Cris White's forced fermentation test - I need a little help with it

[Elysium]

I have decided to put a little bit of wort (without yeast in it) after brewing into a transparent bottle....just to do a forced fermentation test that I learnt from the book "Yeast" by Crish White and Jamil Z.

I have taken 2 photos of it....one after 1 day and another one after 2 days. The 1st one was completely clear.....but on day 2, a little bit of white foam appeared. Does this mean that there is wild yeast activity in there? Or is this something normal that happens to wort that is left at 68 F with no brewers yeast in it?
By the way....I have just checked the bottle again and there is a little bit of bubbling in it, meaning that something is eating the sugar in it. Then again......there is no brewers yeast in it. So...it is surely wild yeast infected.

Here is the day 2 image.

Should worry at all or in the main fermentor the brewers yeast will overpower any traces of wild yeast?

 

[philosofool]

The wild yeast may not even be in your fermenter, and unless you were planning to age this beer, you probably won't even be able to taste it if it is, for exactly the reason you mention: the brewer's yeast will out compete it. But all you can really do is wait and see.

If it sucks when it's done fermenting, put it in a carboy with some brett and lacto. Wait four months and see....

 

[tagz]

I think I remember it as:

Activity on Day 1 = Poor Sanitation
Activity on Day 2 = Ave Sanitation
Activity on Day 3+ = Very Good Sanitation

But, yeah, don't worry about it. If you pitched a healthy culture, your yeast will over power the other elements.

 

[Elysium]

I think I remember it as:

Activity on Day 1 = Poor Sanitation
Activity on Day 2 = Ave Sanitation
Activity on Day 3+ = Very Good Sanitation

But, yeah, don't worry about it. If you pitched a healthy culture, your yeast will over power the other elements.

Active on day 2.......Ave sanitation, which means what exactly?
By the way.....this info is from the book? I am trying to understand how to interpret the activity in the bottle....but that part of the book is a bit confusing to me.

 

[tagz]

I think it was from a Basic Brewing podcast where they discussed the technique. I have the yeast book as well so I can take a look tonight. If you assume that a healthy yeast culture will take off within 12 hours, and your wild yeast/bacteria will take 2 days, the yeast are going to win out. If your jar showed activity in one day, the bacteria population might be large enough to compete with your pitch.

 

[Elysium]

I think it was from a Basic Brewing podcast where they discussed the technique. I have the yeast book as well so I can take a look tonight. If you assume that a healthy yeast culture will take off within 12 hours, and your wild yeast/bacteria will take 2 days, the yeast are going to win out. If your jar showed activity in one day, the bacteria population might be large enough to compete with your pitch.

I have just tried looking for that podcast with no success....can you remember what the exact title was and when they broadcast it?

 

[broadbill]

Active on day 2.......Ave sanitation, which means what exactly?

It means nothing unless you have had a problem with infections in previous batches.

This is a problem in search of solution, in my opinion.

These guys are under pressure to fill up a book with some new/innovative things, and this is what you get.

 

[jaw94087]

I've done this same test many times with similar results of "wild" fermentation after 3, but occasionally, 2 days. In all cases, I had never been able to detect off-flavors or other issues...

Jim

 

[Huff360]

This is not a Forced Fermentation Test.

Forced Fermentation Test is when you pull a small sample (like this) and grossly overpitch it. The point is to be able to determine what the FG will be quickly. This might be used to know when to add additional sugars, nutrients, etc.


You are doing a George Fix Test. It's not a solution looking for a problem, nor is it new and innovative. George Fix died in 2002. The test is one of the best possible ways to check your sanitation procedures.

Sanitation is the first thing you need to get figured out to make good beer.
The second is fermentation temp control.

 

[Huff360]

Disclaimer -

I have not read Yeast, so if they call it a Forced Fermentation Test in there, I apologize. I'd be surprised if that was the case though.

 

[Elysium]

This is not a Forced Fermentation Test.

Forced Fermentation Test is when you pull a small sample (like this) and grossly overpitch it. The point is to be able to determine what the FG will be quickly. This might be used to know when to add additional sugars, nutrients, etc.


You are doing a George Fix Test. It's not a solution looking for a problem, nor is it new and innovative. George Fix died in 2002. The test is one of the best possible ways to check your sanitation procedures.

Sanitation is the first thing you need to get figured out to make good beer.
The second is fermentation temp control.

You are totally right. It is called wort test if I am not wrong.
I am going to check in the book and change the title of the post.

 

[broadbill]

You are doing a George Fix Test. It's not a solution looking for a problem, nor is it new and innovative. George Fix died in 2002. The test is one of the best possible ways to check your sanitation procedures.

Do you call and make an appointment for your car at the shop before starting it up in the morning, on the off-chance it doesn't start for you that day?

OK, its called the George Fix Test, and its not new. It is also a test that is looking for a problem you probably don't have. Yes, George is a god in the brewing world, but this test is next to useless for homebrewers.

I agree that sanitation is important, but if you don't have an infection problem why bother with the test in the first place? Maybe it would be good for a commercial brewery to do when 30bbl of beer in on the line; but for 5 gallons of homebrew? I'll take my chances on having to dump 5 gallons on simply following a recommended and common-sense approach to sanitation instead of a stupid little test that tell me nothing about my actual process.

My time is limited, I'm not spending time doing things that don't provide value to me or my process (i.e. produce beer).

 

[EarlyAmateurZymurgist]

I think I remember it as:

Activity on Day 1 = Poor Sanitation
Activity on Day 2 = Ave Sanitation
Activity on Day 3+ = Very Good Sanitation

But, yeah, don't worry about it. If you pitched a healthy culture, your yeast will over power the other elements.

No activity forever = absolutely sterile!

 

[broadbill]

No activity forever = absolutely sterile!

more like:

Activity on Day 1 = Poor Sanitation..and it doesn't tell you what is wrong about it...
Activity on Day 2 = Ave Sanitation...still no clue how you can improve....
Activity on Day 3+ = Very Good Sanitation...great!, I have no idea why...

 

[tagz]

Yeah, it's kind of a strange test because it only tells you if you have a sanitation issue with your hot side equipment (not likely) or your transfer equipment. It doesn't tell you anything about the actual fermenter you just put all your wort in.

 

[Elysium]

Yeah, it's kind of a strange test because it only tells you if you have a sanitation issue with your hot side equipment (not likely) or your transfer equipment. It doesn't tell you anything about the actual fermenter you just put all your wort in.

I agree with you, but it is still a test that looks at a part of your brewing process. Meaning that those with problems can at least rule out hot side/cold side sanitation.