So I did my first AG, This happened

[AceMcAce]

Weighing out, fine
Heating, fine
Mashing, fine
Sparging, fine
Boiling, fine
Cooling, fine
Pitching, fine
Fermenting, seemingly fine
Dry hopping, seemingly fine
Going away for a few days, great
coming back to find this, wtf?

What the hell is this?

Now, it doesn't smell bad, it just looks weird. Usually my advice would be "don't chuck it til you taste it" but does anyone know what I've got?

[gobuchul]

Doesn't look particularly bad to me.

I guess it just finished the fermentation and the Krausen has dropped away.

Taste it, if it tastes fine it is.

[Rubbery]

Looks like a slight Pellicle. Maybe due to your dry hopping. Try weighting the bag down to stop the hops having access to oxygen.

It probably wont kill you. If it taste fine I would drink it.

Here is an interesting link on the subject http://phdinbeer.com/2015/01/30/beer-mi ... -pellicle/

[AnthonyUK]

It looks as though your bag was not clean enough which is a good reason not to use them. The submerged part should be fine but I agree that it looks pretty minor and should be OK.

[Matt12398]

That is an infection. The fact that it's concentrated around the hop bag suggests the hop bag wasn't properly sanitised. If I use them I tend to boil before use.

Hops being exposed to oxygen doesn't generate infections, microorganisms in your beer does.

[Rubbery]

Hops being exposed to oxygen doesn't generate infections, microorganisms in your beer does.

True, but a lot of micro-organisms fare better in the presence of Oxygen and we are not operating in sterile conditions.

[Capped]

I've never personally encountered anything remotely like that in donkey's years of homebrewing and despite what the good folks say on here I'd approach that with full body armour and biohazard gear and tip the lot away as far from the house as possible. It may well be OK but the thought of suppin' it would make me retch. Yuk!

[AnthonyUK]

I've never personally encountered anything remotely like that in donkey's years of homebrewing and despite what the good folks say on here I'd approach that with full body armour and biohazard gear and tip the lot away as far from the house as possible. It may well be OK but the thought of suppin' it would make me retch. Yuk!

There are very, very few things that can cause any harm that can live in fermented beer. Some of the most interesting beers are made with microbes as well as yeast

[AceMcAce]

Can I slap a few quid on the RRP for calling it a "Wild Beer"?

[Jocky]

I'm with those that say 'infected', with the cause being the dry hop bag.

Was it boiled for 15 minutes before filling with hops and throwing it in?

[AceMcAce]

I'm with those that say 'infected', with the cause being the dry hop bag.

Was it boiled for 15 minutes before filling with hops and throwing it in?

Yep. It was indeed.

[Cpt.Frederickson]

I had a similar experience with loose hop flowers once. I use pellets these days, with much better results. No mucking about with hop bags and weights, just chuck em in and chill down to 2c after a few days. Tidy.

[Bazz]

If that was a jar of jam I'd scrape it off the top and taste what was underneath, if it tastes fine then keep, if it tastes rotten dump, so I would give it a chance yet.

[Piscator]

If that was a jar of jam I'd scrape it off the top and taste what was underneath, if it tastes fine then keep, if it tastes rotten dump, so I would give it a chance yet.

The infection is not limited to the top layer - that is just where it is visible. Be aware that whatever you transfer it into will also become infected and will need a bloomin good clean and disinfect once the beer is gone.

[WalesAles]

AMA,
Don`t worry!
I am only a Kit Brewer but I have seen worse!

Look at this....................

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=72102

The beer is fine so far, had a bottle yesterday and it was Bloody Lovely Mun!

WA