Oil slick

[btsager]

So I opened a bottle of my wee heavy and poored it to test it. It had only been in the bottle for 2 weeks, and so as expected it was not done carbonating. What concerned me was a little bit of something on the top that looked like oil, (like when you see a puddle of water on the road with oil in it). I've seen this in my secondary before but never after pooring into a glass. This is a 8.25% abv beer, is it possible that this is some kind of infection?

[Mill Rat]

How'd it taste and smell?

[dparsons]

Could be yeast or other stuff that settles when allowed to sit for a while longer.

[btsager]

It smelled fine, but the taste was different. I wouldn't say it tasted bad, but just different. It will probably need to age awhile. Its been another week since I opened that first one, I put another in the fridge that I will open some time today to try, I will take notes and post later.

[Beer Martin]

It smelled fine, but the taste was different. I wouldn't say it tasted bad, but just different. It will probably need to age awhile. Its been another week since I opened that first one, I put another in the fridge that I will open some time today to try, I will take notes and post later.

If you have a judge around that might be able to identify if it's infected that'd be good. Aging + infection is a bad idea. If it's from the yeast and it'll settle out that's fine; it'll get better, but if you age the infection it'll get worse.

Though there's good news if it's an infection. You get to invite friends over for a party! I wouldn't suggest telling them it's infected though.
________
Hawaii dispensary (http://hawaii.dispensaries.org/)

[Mad Scientist]

I've seen slicks on stuff when racking hoppy beers, and there are no issues. Let it age fully and let us know.

[beerking]

If you have a judge around that might be able to identify if it's infected that'd be good. Aging + infection is a bad idea. If it's from the yeast and it'll settle out that's fine; it'll get better, but if you age the infection it'll get worse.

Though there's good news if it's an infection. You get to invite friends over for a party! I wouldn't suggest telling them it's infected though.

Beer Martin is right. People keep thinking if the beer is bad you can age it to make it better, when in reality infected beer plus age equals old, bad beer. Even worse, some infections will keep working, and producing CO2, which could end up creating bottle bombs over time.
If there is a production flaw (over hopping, tannins, etc) you MIGHT be able to age it out, but any infection will only get worse.

[btsager]

Well I poored another one today. I don't think it is infected, the oil wasn't in this one. It is very sweet and malty though, there are a lot of flavor's in there. I think I will let it age awhile longer and try one each month until it mellows out more. Here is my recipe though if anyone wants to give more advice.

5 Gallon Batch

12# Gold LME
1# Medium Crystal 50-60 L
.5# Dark Crystal 70-80 L
.5# CaraMalt
1oz Roasted Barley

Steep Grains at 150-160 for 45 min.

Half LME at 90 min.
Remainder at 30 min.

1.25oz Northern Brewer 8.3% at 60 Min

Est. IBU 32.8

Yeast:
WLP028 Edinburgh Scottish Ale

Into Primary OG 1.094 5-26-08

Transferred to secondary on 6-2-08

Gravity at 1.035 on 6-17-08

Gravity at 1.034 on 6-29-08 – pitched a packet of S-05.

Gravity at 1.031 on 7-21-08 – Bottled.

[Mad Scientist]

recipe looks good, but final gravity was a tad high.