[beerlord]

Brewed up a Coconut IPA which I've done before though this time I used the same hops Ryan did. I went to do my dry hop after 16 days in the primary and there was what looked like hop residue on top though I've not added any dry hops before today. It doesn't smell bad but I took a taste and got a strange flavor. Semi fusel I had this problem twice last summer though it was more noticeable but this did not go above 68 degrees and has been between 65-68 for 2 weeks.
I went ahead and dry hopped and plan to keg on Sunday but don't know if I want to even waste time adding any more coconut in the keg. I think I'll condition in the keg for a few weeks before kegerating (sp) it and adding coconut and take another taste in 2 weeks.
This does not look like any infection, doesn't smell bad and doesn't have a vinegar taste (yet?) and I've used hops I've not before but none that are high alpha or odd tasting....all tropical. Maybe it's too early to tell and I should chill but without bragging I have to say, I've brewed long enough to know something isn't right.
Other things to know are that I took a reading 3 days ago and it's finished but there was only about 1/5 of this on top and I thought it was possible residue from the flameout addition of baked coconut. I've tasted fusels twice and this didn't taste quite like that but I guess it could be a milder version but how do you get fusels other than how temps not pitching enough yeast......and that was not the problem either. I had a fresh and big enough yeast starter and the only thing odd about this batch is that it started working within 4 hours.

[ynotbrusum]

Just a WAG, but maybe it is a pellicle with lots of hops in it?

[beersk]

Looks like hop scum to me. Is that one of those Brew Buckets?

[beerlord]

Yea, SS BrewTech.  It's my 5th time using it and I love it.
It most definitely does look like hop scum but why 2 weeks after fermentation and when no hops were added?  I did dry hop yesterday but the difference between 3 days ago and yesterday was alot more at the top.
And, added to that, the loss of the coconut flavor I had 3 days ago and the addition of the semi fusel, makes me think the yeast might still be doing something and it could be off gassing.

I think I'll keg this Sunday as planned but naturally carb in the keg. I don't have room in the keezer yet anyway so I can let it sit 2 weeks carbing, take a taste then and if it's good, keezer it, add the rest of the baked coconut and Bob's your uncle! 
None of this happened in January when I brewed it with different hops than Ryan's recipe called for.

[Slowbrew]

to me it looks like you used pellet hops and the little flaky pieces are sitting on top of the remains of your krausen.  Doesn't look like anything to worry about to me.

Paul

[beerlord]

I sure hope so, I haven't ditched a batch in a long time and don't want to anytime soon.  The amount and the increase so late along with the unexpected taste got me.
I will just RDWHAHB and move on.

[denny]

to me it looks like you used pellet hops and the little flaky pieces are sitting on top of the remains of your krausen.  Doesn't look like anything to worry about to me.

Paul

I thought the same thing when I saw it.

[duboman]

to me it looks like you used pellet hops and the little flaky pieces are sitting on top of the remains of your krausen.  Doesn't look like anything to worry about to me.

Paul

I thought the same thing when I saw it.

+1 I get that sometimes with pellet hop dust settling on the yeast rafts

[morticaixavier]

to me it looks like you used pellet hops and the little flaky pieces are sitting on top of the remains of your krausen.  Doesn't look like anything to worry about to me.

Paul

I thought the same thing when I saw it.

yup, and I bet the slightly scummy look is the oils from the coconut floating on the surface

[beerlord]

Yea, I get the oil part as the last one I did have decent head but it didn't last and I can live with that.  But I can't wrap my head around why all this happened days after FG was reached.
You'd think with all the beers under my belt I would have seen a good bit by now but that's the beauty of this hobby.....each 'child' is different.
If it weren't for the semi strange taste, I don't think I would have even posted this.
I'm cold crashing in a few days and hopefully drop this out.

[denny]

Yea, I get the oil part as the last one I did have decent head but it didn't last and I can live with that.  But I can't wrap my head around why all this happened days after FG was reached.
You'd think with all the beers under my belt I would have seen a good bit by now but that's the beauty of this hobby.....each 'child' is different.
If it weren't for the semi strange taste, I don't think I would have even posted this.
I'm cold crashing in a few days and hopefully drop this out.

I guess I don't understand why having reached FG would have any bearing on this.

[ynotbrusum]

I have one that's similar, only it's brownish - from a chocolate porter.  Was the pic taken before or after the hop addition?  If after, then it likely is a combination of off-gassing, coconut oil and floating hops.  If before, then you must have brought a lot of hops over from the boil to get that much hop residue!  The fusels are generally an indicator of high temp fermentation, but at 65-68 it seems unlikely...maybe just tastes that way due to the hops and coconut flavors combo?

Let us know how it turns out.  I bet it mellows with age and isn't true fusels.

[beerlord]

Yea, I get the oil part as the last one I did have decent head but it didn't last and I can live with that.  But I can't wrap my head around why all this happened days after FG was reached.
You'd think with all the beers under my belt I would have seen a good bit by now but that's the beauty of this hobby.....each 'child' is different.
If it weren't for the semi strange taste, I don't think I would have even posted this.
I'm cold crashing in a few days and hopefully drop this out.

I guess I don't understand why having reached FG would have any bearing on this.

I've spent too much time reading about this but read where it could be off gassing that pushes the hop particles to the top.  And I thought that off gassing didn't happen if fermentation had completed but I guess I just showed more of what I don't know.

[duboman]

Yea, I get the oil part as the last one I did have decent head but it didn't last and I can live with that.  But I can't wrap my head around why all this happened days after FG was reached.
You'd think with all the beers under my belt I would have seen a good bit by now but that's the beauty of this hobby.....each 'child' is different.
If it weren't for the semi strange taste, I don't think I would have even posted this.
I'm cold crashing in a few days and hopefully drop this out.

I guess I don't understand why having reached FG would have any bearing on this.

I've spent too much time reading about this but read where it could be off gassing that pushes the hop particles to the top.  And I thought that off gassing didn't happen if fermentation had completed but I guess I just showed more of what I don't know.

yup, off gassing can and usually will happen anytime there are changes in the environment, temperature fluctuations etc, regardless.

[beerlord]

Well, what a bunch of smart folks here.....it does appear that after a slight chill down, a great majority of what was on top fell and it definitely wasn't an infection.  I kegged today and naturally carbed it (only 2 oz of corn sugar) and will check in 2 weeks to see how she is.
I still do get an alcohol  taste and now think the blame is on too many gens of the yeast I was using. Originally it came from a local brewery (007) and though I've not washed it, I made over size starters and continually kept some each time to use a few times more.  So, the new question for you yeast brains is......can a stressed and over genned (my new word) yeast cause an off flavor that is similar to fusel and will time help?  I've had fusels before and no amount of time helped.
No where near ready to ditch this one.