Bugs in my beer?
Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 3:23 am
by Chugger
Hello Everyone!
I am in a little of a panic here. I have an oatmeal double stout in the carboy that is due to be bottled in 5 days. It is a nice dark (black) ale and I found things swimming in my beer!!!
They look like little sperm that swim to the top of the carboy, drop off an air bubble and then swim back down to the bottom. I am saying "WTF!?!" and I showed my wife just to prove that I am not crazy. I have not seen this in any of my other brews and was just wondering if this was natural and something that I have not noticed before.
If I could take a video of the process I would...
Any suggestions??
Thanks
J-P
Re: Bugs in my beer?
Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 7:45 am
by Reposado
Have you let JP anywhere near your carboy? It sounds like he's been doing the old five knuckle shuffle again.
Video would be nice, of your carboy, not of JP...
Re: Bugs in my beer?
Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 8:38 am
by Phil
i don't think anything macroscopic can live in beer, at least not for very long.
Re: Bugs in my beer?
Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 8:39 am
by Mylo
Does it look like a fucking tadpole, or are you using creative license here? During later parts of fermentation, some globs of yeast sometimes do end up floating to the surface by riding a big CO2 bubble. They are not flagellates. Once the bubble pops, the clump falls back. If this is the case, you're fine. RWDHAHB.
If an amphibian crawls out the top of your carboy, then you other issues.
Mylo
Re: Bugs in my beer?
Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 10:39 am
by brewinhard
+ 1 for MYLO!
No pathogens can survive in beer (low pH, alcohol, etc) that will make you sick. Sounds like yeast clumps riding to the surface. Let'em have their fun!
Re: Bugs in my beer?
Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 10:55 am
by TapItGood
Cheers and Welcome Tadpole!
Re: Bugs in my beer?
Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 11:35 am
by Chugger
Mylo wrote: During later parts of fermentation, some globs of yeast sometimes do end up floating to the surface by riding a big CO2 bubble. They are not flagellates. Once the bubble pops, the clump falls back. If this is the case, you're fine. RWDHAHB.
If an amphibian crawls out the top of your carboy, then you other issues.
Mylo
They do look like tiny tadpoles but the tails don't wiggle. I think your yeast glob explanation may be right. These are about the size of the head of a pin. When the glob is attached to the CO2 bubble it floats up and the thickness of the beer could cause the yeast look like its streaming a tail? But the CO2 bubbles are not large in comparison the the yeast globs. Maybe 1/3 the size. They go to the neck of the carboy or right to the top and then drop back down.
I hope its the yeast...
Thanks
J-P