Infection?

[HerrSchnapps]

So, bottling day today for the first all-grain stout. I put the bottles in the tub of weak bleach solution to soak, and then had a look at the carboy in the cupboard. Oh shit. There's like a ring of small white spots, about 10c piece size each, floating on the surface around the outside edge of the beer (see attached photo, sorry about quality, camera batteries died after first shot). What could this be? Mould? If so, can I still bottle it if I syphon from underneath, or... will this be a sacrifice to the beer gods? By the way, I'd syphoned the beer from the fermenter into the cleaned carboy on Thursday night, and it was tasting and looking fine from the fermenter. So it looks like I've picked something up during the siphon. :(

[Simon]

Assuming that you’ve sanitised your original fermenter, carboy, siphon, specific gravity equipment and anything else that has been in contact with the beer and avoided contamination from your saliva and airborne nasties during and after (have you kept the carboy covered/airlocked?) siphoning, then you are probably looking at a little bit of extra fermentation from the yeast you have used that has had time to occur during the last 3 days. Even with a specific gravity reading that appears to have stopped moving, the yeast will still be active in chewing through a small quantity of the sugars that will be left in the beer. If you have also noticed non-beery or foul smells, e.g. vinegar etc., then that could be a sign of an infection. Otherwise, I would just go ahead and bottle it and wait and see how it turns out.

[Dan]

Maybe just some yeast residue, taste it, and you,ll know, if it is an infection a little bit of sourness isn't out of place in a stout.
It doesnt look too nasty to me.

[Ollie]

Definately has the form and colour of a yeast colony. The fact that it's on the top indicates it is, at least an ale yeast.
Shut up and drink it I say.

[HerrSchnapps]

lol, okay looks harmless then. Sorry, I was feeling somewhat gutted that my first all-grain had turned out to be a dud after all the effort! Especially because I have big expectations... phew, okay now I'll stop panicking, STFU and RDWHAHB...
Thanks guys :)

[Toast]

Do the white spots look at all furry? Just checking it's not a mould infection...you're probably all right, but do as the others have said taste it and see.

[denimglen]

Looks like mould to me, not light brown and lumpy enough for yeast IMO.

I've had it a couple of times, just siphoned from underneath and kegged. Both beers tasted fine.

Only takes a couple of spores and the oxygen from siphoning into a new carboy to kick it off.

Drink it if it tastes ok :-)

[Horace]

I agree - mould. Several times have had similar growth in partially rinsed fermenters filled with water. I'm not the tidiest brewer. Doesn't look all that appetising but I'd bottle before chucking it though.