to check on it there was a very slow bubble from the airlock, around 1 every 30 seconds. I kept an eye on it over the next day or 2 and nothing much changed. I then took a gravity reading and it showed 1.040 (it started at 1.049) so it was definitely not working out right. There was also a fairly strong fruity smell from the beer, something I had not noticed the previous time.
I decided enough was enough in the cool temps so I brought it down and sat it in the landing (around 18 degrees). I then pitched in the coopers yeast, hoping that it would give the other yeast a boost. As the temp increased the activity increased. I thought it was saved but the smell is still puzzling me.
It's been down since Saturday morning and the reading is down at 1.030 (moving better now) but the smell of fruit is still there.
Now, it's not an unpleasant smell... it's just really fruity. The beer looks fine, there is nothing growing on the top and nothing that looks at all out of sorts.
I know I probably won't be able to be 100% sure till the brew is finished but do any of you guys have any ideas what is going on?
I have a nice list of "what not to do" now at least
It's just a kit Coopers Mexican Cerveza kit with extra DME and sugar brewed pretty much to recipe.
I did a couple of things that, in hindsight, I shouldn't have. Firstly, rather than pitch the yeast supplied with the kit I decided to go with a 3/4 pouch of US05 that I had lying around. Now, this US05 has been sitting for about 6 months since I opened it, so it's not going to be the freshest to begin with. I didn't think it would cause too many issues other than possibly not starting as quickly as expected.
The next thing I did was move the brew from my kitchen (20 degrees) to my loft (14 degrees). I read on the US05 packet that it could ferment as low as 15 degrees, looking for a clean tasting beer I decided that is the way I wanted to go. I stuck it up the loft and forgot about it for a week. When I went up to check on it there was a very slow bubble from the airlock, around 1 every 30 seconds. I kept an eye on it over the next day or 2 and nothing much changed. I then took a gravity reading and it showed 1.040 (it started at 1.049) so it was definitely not working out right. There was also a fairly strong fruity smell from the beer, something I had not noticed the previous time.
I decided enough was enough in the cool temps so I brought it down and sat it in the landing (around 18 degrees). I then pitched in the coopers yeast, hoping that it would give the other yeast a boost. As the temp increased the activity increased. I thought it was saved but the smell is still puzzling me.
It's been down since Saturday morning and the reading is down at 1.030 (moving better now) but the smell of fruit is still there.
Now, it's not an unpleasant smell... it's just really fruity. The beer looks fine, there is nothing growing on the top and nothing that looks at all out of sorts.
I know I probably won't be able to be 100% sure till the brew is finished but do any of you guys have any ideas what is going on?
I have a nice list of "what not to do" now at least
