Mold/Lagering my ale

**cheezydemon3** · 12-21-2009, 08:24 PM

I had an ale in secondary with some whole hops (dry hopped) floating.

I had it in an opaque ale pail.

It sat for 3 months that way.

I opened it last weekend to find white mold floating on the surface, more or less on the hops.

I transferred the beer from under the hops and mold (leaving a decent bit).

There are some tiny bits of mold now floating in tertiary.

A little frustrated, I tossed the whole thing in my fridge to "lager" any bits out that can be.

Should I toss this batch? Will lagering it work? should I just bottle it?

TipsyDragon · 12-21-2009, 08:27 PM

i would taste it first. but mold is not a good sign. are you sure its mold?

**cheezydemon3** · 12-21-2009, 08:57 PM

Pretty sure. It tasted OK. No vinegar.

From what I understand, you could drink moldy beer and it wouldn't hurt you.

It was white stuff stuck to the floating whole hops. Never seen anything like it through many brews and many dry hopped.

Rushis · 12-21-2009, 09:08 PM

It might not be mold. Dry hopping puts some interesting oils and potentially proteins into your beer which can lead to a white scum/foam. There are few pics floating around HBT that might give you a better idea of what this looks like. I've had some odd white foam from dry hopping in the past, it never made a significant impact on my brews.

**cheezydemon3** · 12-21-2009, 09:23 PM

Thanks. I will drink it.

mitch171 · 12-21-2009, 09:35 PM

I thought I had mold once (read new brewer) but it was yeast that had balled up and was floating after further inspection/thinking.

Poolplayer · 12-21-2009, 09:40 PM

when you enter the room and a voice yells "turn out that #*%! light!!" then you have a serious problem

**cheezydemon3** · 12-21-2009, 09:49 PM

Actually it just asked me to dim the lights and get it a gin and tonic.....I think it was trying to seduce me.

**scrambledegg81** · 12-22-2009, 05:43 AM

Keep your fly zipped and a bat handy.

**cheezydemon3** · 12-23-2009, 01:48 PM

Well, the fridge will probably get it back in the right mood, and slow any growth (if it is mold), but it probably will not "lager" out floating bits.

Guess I will need to filter it.