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Secondary fermentation
Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 3:58 pm
by Ding chavez
So I am brewing a ale. Once I transphered to secondary fermentation the heater I was using stopped working so the tempiture fell below 65. It has bein sitting at that temp now for about two weeks and I've noticed a thin almost white film over top of the brew. Could this just be protines coagulating because of the cold temp. Or could the batch be spoiled
Re: Secondary fermentation
Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 4:19 pm
by jacinthebox
If you were sanitary. ..its probably just co2
Re: Secondary fermentation
Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 8:46 pm
by Celiacbrew
Infections kind of look like dusty bubbles. Hop oils also can leave a film on the top of your beer.
Re: Secondary fermentation
Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 8:49 pm
by CartoonCod
Can you post a picture?
Re: Secondary fermentation
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 8:44 am
by Ding chavez
Any thoughts?
Re: Secondary fermentation
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 9:36 am
by gm-
That looks like the start of a pellicule to me, so it is probably infected. How does it taste/smell?
Re: Secondary fermentation
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 9:49 am
by jacinthebox
Yea that looks like an infection. ..if it tastes and smells ok...rack under it and keg
Re: Secondary fermentation
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 9:55 am
by evanisnor
That's definitely infected and probably not because your heater failed. You should toss the airlock and bung in the garbage to be safe and give that carboy the cleaniest clean you've ever cleaned. Hot oxyclean or PBW with a good brushing for sure.
So assuming the infection was caused by the carboy then that should take care of it, but you might want to replace any siphons and tubing as well.
Re: Secondary fermentation
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 10:00 am
by LeafMan66_67
Also, you may want to replace your racking hose and give your racking cane or auto-siphon an extreme clean as well.
Re: Secondary fermentation
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 10:16 am
by Jimmy
What's your cleaning/sanitation process?
Re: Secondary fermentation
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 5:40 pm
by CartoonCod
That definitely looks like a Brettanomyces pelicle. I've cleaned some of my glassware with a 24 hour soak in warm noble grape pink cleaner followed by a good soak in star-san and the Brett still survived. PBW might work against it. Definitely replace any plastic that came in contact with it.
Re: Secondary fermentation
Posted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 7:09 pm
by evanisnor
I hear 10:1 bleach might work as well
