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Infected or not

plumbersbrew

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I brewed this coffee stout on Sunday. I used 2oz ground coffee and 4oz of bakers chocolate. The yeast is Nottingham.
 

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With regards to infection, of more importance than your ingredient list would be your sanitation practices. If you're clean you shouldn't have to worry about infection. If you're concerned about the way your yeast is behaving look at the way you are treating them. Did you pitch at the correct temp? did you aerate well? Did you use a starter?
 
I've had some of my stouts do this when I've used Hersheys special dark chocolate, baking chocolate or tootsie rolls.  Mine was the wax in the chocolate.  It separates out in the boil and looks gunky nasty on top.  I'm not saying that it is or isn't an infection, just pointing out that it could be wax.

Everytime I use a chocolate with wax, it takes me quite a while to get the coat of wax out of my carboy.
 
If your beer is infected severely at this stage then you dumped the wort into a large active colony of nasties.  If you took some basic precautions as suggested below, you won't have a big infection at this point.  Cleaning and sanitizing before dumping the wort into the carboy, preventing exposure to open air, not licking the stir spoon, etc, then you can appreciate the fermentation process with wonder and fascination.  Before too long you will be wiping thick, creamy beer foam from your lips. 
 
I'd say don't panic at this stage. Probably just a bunch of proteins floating on top you will loose when you transfer. I wouldn't say I was qualified to make that judgement however - need someone more experienced such as Brewfuns opinion. But definately not time to start thinking about dumping it, it could well clean up into a really great beer. I had a batch where the yeast looked kind of doughy and strange and I thought all was lost but it turned out fine.
 
Thanks guys. My panic is subsidising.  I think it going to be ok. Time will tell.
 
When I've had infections they've been fuzzy rafts with tendrils. Unmistakable mold. If it looks like yeasty crud, it's probably just yeasty crud.  Looks fine to me.
 
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