Quick question about using fresh berries...

I have almost 3 gallons of cider that I ran through primary fermentation and then crushed and added 3 packages of raspberries to on 10/27. I went to bottle it today and the top looks moldy but it smells fine, you can definitely smell berries.

I've used berries before but never let them sit this long and I'm wondering at this point whether this batch is safe. I'd like to bottle tonight and was hoping to get some feedback here.

Thanks.

Are you sure that's mold and not a krausen (the foamy, meringue-like head that develops during the initial stage of beer fermentation.) Take a look at my Cider with Blackberries thread and look at the pic from day 5.

UpstateMike said:

Are you sure that's mold and not a krausen (the foamy, meringue-like head that develops during the initial stage of beer fermentation.) Take a look at my Cider with Blackberries thread and look at the pic from day 5.

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It's possible I guess. It doesn't smell bad like I said. This was a five gallon batch originally. I split almost three gallons away after the primary fermentation and kept two gallons without berries. That batch has no foamy head. Maybe the sugar in the berries resulted in further fermentation?

CiderScot said:

Maybe the sugar in the berries resulted in further fermentation?

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Probably.

I'd pull a sample from under it and taste it, if it tastes alright, bottle from under it.

Atek said:

I'd pull a sample from under it and taste it, if it tastes alright, bottle from under it.

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Ok, I did this and it tasted fine, and I'm alive and well this morning, now wrenching or vomiting! I bottled it, leaving quite a bit with the berries that I flushed down the garbage disposal. Thanks for the help guys.

CiderScot said:

Ok, I did this and it tasted fine, and I'm alive and well this morning, now wrenching or vomiting! I bottled it, leaving quite a bit with the berries that I flushed down the garbage disposal. Thanks for the help guys.

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This should read NOT wrenching or vomiting.

Adding 3 packages of berries probably did restart fermentation, but only a little bit. I believe raspberries are only about 5% sugar. They were added 8 weeks ago, so I'd be surprised if you saw krausen yesterday. I think you were right when you thought it was mold. You shouldn't leave fruit floating in your cider for that long.

GinKings said:

Adding 3 packages of berries probably did restart fermentation, but only a little bit. I believe raspberries are only about 5% sugar. They were added 8 weeks ago, so I'd be surprised if you saw krausen yesterday. I think you were right when you thought it was mold. You shouldn't leave fruit floating in your cider for that long.

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Do you think the cider I pulled from beneath and bottled is safe to drink since the sample didn't affect me though?

CiderScot said:

Do you think the cider I pulled from beneath and bottled is safe to drink since the sample didn't affect me though?

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Yes, but watch the bottles for mold/infection. I leave berries or other fruit for 5-7 days in the cider/wine. You also had a ton of headspace there, which you don't want once fermentation slows.

You'll probably have a while before the whole batch is infected, but keep an eye out for bottle bombs and infected bottles.