Maybe Diseased

[Gassman]

I have a coopers European Lager which I just opened to test if ready for bottling

Had a net of hops floating in it for about 5 days now but there is a white film on the top of the beer

Have I lost it as I never noticed this on the last one I did

 

[graysalchemy]

Have you any pictures?

Does it have bubbles in it. Hop oils can solidify on the surface of a beer so it may be fine.

Have you tasted it?

 

[LeithR]

I've had this on a couple of my brews which I have put down to adding late hops for aroma, I'm not satisfied in my mind that raw hops are absolutely sanitary. I now make a hop tea by boiling some hops in a small amount of water for 15 mins, this has the benefit of knowing that it is sanitised before adding to the brew. Alternatively some folk make a hop tea by using a cafetiere and leaving it to steep like that for 15 mins.

I have not thrown my beer out by the way, I have bottled it and drank as usual, yes there is a slight flavour but I can live with that, maybe you can too.

 

[Gassman]

It doesnt look as bad now as I moved the bag

I never boiled I put in bag then in just with enough boiling water on top to soak in then left for 5 minutes

Maybe I am not leaving long enough

Just going to bottle my Ginger, will get back after that

 

[graysalchemy]

To me that does look infected, how does it taste?

I have had one like that which I then bottled, transfering to a fresh Fv from the bottom and discarding about a gallon. It tasted fine in the end. :thumb:

 

[Gassman]

I'm going to get rid of the bag now and as you say transfer to a new f/v (well carboy) and lock away in the shed for a few months

 

[graysalchemy]

No I would bottle it to avoid it getting further infected. You may end up with some that are infected but most will probably be fine if you do that. If you leave it, even after leaving the top layer there is no guarantee that some infection is left which will manifest in the whole body of the beer.

 

[danb]

I also had a stout that looked very similar, I transferred from underneath and it was fine.

 

[Gassman]

Bugger

I just bottled a ginger beer and left myself with only 20 bottles and Looks like I got enough here now with discarding a few lires for 30 bottles

Sod it I will leave in carboy if wasted I've learned a lesson

I had a sniff and to me it smelled like I think pear drop sweets

Don't know if that says anything

Let me know if its a bad one and I will drain the lot

 

[chrig]

You could get some plastic 2L bottles from tesco full of (flat or sparkling) water for about 10-20p each, no need a santise just pour out the water and and fill up a couple of bottles if you are a bit short on glass bottles.

 

[RobWalker]

You could get some plastic 2L bottles from tesco full of (flat or sparkling) water for about 10-20p each, no need a santise just pour out the water and and fill up a couple of bottles if you are a bit short on glass bottles.

it's probably the hop bag that would have infected it, they need sanitizing same as buckets, spoons etc. you don't need to sanitize water in most places contrary to popular belief, mine comes straight from the tap for kits.

 

[Gassman]

I think maybe you could be right with the hop bag

I had used it before then had it soaking in oxy a few hours then rinsed well, boiling water over it in a jug and drained and then starsanned

I think for the pennies I may start to throw the bags once used as it could be that

 

[mcc111]

I wouldn't necessarily throw out after each use. Boil it in water for a while before each use to sterilise it.

 

[Monte Cristo]

Had one myself that looked like that,had a skin on the surface and the bubbles get trapped underneath but it turned out fine.
:hat:

 

[winelight]

I boil the hop bags for 10 minutes, with the weight (a couple of s/steel spoons) inside and the bag closing clip on the bag. Obviously I have to touch it all to open the bag and put the hops in but that doesn't seem to cause any problems.

 

[Sly Fox]

It might make it taste better! Give it a chance... I had some kind of flora of this sort develop on a winter ale I made last year, I was worried at the time, but it didn't grow back after I bottled it (presumably too much CO2 in the bottles) and the ale was lovely!

 

[Gassman]

I've had a few out of the corny the last few days and though I am still breathing, there is definitely a kind of pear drop aroma from the beer

 

[nobyipa]

i never use hop bags in any way
only when green wet hopping straight of the vine

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hops picked hour prior to dry hopping

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thought i would use a bag in this occasion
but dry hopping with pellets or whole i have no problem with

here is 80grams pellet and 50 gram of leaf




no bag = to me better hop flavour aroma etc
:drink:

 

[boab42stout]

There's a lot of hops there I like your racking hop filter did you make that yourself

 

[johnnyboy1965]

It doesnt look as bad now as I moved the bag

I never boiled I put in bag then in just with enough boiling water on top to soak in then left for 5 minutes

Maybe I am not leaving long enough

Just going to bottle my Ginger, will get back after that

JMHO, that looks like the oil from your hop bag...All muslin cloth is sprayed the a preserving oil when it is make. You really need to wash it well in boiling water with a detergent to remove this oil. I think Ive had similar before, but bottled with no adverse affects