Infected Fermentation

Love2brew · Joined: 01 Aug 2016 Posts: 25 Location: California

Hi Guys,

I finished another batch of the blonde Ale last Tuesday (8/16/16) with an OG of 1.048. I just tested the gravity and it fermented all the way down to 1.004 (should have been about 1.011). That seems pretty far for a week and is way lower than any of my other batches. The Krausen looks runny and there seems to be a mold looking ring around the carboy. Pics below.

Not sure what happened but have any of you experienced this before? Does this batch need to be dumped? I clean all my carboys with a Mark II keg and carboy washer with a PBW solution. I run it for 30 minutes, then rinse with water and brush with a carboy brush, drain, cover, and store. Then, before transferring the wort into it, everything gets soaked in StarSan for at least 30 minutes. This batch started with a great fermentation but it looks like there was a slight blowoff while I was gone this past weekend. I looked at the tube and it looks like some funky krausen has been sitting in the blowoff tube for a couple days. I think that infected the other carboy mixing through the Starsan catch basin that I put the blowoff tubes in.

Any ideas or has anyone ran into this before? Just wondering if I try and salvage this batch or dump it. I've never seen a runny Krausen like this, usually it's bubbly and stuck to the sides.

PS: I use a chest freezer for fermentation with a temp controller and temp strip. This ferm was at about 66 degrees.

**kal** · Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2016 4:10 am Post subject:

The all important question: How's it taste? That would tell you if it got infected.

P.S. I also posted in your other 'horrible efficiency' thread that your math seems off. See here: http://www.theelectricbrewery.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=318909#318909

Kal

Love2brew · Joined: 01 Aug 2016 Posts: 25 Location: California

It's weird, it tastes sweet, not completely spoiled, but different from the other batches. It looks completely different too, I've never seen a fermentation with runny Krausen and such cloudy beer after a week. There is barely a trub pile at the bottom, which is also off. I guess I'll try and secondary and see if it clears up any. If not, I know it will be spoiling quickly.

Also, sorry about the other post, I hadn't replied yet, got back from vacation to this. I'm replying now.

**kal** · Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2016 9:58 pm Post subject:

I wouldn't rack it now to a secondary. It's only been 6-7 days. Let it completely finish in the primary for another week or so then rack into a brite vessel to clarify if you like or go straight to keg if you prefer. Leaving it on the yeast will help it clean up after itself.

Secondary fermentations are basically no longer done. Do all the fermentation in the primary until it's completely done then leave it a few more days to clean up after itself (no hard in leaving a full extra week too), then off the yeast to clarify/package/etc.

Good luck!

P.S. What yeast?

Kal

Love2brew · Joined: 01 Aug 2016 Posts: 25 Location: California

Thanks, I'll let it sit for a bit. I've been kegging (for a cold crash then transfer) after about 2 weeks on our last batches, so that would be about normal for this one. Just wasn't sure if pulling it off now would change anything, especially since it over attenuated.

I used US-05 for the yeast. It's been working great for all my batches. I just pitch it dry into the wort and it's usually bubbling by the next day. I use a stone aerator with straight O2 as well.

**kal** · Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2016 11:28 pm Post subject:

rcrabb22 · Joined: 23 Dec 2010 Posts: 462 Location: Illinois