what is this and where should I go from here?

[mglicini]

I have been brewing for almost 5 years now, and kegging for almost that entire time. I have never had anything that looked like an infection, and always felt my cleaning practices we solid. I brew all-grain and extract brews and I use a converted keg for my full gallon boils. irish red brew day was a pretty typical brew day for me with nothing dramatic happened to note that I would think could contribute to an Infection, to the best of my knowledge everything that touched post boil was clean and sanitized. except for the cleaned immersion chiller that I put into the boil kettle for the last 10 minutes of boil. The infection is in the primary fermenter. I meant to rack earlier, but went on vacation, and the attached pictures is the top of the beer after 2 weeks in primary. is this an infection because I feel if I have to ask then it must be? So, I have 5 major questions (with a bunch of little ones) I would love answered if possible.

1. Do you all believe as well that this is an infection?

2. When it comes to cleaning/replacing equipment post boil that could have contributed to the infection. If it is metal or glass can I jus bret clean as usual and use star san, should I use bleach, or is it recommended to replace all of it.

3. should I dump it to avoid having to replace the future equipment the beer would touch (siphon cane, and tubing), since the infection started in the primary fermenter, give it time to sour and have a sour Irish red (which sounds nice).

4. If I choose to save it and do the necessary steps to see where this beer goes. (keg, carbonate, and serve) do I need to replace parts of my draft system since they will have been in contacted with the sour beer (keg, O-rings, draft line etc..).

5. If I do save it, how long does one typically give sours to do their thing before kegging and carbonating, should I do a secondary or just leave it in primary since that is less infected equipment.

 

[Stillraining]

Hard to tell..I have had all kinds of different looking float-some beers to beers..You think you have a handle on everything and then along comes a brew that falls out of the norm for no apparent reason. Take a hydrometer sample and see what it is. Taste it while doing so. If its sour you have a decision to make on what to do with it. I hate sours so it would be an easy call for me. If its not sour, then take another reading in another week and taste it again..If its the same both in FG and not sour then its probably not an infection.
IF it does sour SS and Glass there is no need to toss out but a through cleaning and sanitation is in order, same with dispensing equipment..If its plastics I would possibly relegate to sours only. However I actually soured a batch on purpose and still use that plastic bucket for regular beers..so it can be done.

 

[EcuPirate07]

Could be nothing, My last beer had bubbles like that, although not as many, mostly just in different areas on top of the beer. It kinda scared me so I kegged a little early and everything is fine, it was just from fermentation. Do what @stillraining said, but I don't think it will be infected....just my 2 cents.

 

[bajaedition]

relax

spray starsans around the bung, pull the bung and take a sniff

if no off smells it should be ok, SHOULD not always

if it is infected it is not a major ordeal, just do an extra good cleaning next time and super sanitize. If you suspect where it came from go medieval on it with cleaning.

but relax, that does not look bad, go sniff it

 

[Yesfan]

I agree with bajaedition. To me, looks like the beer has just been off gassing. Just going by the infection thread here, seems a lot of those pics have a haze/film with the bubbles. I'm not seeing that with yours.

BUT, like has been said......starsan the bung, remove and take a whiff. Since it's two weeks, maybe go ahead, take a gravity reading, and see if it's ready to keg if no off smells.

 

[mglicini]

well I smelt it, and it does smell fine. Tomorrow I'm going to taste it, and if it taste good, take a gravity and keg it and see where that takes me. Thanks everyone

 

[GnenieGone]

One of the advantages to brewing in a bucket. Can't see what's going on. If it's infected there's nothing you can do about it. Ferment it out and sample as normal..

 

[wysiwyg]

How about give that carboy a good swirl and see if the bubbles come back? If they do then you may want to crash it and make it done. If they don't then it was just off gassing and it's progressing to the final stages.

 

[hottpeper13]

The beer I fermented with Mangrove Jacks M10 looked like that. It was a fast and furriest,and looked like that at 3 days.

 

[bajaedition]

How about give that carboy a good swirl and see if the bubbles come back? .

After the start of fermentation it is not advised to aerate the wort.

 

[RM-MN]

After the start of fermentation it is not advised to aerate the wort.

With an airlock on the carboy the inside of the carboy should have CO2 in it, not oxygen. A swirl will not add oxygen.

I don't see infection, I see the results of a stalled fermentation that came back to life. Infections in primary are rare and would normally be from poor sanitation. You put pasteurized wort into a sanitized carboy and added yeast. The yeast quickly multiply overwhelming any bacteria, then produce CO2 that by itself inhibits most bacteria. In this process the yeast also drive the pH lower which also inhibits bacterial growth.

 

[bajaedition]

you are correct

 

[ircbrewing]

I do not see an infection there. Those bubbles are clear and clean looking. It's probably just there from primary fermentation activity. If you have to question it, it probably isn't an infection. I have not had one either, but certainly I have had different things on the surface of my beer, like yeast rafts and bubbles like the one's you posted (though not quite as many). I have a feeling when you have an infection you will know it for sure without question. Keg away friend.