Unusual fermentation

[shammo]

i put a kit and kilo brew together on sunday, boiled mostof it on the stove with some extra hops and some steeped grain etc, put it all in the fermenter, but it was too hot to add yeast and was gonna wait until monday to add yeast, but havent had a chance to do it, but it seems to be fermenting anyway, lots of airlock activity and kraussen forming.

is it possible it is fermenting or is it doing something else?

[Sonny]

Whoops Shammo. From my very limited experience you probably have picked up a natural yeast. Fingers crossed 'eh!
I think most will say, call it a lambic.

Looking forward to the pros explanations.

[barrelboy]

Hi Shammo, how hot was hot. Perhaps its the fermenter giving the gas?

[shammo]

i think it was maybe 30 - 32 degrees, would kraussen still form without fermentation though??
i also didnt notice any airlock activity the first couple of days.

[barrelboy]

No I wouldn't think so, Sonny could be well right.
BB

[Tipsy]

i think it was maybe 30 - 32 degrees, would kraussen still form without fermentation though??
.

The yeast will love this temp and go off their rockers, but will not make very good beer.

[Sonny]

Shammo, I see you haven't got any scientific brewer's answers yet. Everyone must be sleeping.
But as mentioned above and if it is krausen which you have developing without adding any beer yeast, then do not tip it out.

I say let it go the entire way and see what you get?
Looking forward to the result.

Have you Googled Lambic yet?

[warra48]

If you didn't add yeast yourself, somthing else is obviously fermenting your brew.
I'd say you have picked up a wild yeast, and at the initial temperature of your brew of 30-32ºC it will go off it's rocker, as well expressed in earlier posts.

I'm no scientist, nor much of a scientific brewer, but I think that's the most probably explanation to my mind. I doubt it's an infection as such, as the characteristics seems to be following a normal fermentation.

As suggested already, let it go, make sure it ferments out fully, then check how it's ended up.
As suggested, google "Lambic", and you'll see some Belgian brewers produce beer in the same fashion as you have now accidentally discovered. Let's hope the wild yeast does nice things for your brew.

[shammo]

will google lambic, fingers crossed on this one.

[shammo]

really not sure about this one, googeling it has just made me more confused i think, not sure what to do, hope someone might have some good ideas on what i should do

[bullfrog]

Let it ferment out then give it a taste. Keep your eye on it, as well - funky beers tend to look pretty nasty but can still taste okay. A lot of lambics are too overpowering and need to be blended with another beer, so that's something else you could look at doing if it comes out a bit over-the-top.

[drsmurto]

Wild yeast for sure.

The question is what strain?

I'd be betting the FG drops to 1.000 or thereabouts. Most wild yeast strains are hungry beasts not to mention those capable of converting ethanol into acetic acid (acetobacter).

I wouldn't be bottling this.

[shammo]

I wouldn't be bottling this.

regardless or depending on taste????

[Lachy]

If it is an acetobacter fermentation, would the result simply be malt vinegar?

[drsmurto]

Sorry, should have followed up that statement with a reason.

Wild yeast tend to ferment more of the sugars so even though you think it mat be finished it likely isn't.

This will almost certainly lead to bottle bombs.

If the strain was pure acetbacter then maybe you;d get malt vinegar albeit hopped. The problem is its more than likely a combination of a number of bacteria.

[shammo]

do you think it could be possible to add a sachet of yeast anyway and let it ferment out??
would flavouring it with rasberry or something help the outcome??
i really dont wanna tip it out but not sure what to do with it

[warra48]

do you think it could be possible to add a sachet of yeast anyway and let it ferment out??
would flavouring it with rasberry or something help the outcome??
i really dont wanna tip it out but not sure what to do with it

There's no point in adding more yeast now, as the wild yeast/bacteria are no doubt well on the way to chewing through your batch, and any new yeast just won't get a look in.

As to adding raspberry or other flavours, it would entirely depend on how the batch tastes once it's fermented out. I agree with DrSmurto the wild yeast is likely to ferment it well beyond the normal finishing gravity, so that will strip a lot of the usual malty beer flavours and body from the brew. It will probably have higher than normal alcohol, which may not be all that tasty.

To my mind, you have these options:
1. Allow it to ferment right out, and see how it tastes. If you think it's acceptable, sure, add flavouring if you want.
2. Chuck the brew now, and make sure you completely clean and sanitise your fermenter and tap etc. Then, for your next brew read up on how to chill your brews down to temperature and pitch your yeast before anything else gets a chance to get in first.

[shammo]

cheers guys, think i might just get over it and chuck it, to much hassel and lesson is learnt