Has my stout gone bad

[scampy]

Hi Everyone

I'm new here and was hoping I can get some advice. My stout has a white film over the top and does not smell too great. Thinking it may have an infection. It FG is now stable after 13 days. Is it right to bottle and drink after a few months. I cant get sick form it can I? I have included a pic.

Thanks! Bernie

 

[Chefflahertycec]

the photo is looking suspect to me and looks like infection. Is your FG been stable for 13 days or has it been in your primary for 13 days and it's now stable? Did it show signs of "odd fermentation"? Did you taste any samples when you were taking FG readings?

 

[FatDragon]

If it's reached FG, you could rack from under the infection and bottle, but there's a risk that some of the infection will still make it into the bottles and keep fermenting the normally-unfermentable sugars in the wort, leading to potential bottle bombs.

I think a lot of folks here would recommend you go that route, ideally bottling in PET bottles if you've got them, refrigerate once you're sure they're carbed, and drink them fast.

The other popular idea that doesn't involve dumping the beer would be to let the infection take over and sour the beer, which usually takes months but produces a unique beer that isn't for everybody but certainly commands higher prices if you're buying it commercially. If you're letting it sour, you might want to get a glass carboy or other non-plastic fermenter to avoid oxygen seeping in through the plastic, though thoughts vary on that.

Either way, unless you want to risk another sour batch like this in the future, it's wise to throw away or repurpose anything plastic that touches this beer, since it can be hard to get bacteria and wild yeast completely off of your plastic gear.

 

[scampy]

Thanks for your response guys.

Cheff, it has been in the tub for 13 days and is now stable at 1007. I tasted it and it tastes unusual but tbh im not really familiar with stout, was my first batch.

Great feedback fatdragon. I think I'll either bottle it and drink it quick or flush it. How long would they take to cab if i went that route?

I might try the bleach approach and hope that cleans the equipment properly. I'll then put on a cheap brew and see what happens

Thanks again guys.

Scampy

 

[Hello]

Definitely infected and if the bucket was cheap, just toss it or write the word "SOUR" on it for the next time you want to brew a sour.

 

[dantose]

I've used strains of yeast that fermented like that. What was in the recipe?

As far as getting sick, you won't. It's going to taste too terrible to drink before you get any actual dangerous bugs in there.

EDIT: actually, first time I saw that on top of a beer, I thought i had an infection. It was a new yeast i was trying and when i tasted it it was AMAZING. Then, of course, I realized i lost my sheet that had the name of the yeast on it. cultured yeast off the beer for 2 other batches (also gross looking scum and amazing taste) but never did figure out what strain that was.

 

[IvanTheTerribrew]

Definitely infected and if the bucket was cheap, just toss it or write the word "SOUR" on it for the next time you want to brew a sour.

Yeah don't use this bucket again for non-sour beers. There's a chance that even if you thoroughly clean it that the infection will travel over.


- ISM NRP

 

[Naturallight16oz]

Did you use any Lactose in your recipe? I have had that before and i think i was told that the lactose does that sometimes. Not sure

 

[dcp27]

definitely looks like a pellicle/infection, but to look like that only 13 days in is really quick. definitely give it a taste. some infections are awful, some are good. at 13days it probably hasn't had much effect so you could package it and store cold once carbed to preserve the current flavor & prevent bottle bombs

If it's reached FG, you could rack from under the infection and bottle, but there's a risk that some of the infection will still make it into the bottles and keep fermenting the normally-unfermentable sugars in the wort, leading to potential bottle bombs.

racking underneath the pellicle does not reduce the risk of the infection going to the bottle, it will definitely be in the bottle. a pellicle is just a film limiting the exposure of oxygen, not the infection itself

Did you use any Lactose in your recipe? I have had that before and i think i was told that the lactose does that sometimes. Not sure

lactose would not do that. you may be thinking of lactobacillus