Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Is this yeast or somthing else?  (Read 2945 times)

Offline ndcube

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 612
Is this yeast or somthing else?
« on: May 02, 2011, 06:10:23 pm »
I've done a few beers this winter with WY Pilsen lager yeast.  They all have formed these flat globular floaters that I notice when I go to rack the beer.  It's like a light brown with maybe some green in it.  I usually scooop it off before I rack and it tastes harshly bitter more than anything which makes me think leftover Krausen.

So the fact that it's been in my lagers leads me to believe it's either related to this yeast I haven't used before or I have infection in my bucket.

All the lagers were fermented in the low 50's.  I've also been leaving all the trub/hops/break in the fermenter which is new to me but I don't see how that would be a factor.

Have a look (sorry if it's a little blurry):

http://home.roadrunner.com/~thewilliams/brewing/P1110146_small.jpg

http://home.roadrunner.com/~thewilliams/brewing/P1110144_small.jpg

Offline ndcube

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 612
Re: Is this yeast or somthing else?
« Reply #1 on: May 02, 2011, 06:16:15 pm »
Also,  I haven't noticed any off flavors in the beers but maybe I don't have the pallet (spelling?) for it yet or I just catch it early enough.  They all taste / tasted pretty clean to me.

Offline pyrite

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 443
  • Davis, CA
Re: Is this yeast or somthing else?
« Reply #2 on: May 02, 2011, 10:51:17 pm »
That doesn't look normal for any type of lager fermentation, nor does it look fine for an ale.  That doesn't look like any sour beer I've ever made. In my experience it doesn't even look like anything brettanomyces would generate.  I shouldn't even speculate what it is or isn't, but I know it's not normal. 
If you don't get in over your head, how are you ever going to know how tall you are.

Offline morticaixavier

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 7781
  • Underhill VT
    • The Best Artist in the WORLD!!!!!
Re: Is this yeast or somthing else?
« Reply #3 on: May 03, 2011, 08:52:18 am »
looks like yeast to me. but I am no expert.
"Creativity is the residue of wasted time"
-A Einstein

"errors are [...] the portals of discovery"
- J Joyce

Offline ryang

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 429
  • Indian Hills CO
Re: Is this yeast or somthing else?
« Reply #4 on: May 03, 2011, 09:01:04 am »
also not an expert, but I can say that I have seen that on my beers more than once (both ales and lagers).  Didn't really think too much of it.  It drops out with extended cold lager (at least for me).

No off flavors/bad stuff going on in the beer afterwards.  Perhaps there is something in Yeast (White/Zainasheff) about it?  It's still just sitting on my bookshelf.

Offline euge

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 8017
  • Ego ceruisam ad bibere cervisiam
Re: Is this yeast or somthing else?
« Reply #5 on: May 03, 2011, 09:38:39 am »
I've seen this before. That's just the remains of the krausen after it settles.
The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. -Richard P. Feynman

Laws are spider-webs, which catch the little flies, but cannot hold the big ones. -Anacharsis

Offline ndcube

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 612
Re: Is this yeast or somthing else?
« Reply #6 on: May 03, 2011, 09:52:13 am »
Thanks for the responses.  Kind of what I figured / hoped.

Also,  Not to hijack my own thread but is a ring of Krausen normal with lager yeast?  The one in my pic was a little bigger than most b/c the beer was strong but I thought lager yeast was bottom fermenting.

Offline Will's Swill

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 359
  • Secretly likes wine...
Re: Is this yeast or somthing else?
« Reply #7 on: May 04, 2011, 11:18:28 pm »
I definitely get a ring with my lagers.
Is that a counter-pressure bottle filler in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?

Offline wingnut

  • Brewer
  • ****
  • Posts: 357
  • Plainwell MI
Re: Is this yeast or somthing else?
« Reply #8 on: May 07, 2011, 05:59:03 pm »
Lagers definitely have a krausen ring.  The CO2 that evolves from fermentation pushes yeast and other things that are in the krausen to the top... just like ales.  In fact, I think budwiser has special fermentation tanks that help keep the krausen from falling back into the beer.

-- Wingnut - Cheers!

Offline bluesman

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 8825
  • Delaware
Re: Is this yeast or somthing else?
« Reply #9 on: May 07, 2011, 09:06:21 pm »
I've seen this before. That's just the remains of the krausen after it settles.

+1

I call it fermentation residual resins. It's the byproducts of the fermentation generated by the krausen layer that was busy fermenting the wort and they are sticky (oily) and bitter. It's best to let them remain behind during the racking stage.
Ron Price

Offline punatic

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 4583
  • Puna District, Hawaii Island (UTC -10)
Re: Is this yeast or somthing else?
« Reply #10 on: May 07, 2011, 11:43:46 pm »
I've seen this before in my lagers (bottom fermenters).  I always figured it was bits of trub that were lifted to the surface by CO2 bubbles caught up in the proteins.  No worries.
There is only one success: to be able to spend your life in your own way.


AHA Life Member #33907

Offline morticaixavier

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 7781
  • Underhill VT
    • The Best Artist in the WORLD!!!!!
Re: Is this yeast or somthing else?
« Reply #11 on: May 08, 2011, 10:53:10 pm »
I've got some of this going on with my Cali common that has been going for 7 days now. I am guessing the either Turb of Krousen (hop resins) hence the bitterness
"Creativity is the residue of wasted time"
-A Einstein

"errors are [...] the portals of discovery"
- J Joyce