Is this an infection??

[kenmc]

So I opened up the ale today which has been in secondary for 2 weeks to add some cascade to dry hop. Except I discovered this, so I put the hops back in the freezer for the moment. Is this a down-the-drain jobby? The head-space smells pretty sour. I've been tasting the beer reasonably regularly as I take FG readings, but now it doesn't taste as good, although it could be perception....

[tubby_shaw]

That certainly doesn't look like something I'd want to find on the top of my beer
In fact it looks like some kind of mutant being viewed through a microscope
Pour it down the toilet and hope it doesn't try to come back and bite yer bum

[kenmc]

So it's not even worth bottling it then? Is it only on top or right the way through? I have a bottom tap, so is it even worth trying to rescue the bottom 7/8ths of it??

[tubby_shaw]

but now it doesn't taste as good, although it could be perception....

I think you might have answered your own question
But it's your health

[iowalad]

WMD found in Dublin! News at 11!

[mixbrewery]

Looks like we need a new section on the forum

Title - What the f*** is that!

[kenmc]

so i take it then that no-one else has seen something like this before???

[Jim]

so i take it then that no-one else has seen something like this before???

Not in 30 years.

Something very nasty's got in there at some point. This is one to put down to experience, I'm afraid. You maybe need to review your cleaning/sanitation routine, or it may just be bad luck - e.g. a midge or something got in when you had the lid off last checking the gravity.

[kenmc]

This is the first infection i've had in 12 or 13 brews, so i thought I had the sanitation thing sorted. Aditionally I never open it up to test gravity - I tap it off the bottom.
Would really like to find out what the hell it is though...

[iowalad]

I had an infected brew once (suspect an improperly cleaned/sanitised vessel that I mixed dried isinglass in.

It left a very thin layer of white film on top. The beer had a slight sour taste.
Decided to bottle the "bottom 3/4 of the secondary. All the bottles developed that layer of film.

Ended up having do extended cleaning of all my fermenters, bottling bocket, bottles and related gear.

Worried about the next batch nonstop. I think I declared it infected a number of times when it wasn't.

Trying to rack from under isn't worth it in my opinion.

[kenmc]

I wonder if I can attribute any of it to having a tap on my primary and secondary. It means that I cannot actually sanitize the tap before I transfer beer through it (of course the beer will all leak out if I try to take the tap apart). So while it may be fine for a bottling bucket, as I can sanitize it just before I rack beer into it, as a fermenter it becomes a liability. Anything can go and hide in there until I transfer the beer, at which stage it basically touchs all the beer as it goes through the tap. Maybe it's time to get new fermenters with no taps..
Thoughts??

[steve_flack]

That looks like a pellicle to me. Bugs like Brettanomyces, Acetobacillus and Pediococcus do that - especially when there's oxygen in the headspace.

Congratulations you're now a lambic brewer.

[kenmc]

Congratulations you're now a lambic brewer.

So you're saying I should keep it then

[steve_flack]

Only if you want to have it festering in a corner for a year or three!

It's actually quite difficult to stop at a beer that's a bit sour (like a gueuze or a sour red beer e.g. Rodenbach) and not go all the way through to vinegar.

[kenmc]

and the anti-bacterial properties of hops won't do anything if I add more I presume..??