Is it infected?

[DementedFermentor]

Hi all

Complete newbie to the forum and to homebrewing. Apologies if I've stepped on any forum etiquette by posting this thread.

Started my first batch of homebrew over 11 days ago. Using a dried extract recipe for an American style pale ale circa 6%. I opened the lid of the fermentation bucket today (day 12) for the first time in order to take a reading (bubbling had slowed down/stopped)... and I did not like what I saw.

I know newbies constantly get worked up about infection possibilities but I've been googling and can't see anywhere where this seems particularly normal. There is quite a thick layer of gunk sitting on top of the batch. Gravity reading was fine by the way, not far off target. In terms of smell, when I lifted the lid the first smell was of the citrus hops I used but then after that passed there was a slight hint of a putrid smell (like baby sick?), it was not overpowering at all but distinct enough to make me think its gone. As it happens the small sample for the gravity reading smelt like fairly standard beer - not much else. And no I didn't taste it - didn't have the guts.

Anyway I'd appreciate if you could let me know what you think? Pic here:20200905-133543

 

[Mavroz]

Well, I can't help as I have never come across anything that looks like that in my fermentors.
In my opinion, that doesn't look good but you never know.

 

[DementedFermentor]

I should add that I chucked a whole bag of irish moss in (had forgot to read about measurements) at the end of the boil - in case that info is useful!

 

[Cwrw666]

That's just yeast by the look of it. That can happen if you use too much protofloc or similar. Or Irish moss.
The sour smell is probably just CO2.

 

[Mavroz]

Well, take a sample and taste it then.... See what it is like!

 

[An Ankoù]

Hi Demented,
Did you strain the beer off the hops or is that what I can see floating around at the top covered in yeast and crud?
It could be OK, but stop taking the lid off. I think you should strain the beer off all of this into a secondary fermenter, let it clear and then bottle it if it tastes ok, which it probably will.

How much Irish moss did you chuck in?

 

[DementedFermentor]

I boiled in a kettle with a conical bottom, I strained to a certain extent - i.e., I opened the tap and had fairly clear wort running for most of the time into the fermenting bucket. However, at the end there was such a large amount of wort left behind that I tried to tip the kettle up and pour through a strainer to get the rest of it into the fermenting bucket - there was quite a lot of hops/crud and some did slip through though not a whole lot.

I chucked 40g of Irish moss into the batch which is was about 16 litres total.

Thanks everyone for replying so far.

 

[GerritT]

Hi all

Complete newbie to the forum and to homebrewing. Apologies if I've stepped on any forum etiquette by posting this thread.

Started my first batch of homebrew over 11 days ago. Using a dried extract recipe for an American style pale ale circa 6%. I opened the lid of the fermentation bucket today (day 12) for the first time in order to take a reading (bubbling had slowed down/stopped)... and I did not like what I saw.

I know newbies constantly get worked up about infection possibilities but I've been googling and can't see anywhere where this seems particularly normal. There is quite a thick layer of gunk sitting on top of the batch. Gravity reading was fine by the way, not far off target. In terms of smell, when I lifted the lid the first smell was of the citrus hops I used but then after that passed there was a slight hint of a putrid smell (like baby sick?), it was not overpowering at all but distinct enough to make me think its gone. As it happens the small sample for the gravity reading smelt like fairly standard beer - not much else. And no I didn't taste it - didn't have the guts.

Anyway I'd appreciate if you could let me know what you think? Pic here:20200905-133543

Yup, looks weird, but then again, I've seen weirder. But the smell seems on point, so I'd syphon to bottling vessel, and bottle as planned. Worst case scenario: the brew is totally screwed, but at least you have syphon and bottling experience now. But it does not look bad, just weird. Like an unexpected cold break.

 

[DementedFermentor]

Update: I mustered up the courage to taste it. After an initial sharp alcohol taste, It actually wasn't too bad. Tasted quite close to what was going for and I didn't taste anything off - unless the sharp taste is something I should be concerned about? It was a high OG, at least 1.065 so I don't think an alcohol taste is unexpected and hopefully that'll calm down a bit during conditioning.

I don't have a secondary vessel unfortunately, I was planning on just bottling direct from fermentation (lesson for next time). The gravity is still a bit high, 1.018 - I'm going to give it another day or two before I bottle just in case I would create any bottle bombs.

 

[GerritT]

Get a second bucket. It will set you buck £5 or so? But quite essential in my opinion. You mixed the kit straight in this fermenter?

 

[DementedFermentor]

Yes but by the time I would get one ordered online and delivered, it would be days in the fermenting bucket.

I boiled the dried extract in hops in a kettle before transferring to the bucket for fermentation.

 

[RawAbility3]

Think the best thing would be to bottle once you have left long enough yet try not to get every last drop as you don't want to suck all this into bottles.
Once bottled, allow to condition for a week or so and also chill to drop any sediment to the bottom of each bottle and be carful when pouring to leave a little amount of liquid in each on and the poor should be clear.

If it tastes good then, you have a good batch and could have been a top cropping yeast. If not, try leaving an aditional week to compare the taste and if still bad, throw away and rebrew.