Very odd outcome

[bryanferry]

Evening All, I recently made a batch of the simple wit and the brew day went fine hitting at the targets. Left it to ferment for two weeks and then bottled. Two weeks have since passed and just tried to open one for a sample.

The odd part is that it pours like a syrup and is in the glass like jelly. It's carbonated and looks like a normal pint but is undrinkable. Can't figure out where I went wrong. Never heard of an ale turning out like this.

[MTW]

Only time I've seen anything jelly like was in a starter that got badly infected, while culturing bottle dregs. What was the FG and how jelly like are we talking?

[Fil]

never heard of this either? did loads n loads of flour and unconverted starch get into the boil?? could you capture the phenomenon in a photograph??

[Dave S]

Sounds like an infection to me, though I've not yet heard of one having that kind of effect.

[smdjoachim]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ub31Pq_IKJw like this?

[Eadweard]

Sounds like ropey beer. Leuconostoc?

[Charles1968]

Yes, "ropey beer". Slimey material that appears during spoilage of food or drink is usually from bacteria. See link below. Note the problem kept coming back - e xtra vigilance with sanitation might be needed.

https://byo.com/stories/item/1264-preve ... -mr-wizard

[bryanferry]

smdjoachim, thanks for the vid. It's exactly like that. I've been brewing AG for several years and never had a batch go this wrong.
i have a batch of Christmas ale on at the moment so will keep a careful eye on it.

[bryanferry]

Cheers Charles for the link. I did leave this to ferment for 14 days as it wasn't fermenting out fully by day 7. I roused the bucket to get the yeast working again and this could of let nasties into it. I also make a lot of bread in my kitchen and found the initial trial jar following a recent boil had started fermenting spontaneous. I'll do a deep clean and buy new buckets. Hopefully sort myself out.

[Charles1968]

I would also recommend taking care when disposing of the infected beer. Don't pour it into the sink in the room to you use for brewing and don't wash the bottles there. If you don't need the bottles it might be best to put them all in a recycling bank, even unopened.

[Dave S]

Sounds like ropey beer. Leuconostoc?

I had a case of ropey beer about 40 years ago. Don't recall jelly-like properties though, just pouring in a twisting motion - like rope in fact. It's a weird phenomenon for sure.

[BenB]

It could even be a xantam bacteria infection. They produced a very slimey, jelly like substance (xantham gum). Commonly used as a thickener in substances like fat free mayo.

[Dave S]

It could even be a xantam bacteria infection. They produced a very slimey, jelly like substance (xantham gum). Commonly used as a thickener in substances like fat free mayo.

Sounds delightful

[bryanferry]

Strangely I'm trying to make beer jelly firstly using a youngs chocolate stout. If it works I'll be trying some more with my Christmas ale. Hopefully it'll come out the same consistency as the terrible wheat.