What Is The Layer of Stuff at The Bottom of My Homebrew Beer?

Have you noticed an unusual layer of gunky buildup at the bottom of your homebrew fermenter or beer bottles? Many people throw out their beer batch at the first sight of gunky buildup like this. After all, common sense should tell you that it’s not a normal step in the homebrewing process. But what exactly is this abnormal buildup? And is safe to drink? To learn the questions to these and more, keep reading.

Now, for the question that’s burning a hole in your mind: what in the heck is this unusual layer of gunk in my homebrew beer? The short answer to this question is that it’s leftover sediments from the yeast. Some of the yeast may not settle and disperse completely in the brew, leaving behind visible sediments that add up over time. These sediments typically appear as a layer of white gunky stuff that either sits on the bottom of your beer or floats to the top. In any case, it’s completely normal and shouldn’t cause any reason for concern.

Although it’s completely safe and normal, many homebrewers don’t want to drink beer with a layer of  white gunky stuff. The good news is that you can take some preventive measures to reduce the chance of it happening. Going back to the basics of what causes it, you should give your beer plenty of time to ferment properly (24-48 hours at least), as this will help infuse the yeast into the brew. Pulling your brew out of fermentation prematurely forces the yeast to deactivate; thus, leaving behind a greater amount of sediments. The bottom line is that you should remain patient and give your beer plenty of time to go through the fermentation stage.

Of course, using too much yeast in your homebrew beer may also encourage the production of sediments. If you can’t seem to get your sediments under control, try lowering the amount of yeast on your next homebrew batch. Lowering your yeast content by 10-20% could be just enough to prevent the buildup of a sediment layer. The only way you’ll know whether or not this works is through trial and error, so don’t be afraid to experiment with different  amounts of yeast and hops in your homebrews.

Lastly, make sure you stick with a premium-brand yeast and not some cheap, off-the-wall brand. Investing in a good brand of yeast will ensure your homebrew beer ferments properly while reducing the chance of sediment buildup.