strange deposits in homebrew, advice needed

[funboy]

I've just completed my first ever homebrew (coopers mexican cerveza) but I'm finding some odd deposits in the beer. they look a lot like hair strands, white in colour and they stubbornly float on the surface of the beer. the tastes fine though. I fished one of the strands out and it is gelatinous in nature. I didn't seem them in the beer when i bottled and they seem to have appeared during the conditioning phase. Has anybody got any ideas what they are? it's also appearing in my second brew batch (wilkinsons pilsner) although my mexican cerveza tastes fine seeing this stuff in there is very off putting

 

[Slid]

Hi funboy,

Nice pics, BTW!

Can we ask how long #1 brew was in the fermenter(s) and how long in the bottle? As the ones you describe are clearly kits, there are not a lot of variables at play, here, relatively speaking.
If it tastes OK, then it almost for sure is OK, but it is an interesting question, at any rate.

 

[funboy]

it was 3 weeks in the fermentor...yeah it's made from kits. It does taste fine...it's just a little off putting seeing that floating in my beer

 

[funboy]

in the bottle it was 3 weeks..i noticed those things after only 1 week

 

[Clint]

Have you got a cat?

 

[funboy]

no a dog...he's not a big drinker though so he stays away from my homebrew lol

 

[terrym]

We had a similar question to this the other week, but I can't remember which post it was. I seem to remember someone identified the substance as a particular bacillus. Hopefully they will see this post or someone else will remember the earlier post.

 

[funboy]

hmmm it's odd that it's still drinkable though. no bad taste

 

[Sadfield]

Sounds like a pediococcus infection turning it ropy. This doesn't always affect the taste.

If you have had this in two beers, a good review of your cleaning and sanitation process is in order.

 

[funboy]

Yeah...I use brewsafe normally but about to switch to norinse ..i think maybe i need to sanitise my bottle tree as well as the bottles. That's the only thing I haven't sanitised. is it safe to drink if that's what I have ?

 

[terrym]

Sounds like a pediococcus infection turning it ropy. This doesn't always affect the taste.

If you have had this in two beers, a good review of your cleaning and sanitation process is in order.

Is this likely to be airborne or coming from contaminated kit?

 

[terrym]

The other recent post, with similar photos
https://www.thehomebrewforum.co.uk/threads/bottled-beer-problem.75527/#post-732970

 

[Sadfield]

Yeah...I use brewsafe normally but about to switch to norinse ..i think maybe i need to sanitise my bottle tree as well as the bottles. That's the only thing I haven't sanitised. is it safe to drink if that's what I have ?

Safe to drink, although it might get worse, and then possibly better.

http://www.milkthefunk.com/wiki/Pediococcus

 

[EddtheBrew]

Hi All ,
Doesn't sound like rope to me , that's usually a dark helical strand like thread with an earthy aroma and an overly pronounced bitterness .
Could I ask what finings you're using, and at what temperature they've been stored at ? , as it sounds like a finings issue (at the mo !!)
Hopefully she'll come right ,
Cheers
Edd

 

[funboy]

i didn't use finings..it was stored in my airing cupboard at about 22c , the for two weeks in my loft at a very low temperature, possibly 2c

 

[EddtheBrew]

Hi Funboy ,
Thanks for letting me know , that the finings have been eliminated as a contributing factor .
Cheers
Edd

PS: the high to low temp variations, and if it actually froze could be the culprit.

 

[Sadfield]

Is this likely to be airborne or coming from contaminated kit?

Could be either in theory as dust can carry bacteria. If pediococcus is the cause it'll most likely be an equipment contamination in this case, as two brews have the issue. I'd be inclined to say it wouldn't be airborne, unless the brewing area is incredibly dusty and the OP was really unlucky to suffer twice.

 

[funboy]

I'm beginning to suspect the bacteria was on my bottle tree...that's the only thing i did not religiously sanitise. for reasons known only to my misfiring brain i thought I didn't need to

 

[EddtheBrew]

Hi Funboy,
We're all capable of having what I like to call Brain Farts ! , it happens to the best of us!! .
Cheers
Edd

 

[funboy]

PS: the high to low temp variations, and if it actually froze could be the culprit.

Sadly no as I noticed the strands in the bottle before I cold crashed