Is My Beer Infected?

Sorry for the bad pic, it's the best I could get with my phone. This was brewed on the 4th of this month, it's a Vanilla Porter extract kit. I checked the FG on the 20th & again on the 22nd, it's was the same. So on the 22nd, I racked it on two Vanilla beans that I steeped in 170 degree water for 20 minutes, strained the water and put the beans in the carboy. I checked it today and this is what I found. Can I rack enough of the beer into a bottling bucket & still be safe? I think I remember reading on here that as long as I don't rack all the beer, I should be fine. Sorry if "rack" isn't the right word to be using! Thanks in advance for any help!!!

Rack is the correct term. It's really hard to tell in the picture. Those specs near the vanilla could be little bits of vanilla bean, co2 bubbles, or yeast rafts. I would check the gravity, taste the beer, then bottle if it's ready.

Pie_Man said:

Rack is the correct term. It's really hard to tell in the picture. Those specs near the vanilla could be little bits of vanilla bean, co2 bubbles, or yeast rafts. I would check the gravity, taste the beer, then bottle if it's ready.

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I know it isn't Co2 bubbles. There is also a oily film on top of the beer also.

kinda hard to tell from the picture, but it looks like yeast rafts. more clearer pictures would help.

ffaoe said:

kinda hard to tell from the picture, but it looks like yeast rafts. more clearer pictures would help.

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Ok, so if it is yeast rafts, can I still rack it to the bottling bucket and bottle? It's been three weeks since I brewed it. I'd like to do it today. Thanks for help!!

If your gravity is where it should be (or at least stable) then go ahead and bottle. The biggest fear would be if it was Brett which would be producing a pellicle--which this isn't. At this stage it would look like a ghostly spider web growing to cover your beer instead of floating specks.

cluckk said:

If your gravity is where it should be (or at least stable) then go ahead and bottle. The biggest fear would be if it was Brett which would be producing a pellicle--which this isn't. At this stage it would look like a ghostly spider web growing to cover your beer instead of floating specks.

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Thanks for the info, the gravity is where it should be, gonna go ahead and bottle & keep my fingers crossed!! Once again, thanks for all the fast replies!!!

BrewMonkster said:

I know it isn't Co2 bubbles. There is also a oily film on top of the beer also.

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How do you know it's not CO2 bubbles? I've seen an "oily sheen" on nearly every single beer I've made, never been a problem. I'd go with you're fine, unless the taste is off or the SG keeps dropping.

BrewMonkster said:

I know it isn't Co2 bubbles. There is also a oily film on top of the beer also.

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My vanilla bean stout had an oily film on it also I think its a product of the vanilla

Def looks like lil yeast rafts to me. And that oily film could indeed have come from the vanilla beans. Dry hopping gives the same effect.

unionrdr said:

Def looks like lil yeast rafts to me. And that oily film could indeed have come from the vanilla beans. Dry hopping gives the same effect.

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Tasted it, it was good as flat beer can be!!! Lol!!! It's bottled up & put away for a month!!!!! Thanks again to everyone!!!