Concerned!! Infection!!!

[sudsman]

hello all! I brewed "MADE" ! a Muntons American amber 7 days ago. I had bucket in basement and noticed it was taking very long to see airlock activity... wrapped blankets around it and looked like fermentation took off. lock was still active today i opened to get gravity reading and saw something I've never seen . no foul odor at all? I scraped some foam off with a sanitary spoon and it felt gooey... yeasty ? The og I had was 1.063 . I added 1 lb of corn sugar to the malt when i mixed the wort. My reading today was 1.044?? Not close to where it should be at around 1.014. Im an extract brewer not all grain but the usual 2.5 gal steeped grains etc . I have 27 kits brewed and this is the first time I've ever encountered this. Never had to dump a batch! Did run into over carbed issues a couple times lol. Don't want to dump! Any thoughts are much appreciated! PS crazy weather right now in jersey!!

 

[passedpawn]

I dunno, looks like you're gonna have a happy healthy boy. Normal krausen to me.

What are you using to measure gravity?

 

[PCABrewing]

I dunno, that Boule looks like it will be great sliced, toasted and slathered with some butter.

It doesn't Look bad and you say it doesnt smell bad, I second the question on the method of measurement.
Have you made this specific recipe before?

 

[Stormcrow]

Looks pretty good from here.

 

[mashpaddled]

Looks like a normal krausen. I remember the first time I opened my bucket during primary and mistakenly freaked out.

 

[rburrelli]

Yep. Looks normal. Again, what are you measuring gravity with?

 

[hotbeer]

Picture by itself looks fine compared to things I've seen.


Though some of this might need to be unpacked and discussed:

1. Brewed 7 days ago
2. I had bucket in basement and noticed it was taking very long to see airlock activity... wrapped blankets around it and looked like fermentation took off.
3. The og I had was 1.063 . I added 1 lb of corn sugar to the malt when i mixed the wort.
4. My reading today was 1.044?? Not close to where it should be at around 1.014.

Basement temps can be pretty cold sometimes. What were yours? Might be that everything was slowed down to a crawl by low temps. Especially if your wort also was cooled to a lower than normal temp.

I'm assuming the OG of 1.063 included the 1 lb or corn sugar. If before, then what quantity of wort? 4 gallons? 5 gallons?

The reported the current SG of 1.044 after seven days does suggest that fermentation didn't get started right away. So how many days from pitching did it start to take off as well as when did you wrap the blanket around it?

You say you've never had to dump a batch. Why start now. I'd just let it complete and then bottle/keg it if there aren't any bad signs or objectional tastes.

But to get back to the main question of your concerns, I don't think it's infected. But it's probably too early to tell since the fermentation was delayed for some reason. Temperature may have delayed the fermentation and temperature might also have delayed the signs of any contamination.

So far it looks like fermentation won.

 

[sudsman]

Yep. Looks normal. Again, what are you measuring gravity with?

Hydrometer THamks

 

[sudsman]

Picture by itself looks fine compared to things I've seen.


Though some of this might need to be unpacked and discussed:

1. Brewed 7 days ago
2. I had bucket in basement and noticed it was taking very long to see airlock activity... wrapped blankets around it and looked like fermentation took off.
3. The og I had was 1.063 . I added 1 lb of corn sugar to the malt when i mixed the wort.
4. My reading today was 1.044?? Not close to where it should be at around 1.014.

Basement temps can be pretty cold sometimes. What were yours? Might be that everything was slowed down to a crawl by low temps. Especially if your wort also was cooled to a lower than normal temp.

I'm assuming the OG of 1.063 included the 1 lb or corn sugar. If before, then what quantity of wort? 4 gallons? 5 gallons?

The reported the current SG of 1.044 after seven days does suggest that fermentation didn't get started right away. So how many days from pitching did it start to take off as well as when did you wrap the blanket around it?

You say you've never had to dump a batch. Why start now. I'd just let it complete and then bottle/keg it if there aren't any bad signs or objectional tastes.

But to get back to the main question of your concerns, I don't think it's infected. But it's probably too early to tell since the fermentation was delayed for some reason. Temperature may have delayed the fermentation and temperature might also have delayed the signs of any contamination.

So far it looks like fermentation won.

Hey hotbeer I used a hydrometer for readings. basement temps probably around 68 70. 5 gallons total quantity .Not going to dump for sure. I will check later today. I am used to seeing airlock activity within 12 hours but this time not til at least 24 hours. Thank you for your response i will send update.

 

[sudsman]

I dunno, looks like you're gonna have a happy healthy boy. Normal krausen to me.

What are you using to measure gravity?

hydrometer thanks for responding I will send update

 

[sudsman]

I dunno, that Boule looks like it will be great sliced, toasted and slathered with some butter.

It doesn't Look bad and you say it doesnt smell bad, I second the question on the method of measurement.
Have you made this specific recipe before?

Thank you for response

 

[hotbeer]

I am used to seeing airlock activity within 12 hours but this time not til at least 24 hours.

For my last 3 or 4 brews I haven't seen any airlock activity at all. Not one bubble. Yet they went to their expected FG in only 4 to 5 days. And believe me, I've sealed up everything. However I think for the most part I'm just not there when the very active stuff was happening. Yet I do see a big kraeusen ring on the side of the FV.

With yours still showing a high SG something might be up. But don't worry about the bad till it's bad. It might be just different than what you were expecting.

There isn't really much you can do at this point to make it be what it's supposed to be. Especially since we won't know that until you pour a glass and taste the finished product.

 

[sudsman]

For my last 3 or 4 brews I haven't seen any airlock activity at all. Not one bubble. Yet they went to their expected FG in only 4 to 5 days. And believe me, I've sealed up everything. However I think for the most part I'm just not there when the very active stuff was happening. Yet I do see a big kraeusen ring on the side of the FV.

With yours still showing a high SG something might be up. But don't worry about the bad till it's bad. It might be just different than what you were expecting.

There isn't really much you can do at this point to make it be what it's supposed to be. Especially since we won't know that until you pour a glass and taste the finished product.

Stalled fermentation for sure!!! Moving to warmer spot . Thank you much gonna send update pic

 

[amber-ale]

Taste it
Smell it
Look at the color
If it’s yucky and sour, be suspicious
If it smells/ tastes like beer you would like, wait and see

Soured beer is obviously different and yucky (ok I know this part is debatable)