Lager infection?

[dougmc]

Hello everyone,

I finally brewed my first lager after about 20 all grain ale batches! After waiting 6 weeks for my lager is finish fermenting I opened it up to transfer to my keg and saw some strange waxy stuff floating in it. Does anyone know if this is an infection? I've already kegged it and will definitely not be throwing it out until I try it, but if anyone has any idea what it is I'd appreciate the advice!

I left it in for the initial 14 days and checked to see how fermentation was coming along. It had only dropped to 1.022 (OG 1.052, FG 1.008), but I wasn't concerned because fermentation takes as long as it takes and there's no point in rushing it. However, after another week and a half it was at the exact same spot, so I figured it was stuck and pitched a packet of dry yeast. I left that for another 2.5 weeks without checking and finally opened it up this afternoon.

Name: Lakeside Lager
Recipe Type: All Grain
Yeast: WPL810
Yeast Starter: YES
Batch Size (Gallons): 5
Original Gravity: 1.065
Final Gravity: 1.012
IBU: 25
Boiling Time (Minutes): 60
Color: 6 SRM
Primary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 14 Days @ 55 F
Secondary Fermentation (# of Days & Temp): 30 Days @ 50F

Thanks and cheers,

Doug

 

[g-star]

The solid, opaque white sheets look like a lacto infection. Sorry.

It shouldn't take 14 days at the high end of the fermentation temp range (55F) for your beer to drop from 1.052 to 1.022. It sounds like you had a weak fermentation to begin with...how big was your starter? Did you use pure O2 to oxygenate?

For example, my Maibock that is now finishing up dropped from 1.068 to 1.018 in 7 days at 48F, and is still chugging along, although activity has slowed. This is a more normal lager fermentation.

 

[dougmc]

The starter was about 2 litres, but I just shook the bucket to add oxygen. I did open the bucket a couple of times, I thought I sanitized everything very well but there's always a chance of screwing something up. Guess I'll have to try again. Thanks for the help.