Brew gone Bad

eddiegravestock · Post by **eddiegravestock** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 5:21 pm

My Current brew Muntons Connoisseurs Export Pilsner has been in the fermenter 6 days on returning today and checking it theres a really think layer over the surface and smells really bad. does anyone have any idea whats happend to it.
i did take a photo of it but i left the data cable at work.

thanks in adavnce for the help

Post by **Jim** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 5:28 pm

Can you describe the smell? Beer often smells odd while it's still fermenting.

prolix · Post by **prolix** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 5:34 pm

smells bad as in eggy bad or ester bad?

eggy or sulphur dioxide are often by products of lager yeasts and will disipate as the beer conditions

ester smells are usually yeast infection or bacteria infection and are bad unless you like lambic beer

If there is a thin white layer on the beer that had previously lost its yeast head I fear a yeast infection, wild yeats have come to roost .

eddiegravestock · Post by **eddiegravestock** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 5:35 pm

It got a vinegary smell, i've just broken the surface and underneath it looks really clear going to take hydrometer reading in a sec see how it is

prolix · Post by **prolix** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 5:41 pm

vinegary is not good

eddiegravestock · Post by **eddiegravestock** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 5:45 pm

it's one of those smells that get down your throat
it hydro reading 1.010

prolix · Post by **prolix** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 5:58 pm

you could try taking the bottom 3/4 of the beer off(bottom tap or syphon but don't mix the beer whilst doing it.

does it tase as bad as it smells?

sparky Paul · Post by **sparky Paul** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 5:59 pm

I'm with prolix... you'll have to have a taste.

If it tastes of vinegar, that's bad news I'm afraid.

eddiegravestock · Post by **eddiegravestock** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 6:13 pm

tastes alright not much of a flavor but think i might just bottle and see how it goes. found 1 good use for it though my dog hates the smell so i might put some round the flower beds keep him off them.

sparky Paul · Post by **sparky Paul** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 8:11 pm

It's not unusual for beer to taste a bit insipid straight out of the fermenter, you might be alright after all.

A bit of carbonation works wonders for the taste.

gorymorph · Post by **gorymorph** » Mon Oct 15, 2007 7:44 pm

hi
does the thick layer look like this
viewtopic.php?t=7727&highlight=

eddiegravestock · Post by **eddiegravestock** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 3:14 pm

No it didn't look like that, but i thought last weekend it wouldn't hurt if i left it another week if it's gone off it can't get worse. i looked at this morning smells great the head has completly gone. so going to bottle it hopfully tommorrow. I think it must have taken longer to ferment than the others i've done.

Thanks for all the advice.

nicktherockstar · Post by **nicktherockstar** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 12:14 pm

I had a brew once that randomly stuck the whole house out of eggs,

actually ended up being the most drinkable brew to date.... not that thats saying much!

eddiegravestock · Post by **eddiegravestock** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 5:33 pm

I'm Hoping this one will the be the same then

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Brew gone Bad

Brew gone Bad