Mold in the Airlock?

Howdy, all.

I checked on my carboy this morning, and found the airlock full of white fluff. (it's a three-piece bubbler, not one of the S-curve ones).

While I filled it with vodka when I first started the fermentation process, the initial fermentation was vigorous and blew it all out. I figured that as long as something liquid was in the airlock, the bulk of the wort was protected from airborne nasties.

Do I need to be concerned?

Thanks!

Are you sure it's mold, or do you need a blow off tube. How high is the wort?

Did you clean it out after the blowoff? If not, you probably got some wort in there and it's getting moldy.

Personally I wouldn't worry too much, but I would take it off, soak it in some santizer real quick and refill/re-set.

dunnright00;

I did NOT clean it out after the blowoff, and I'm sure it IS wort in the airlock getting moldy. I'm just concerned that the mold can somehow traverse the wort and then back down into the fermentor.

So clean it out. Put it back. Problem solved.

paulster2626 said:

So clean it out. Put it back. Problem solved.

Click to expand...

Step 1: Clean it out
Step 2: Sanitize it
Step 3: Put it back (with vodka in it)
Step 4: RDWHAHB!

90% of all the slants I have made, clean brewer yeast strains are snow white. As long as it stays all white you should safe, when colonies start to mutate the colors vary, with white being the dominant color.

Faseel, I understand about it being white.... but I've never seen yeast get fluffy like cotton.

Ahh, yea in that case, I agree with the rest of the folks, when in doubt clean it out.