Sunaquar

Recipes 

It's my first time for mead making. It's been 10 days and I can see the fermentation going on. But I see the green spots on the carboy wall. I did sanitized everything completely. I would really appreciate if someone can clarify if its mold or not. I don't see any mold on the surface though.you can see that on the upper right hand side of the pictures.

Please help!!!

monkeyinwolfsuit

Recipes 

Looks like mold to me sorry.

snuesen

Recipes 

If it is mold, which looks like it could be with that color, then you didn't sanitize as well as you should have. Maybe read up on it again if necessary.

Doesn't mean the batch is ruined tho. It's not even in liquid, so just keep track of it and when you rack make sure you leave anything that isn't mead behind.

Sharkman20

Recipes 

Rack it into a new sanitized carboy. Mold spores from the growth on the side will be in the air on the inside of the carboy.

Sunaquar

Recipes 

Thanks guys. I will rack it today. I am guessing because I was shaking it too much to start the fermentation without adding the yeast, mold developed on the sides since there were not enough lactic acid bacteria to prevent the mold. Also I left some air gap. I should have filled it up almost all the way.

monkeyinwolfsuit

Recipes 

I'm no master with mead making, but if an infection has already been introduced into your mead I would boil it and re pitch the yeast

WVMJ

Recipes 

What is your recipe? Did you add potassium metabisulfite? Does it smell funny? Are you using an airlock? When did lactic acid bacteria start to prevent mold? How about a picture of your whole carboy? dont dump it out yet! WVMJ

Sunaquar

Recipes 

It was just traditional mead - raw honey and water. I didn't added anything else. Fermentation started after lot of stirring. I believe raw honey has the yeast and after honey's water content is more than 17%, fermentation starts.

I think I made couple of mistakes like stirring it after the fermentation started, leaving it partially open. I should have used the air lock after fermentation slows down. It does not smell bad, because mold is just on the sides of carboy.

Also I left good amount of space in the carboy, thereby exposing the area for mold. I should have filled it almost to the neck.

WVMJ

Recipes 

You are supposed to stir during fermentatioin, at least 2x a day. Honey above 18.6 (I think that is the number they gave us for storing honey) will ferment on its own with native yeast, but who says those are the best yeast, you may have been better off dropping some yeast in there before you starred. WVMJ