Film over finished beer.

Discussion in 'Homebrewing' started by dsrobbins, Apr 28, 2012.

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  1. dsrobbins

    dsrobbins Initiate (0) Jun 1, 2009 Wisconsin

    I haven't brewed for over a year, and the last brew I made (10g of stout) has a slight but persistent film over the top. It is not growing larger and there are no bubbles, nor does it cover the entirety of the surface area. The film manifested shortly after racking to 2ndary (in both carboys, but with different appearances) and has shown no signs of increasing or decreasing in size over the last year. Is this likely a contamination? I would post pictures but I have been unable to capture this visibly with a camera.
     
    #1 dsrobbins, Apr 28, 2012
  2. midworken

    midworken Initiate (0) Sep 20, 2009 Nebraska

    I doubt it is a bacterial contamination, but my knowledge is limited in this area since the longest I've kept a batch in a carboy is only 3 months. Just to clarify: one carboy has this film and the other carboy does not? How much longer do you plan on keeping it in the carboys?
     
    #2 midworken, Apr 28, 2012
  3. VikeMan

    VikeMan Grand Pooh-Bah (3,067) Jul 12, 2009 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    Does it look 'oily' or is is a solid mass?
     
    #3 VikeMan, Apr 28, 2012
  4. dsrobbins

    dsrobbins Initiate (0) Jun 1, 2009 Wisconsin

    it almost looks like a very thin layer of wax. It is in both carboys. They were fermented separately with different yeast. One was Irish Ale, and the other was...I don't recall, American Ale I think. I plan on keeping them in carboys until I fix my kegerator, which is backseat to my 2 kids and pregnant (for the next few weeks) wife...oh and work...and golf.
     
    #4 dsrobbins, Apr 28, 2012
  5. Prostman81

    Prostman81 Initiate (0) Sep 27, 2008 Illinois

    I've had this happen to me before on several beers, and it was an infection in my case. It didn't affect the quality of the beer too badly if I kegged it and drank it fast, but the longer the beer hung around, the worse it got. And by worse, I mean it tasted tart/sour.

    I just called the beers "Belgian" and powered through them.
     
    #5 Prostman81, Apr 28, 2012
  6. jbakajust1

    jbakajust1 Pooh-Bah (2,552) Aug 25, 2009 Oregon
    Pooh-Bah

    Does the wax film kind of resemble flour poured on top of water? Powdery looking, or a matte finish on a photo? Draw a sample and see how it tastes. Powdery film like flour or powdered sugar sounds like Brett. Taste to confirm.
     
    #6 jbakajust1, Apr 28, 2012
  7. LeeryLeprechaun

    LeeryLeprechaun Savant (1,094) Jan 30, 2011 Colorado
    Trader

    Does it smell different than you would expect?
     
    #7 LeeryLeprechaun, Apr 29, 2012
  8. NiceFly

    NiceFly Initiate (0) Dec 22, 2011 Tajikistan

    you are fucked. drink quickly.
     
    #8 NiceFly, Apr 29, 2012
    arkinsparkin and dsrobbins like this.
  9. Agold

    Agold Maven (1,287) Mar 13, 2010 Pennsylvania

    pix?
     
    #9 Agold, Apr 29, 2012
  10. inchrisin

    inchrisin Pooh-Bah (2,013) Sep 25, 2008 Indiana
    Pooh-Bah

    Seriously, the best advice I can give has been handed down to me. How does it taste? If it's ok, bottle it up.

    *Where you at HB42?
     
    #10 inchrisin, Apr 29, 2012
  11. dsrobbins

    dsrobbins Initiate (0) Jun 1, 2009 Wisconsin

    It kind of looks more like a matte photo. I will try to take a picture but it has been difficult to get a photo that illustrates the phenomenon well. As far as tasting it...if it is contaminated with something alive, I want to keep it sealed up until I decide to keg it. Then I can taste it and decide if I want to oak it and age it, or dump it
     
    #11 dsrobbins, Apr 30, 2012
  12. bwiechmann

    bwiechmann Zealot (748) Nov 30, 2009 Minnesota
    Trader


    Banned
     
    #12 bwiechmann, Apr 30, 2012
  13. DeutschesBier

    DeutschesBier Initiate (0) Feb 8, 2009 Maryland

    Seriously?
     
    #13 DeutschesBier, Apr 30, 2012
  14. ororke5000

    ororke5000 Initiate (0) Dec 16, 2008 Ohio

    how many hops did you put in this beer? i have seen a film on beers before and they dont always mean anything.
     
    #14 ororke5000, Apr 30, 2012
  15. thejewthatbrews

    thejewthatbrews Initiate (0) Sep 22, 2007 California

    Taste it, then again in a week or two or three. I've had slight films before that haven't affected the quality of my beers, even after kegged or bottled for long periods of time.
     
    #15 thejewthatbrews, Apr 30, 2012
  16. dsrobbins

    dsrobbins Initiate (0) Jun 1, 2009 Wisconsin

    Honestly? I don't remember and I don't have immediate access to that recipe (wherever it is). It wasn't to heavily hopped.
     
    #16 dsrobbins, May 1, 2012
  17. dsrobbins

    dsrobbins Initiate (0) Jun 1, 2009 Wisconsin

    #17 dsrobbins, May 1, 2012
  18. Prostman81

    Prostman81 Initiate (0) Sep 27, 2008 Illinois

    #18 Prostman81, May 1, 2012
  19. Awertz

    Awertz Initiate (0) Apr 25, 2012

    #19 Awertz, May 2, 2012
  20. ororke5000

    ororke5000 Initiate (0) Dec 16, 2008 Ohio

    yeah the "plastic bag" look is a give away. i had originally thought that the film was transparent, if that was the case it could have been some of the oils from the hops collecting on the surface of the beer.

    might want to rack it and bottle it without getting to much of the surface in the bottles, or you could let it ride for a few months. but seeing how the beer is a year old now you might want to keg it up and drink it. might be real tasty, ya never know...
     
    #20 ororke5000, May 3, 2012
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