Possible Infection? HELP HELP HELP

[Joe]

I`m currently brewing a Stella Artois clone (Dave Line recipe). Its at secondary stage in the carboy at the mo. Today I had a quick look to see how its getting on and notice an oily looking film on the top. There`s also a some slightly strange looking floaty bits too. This is my first attempt with bottom fermentation so am unsure whats occurring. I used safe ale lager yeast(yellow sachet) sprinkled over wort at 20 o c then mixed in. All kit was thoroughly sanitized with vwp. I racked it into carboy and added finings at same time as to recipe but have read thats too early? I`ve got a wadworths old timer clone on too and all seems fine, did the same thing with finings in that too but new yeast crop is on top should I add a seconD lot of finings? Help please :hmm:.

 

[Wez]

Hi Joe

A few questions:

How does it smell? If it's infected you might be able to pick that up, a taster would be a better indicator if thats possible.

When you say oily film, is it white at all? I've had an infected batch that put a thin milky weblike film over the beer.

Floaty bits, did you have any in primary or was the beer you transferred totally floaty bit free?

Finings, I add finings when fermentation is over, just prior to kegging, what finings did you use?

Wez

 

[Joe]

Just had a smell, its smells fine. its kinda white coloured but there seems less of it than last night. There wasn`t any floaty bits in it when it came out of the primary as i remember.
Joe

 

[Wez]

I'd stick with it, if it's infected, it's infected not much you can do, but it may be OK - see how it is over 24 hr periods.

 

[Joe]

Cheers will do

 

[evanvine]

White web like structure, probably got a few large bubbles as well?
The culprit is wild yeast!
Don't worry it just looks bloody awful and doesn't affect the beers' taste.

 

[Joe]

Cheers thanks for that. Nearly poured it away the other day till wez said to taste it, Tastes sound enough. Will it bottle okay- want it for xmas presents?

 

[Joe]

Moved the carboy today to the garage, bit cooler there than upstairs, the motion of the movement dislodged all that stuff on top, it all rapidly sunk to the bottom

 

[evanvine]

Personaly at your stage I would rack off and put it under a trap.
There are many on this Forum though who would disagree as it adds another risk of infection.
You may not have my luck!

 

[tubby_shaw]

Personaly at your stage I would rack off and put it under a trap.

Moved the carboy today to the garage

THIS is a carboy, they are airlocked

 

[evanvine]

No comment!!!!

 

[Joe]

Well all the white stuff settled to the bottom, after 5 weeks in the carboy I bottled it yesterday, it looks and tastes fine. Glad I didn't hoik it down the drain now.
Thanks for all your advise
Joe :thumb: