Signs of infection?

[ebeero]

How does one tell if a batch is heading down hill?

I transferred a Scottish ale to a secondary yesterday. I saw a foreign particle flow into the pail. Nothing huge but maybe the size of a good match head. This may have been introduced from the spigot as I have been using bottling buckets for both primary and secondary fermentation.

I have never made a Scottish ale before, nor have I ever tasted it. The color currently is a caramel color. Not quite as dark as an amber beer. I pulled a small sample and it taste like beer but just a tad bitter or sour, but just slightly. The more I pecked at the sample the less I felt it was bad at this point, but if the foreign material that just entered last night had any microbes then it may not be long before it is a goner. :(

The questions

1. How do you tell?
2. Unless the infection is severe is diagnostics 100%?
3. Besides dumping it what if anything can be done at this point?
4. If the conclusion here is that it may be infected, but not 100% should I get this bottled, carbonated and into a refrigerator ASAP.

Thanks

[BrewDog]

Relax-

It might just be a yeast clump or something like that.

There's a lot of alcohol in the beer by now. That will help to kill anything that might have made it's way in.

Most likely it will be fine.

[rougetrout]

I have brewed scotch ale and had a sour taste going into secondary. This goes away 2-3 weeks later. I am assuming it will go away if you bottle directly as well. Sometimes off products present after initial fermentation disappate with rest.

As a side not contaminants will often be at the air-beer junction in the bottle and the fermentor it will probably be slimy and leave a film on newly cleaned bottles.


Enjoy!