Yet another "is this bacterial growth pic and question"

[jcorn]

Currently have around 25 5 gallon batches and 3-4 10 gallon batches under my belt. Never have seen this happen so figured it needed brought to here. This Orange Creamsicle ale I made 4 weeks ago in my 15 gallon conical biodiesel tank fermenter setup. I have brewed 3 other batches in this that turned out fine but have never left them in the fermenter as long as this one was. Took samples on days 7,12,14,24,and 28 at kegging. Today while I prepared for kegging, I removed the lid to the fermenter to see a very odd looking spiderwebbed off white layer with bubbles on it (see pic below). Up to this point it tasted great and smelt orangey. It now smelt somewhat sour and tasted somewhat sour as well. But not totally gone.. I added some amylase enzyme and one packet of bitter orange peel on day 14. Could this be the result of either product? Maybe its sour pith off of the orange peel? Cleaned thoroughly with starsan before fermentaion. Lid cleaned as well. I went ahead and kegged just to see what would happen.

 

[jcorn]

Was an extract batch. Used Safale 05. Did the enzyme possibly pull out sugars from the packet of bitter orange peel?

 

[jcorn]

11 lbs. EXTRA LIGHT DME
2 lbs. Milk sugar @ flameout
1 lb. Corn sugar
Steeped: 1 lb. CRYSTAL 10L , 1 lb. Flaked corn, .5 lb. Carapils

2 oz Centennial @ 60 min
.75 Styrian Gold @ 15 min
.25 Styrian Gold @ 5 min
3 orange peels @ 15 min

Cooled wort to 65, pitched 2 packs safale 05
Sg at 1.060
Fg at 1.016

 

[Ravenshead]

That's an infection alright. Based on the sour taste, it's probably lacto but could be anything. Since you already kegged it there's no reason not to see what happens. If you're a fan of the sours, it may actually even taste good. I wouldn't hold my breath though.

 

[cluckk]

Likely it's Brettanomyces. It is a forming pellicle. Likely it piggy backed in on the orange. Lacto has an acidic sweaty smell and flavor, sometimes described as goaty.

 

[jcorn]

Wonderful! vanilla powder really made it go blehhhhh

 

[jcorn]

Th orange peel was added in the boil so that would make it sanitary right? The packaged austin homebrew bitter orange peel was a brand new unopened packet that i added on day 14. Surely I wouldnt have to boil or somehow sanitize the packet of bitter orange peel would I?

 

[badlee]

It got in there somehow,so now the questions is:what to do with it?
Hang on to it and let it ride for a while,let the Brett do what it does and taste again in a few months.

 

[jcorn]

Thanks to all of you for your help! Very much appreciated. I will try and power through this. Maybe even keg hop my way around it with Centennial. It cannot hurt me drinking it obviously, correct? Maybe a little more of a hangover or something haha

 

[Ravenshead]

My bretts never look that cool, they come out pretty boring. I hope it is brett though, because you'll have an interesting beer in the end if it is. And you'll never be able to make it again .

 

[jcorn]

So I f'd up and made a delicicy? Lol. I shook carbed it, add 1/2 an ounce of corriander seed and its not terrible anymore !

 

[xtian116]

Th orange peel was added in the boil so that would make it sanitary right? The packaged austin homebrew bitter orange peel was a brand new unopened packet that i added on day 14. Surely I wouldnt have to boil or somehow sanitize the packet of bitter orange peel would I?

That just might be the case. I've been playing with trying to get yeast from different places, dried stuff is easier to get it from than fresh stuff. If it didn't have any preservatives, it just might have had some strain of something on or in it.

I've found you can get yeast from just about any "organic" dried fruit. I have some growing from apple chips, raisins, and banana chips in my closet as we speak.

 

[jcorn]

My bretts never look that cool, they come out pretty boring. I hope it is brett though, because you'll have an interesting beer in the end if it is. And you'll never be able to make it again .

Holy crap this beer turned out amazing! I just started popping these bottles open and cannot stop. Took it to a beer festival and everyone loved it. It has a beautiful orangey/vanilla flavor with a nice clean tart sourness to it. Thank you guys for not letting me dump this thing!

 

[jcorn]

Holy crap this beer turned out amazing! I just started popping these bottles open and cannot stop. Took it to a beer festival and everyone loved it. It has a beautiful orangey/vanilla flavor with a nice clean tart sourness to it. Thank you guys for not letting me dump this thing!