What Happened?????

[Darren Andrews (Daza)]

Hey guys went to start bottling after cleaning all my bottles and equipment to be faced with this...then the smell at first was like very sharp and like vinegar, but then in glass trial jar and measuring jug, not as bad, I'm wondering if I cold crashed and dry hopped before it had finished fermenting, it still had that krausen on it when I dry hopped....the gravity reading was around the 1.014? I put it bac in fridge to do another cold crash was that the right thing to do? please help, very disappointing....

Daza :-(

[Darren Andrews (Daza)]

I kinda made this one up too the recipe, taking some measurements from a book, I think I'll go back to buying a recipe from Brewtopia, and do clones too from them to I can get it right.....sad day,

[Sam DT]

Those just look like clumps of un-floculated yeast - should be just fine.

Did you try it? Some times you just get weird smells coming off 1.014 isn't a bad finishing gravity - probably a touch high for a pale ale but good for and IPA.

If it was an infection I'd expect it to have gone much lower.

What temperature did you take your gravity reading at?

[Darren Andrews (Daza)]

at 18C the gravity may have been hovering around the 1.011 to 1.014 it was pretty hard to read, just about at the bottom of trial jar un-floculated yeast is....? what can I use instead of dextrose as I have non left?(I chucked it away, when I saw this mess) didn't try it, smelt pretty lethal at first like shot up my nose and back of throat like thinners does, you reckon safe to try? talking a lick the finger try? with all that suspended yeast or hop matter floating around in it, will that clear up in the fermenter I have got it going down to 1.5C to clean it up. cheers.

[Sam DT]

I don't think there'd be much harm in leaving it cold crashing for another week and bottling then - if you do perhaps try giving it a swirl, it might knock some of the CO2 out of those yeast clumps so they sink.

I believe the general consensus is that it's extremely difficult if not impossible to brew something dangerous, i'd take a small glass and give it a try - you're not going to get a good idea of the flavor off a finger dip.

Yeasts can throw all sorts of crazy smells when fermenting - doesn't mean the end result will taste like that.

[Darren Andrews (Daza)]

[Darren Andrews (Daza)]

I swirled it and came out with this sample using auto syphon and not willing to drink it, smells ok but at the moment no clarity at all. did put my finger in a few times and wasn't sick, so that a good sign. It may come right in a few days maybe cold crash for 1 week try again next Saturday? air bubbles in air lock when undoing lid doesn't mean anything eh?

[Sam DT]

No - it's probably just sucking air back in as the top lifts - you can make it bubble by just leaning on the top.

I'd just chill and give it another week.

That looks like trub and yeast, drinking that wouldn't do any damage apart from maybe giving you the shits - trub and yeast don't taste too good either way - if you can't pull a clean sample then definitely give it some more time.

[Darren Andrews (Daza)]

will do just leave it for now I don't have any gelatin to try anyway, time will help ,smell is alright can stick my head in the jug  I have sample in and have a big sniff with out gagging so that's good haha. cheer guys hey will I need to re sanitize bottles they now in a sealed cardboard box.

[Craig Howard]

Did you fine it in the fermenter for a couple of days?

I once had to re-fine a brew.  

The first time didnt work and I got somethging similar to yours..the second time worked well.

[Darren Andrews (Daza)]

know idea what re-fine is mate?

[Craig Howard]

Finings are added in the fermenter for 2 to 3 days right at the end..pre bottling.

"re-fine" just meant ..I redid the "fining"

I dont cold crash ( except for a Pils Lager I brewed)...and the finings do the clearing business. for me. 

Google up "beer finings"

[Darren Andrews (Daza)]

I have added Irish Moss in the last 10 to 15 min of boil those are beer finings eh?