Pear melomel possible infection - log

Just starting this to log some funk goin on with my pear melomel. Have not yet tasted this and it is about 1 month into ferment, was a very high og brew. Some of the pears that were pressed were a bit bruised and soft to the core so I am kind of expecting an infection. Everything was sulfited prior to ferment. I plan to take a gravity reading here soon and if it's low enough ill rack and stabilize with a bit heavy on the campden. If anyone has any input it's more than welcome

Edit: it smells fine so far

Not sure what the second photo is of. The first one however does look like yeast gunk + some starting of an infection. We are now buddies (although I infected mine on purpose).



Either way, I'd let it sit a few months before making any executive decisions on if its infected or not, and once you do, your executive decision should be to let it ride

Weird..... My pear wine got infected this year also.

Alright so I've cold crashed it so far... Still waiting for more stuff to settle. There is a film developing on top if the brew. Pretty sure I've seen this before in a cider. Was a lacto infection. I was hoping more for an acetobacter infection as I could control that. I still plan on racking this from under the film though it's been jostled enough it's mixed in there... I'll hit it with 250ppm sulfite and then sorbets. Remove all headspace and see what happens. If it's lacto though I'm not too hopeful...

MarshmallowBlue said:

Not sure what the second photo is of. The first one however does look like yeast gunk + some starting of an infection. We are now buddies (although I infected mine on purpose). Either way, I'd let it sit a few months before making any executive decisions on if its infected or not, and once you do, your executive decision should be to let it ride

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What did you infect yours with?

Another thought... Well two actually... I've considered making a uv sterilizer that attaches to the racking hose. Use a clamp to slow down the flow and run the sterilizer while racking. I know special uv bulbs would be needed and are kind of expensive but it sounds like a product that could be quite useful... Secondly and easier would be to stop fermentation as planned and filter until clear. ( I have a buan vino) after that separate into 1gal jugs and pasteurize.. Thoughts? Procedural changes to bottle pasteurizing for 1 gal jugs?

Edit* scratch the uv thought, brain is not working this morning... Forgot about skunking for some reason. Still might be useful to uv sterilize the entire must before pitching?

Atek said:

What did you infect yours with?

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Wyeast Lambic Blend, which contains a Belgian Ale strain, Brett, peddo, and lacto. Later I pitched dregs of Boulevards 2013 Saison Brett.

It's going to be 6 months old soon!

Edit: Skunking is hops related, Not sure about light struck though (it appears to be a white wine issue, but meads are different so who knows)

[ame]http://youtu.be/hjXg_PX0u9Q[/ame]

Here is a quick vid of the film on top. I did use rc212 this time, never used it before. It has a bit of a vegetal smell, not far from old pear smell... Lol. Not terribly unpleasant... Yet

So in doing some more research I am definitely thinking this is either lactobacillus or possibly brett... I'll have to taste it when I can but am considering dry hopping.... Now to research what hops are used with sour/lambic fruit beers...

Alright, thoughts on placing in 1 gallon jugs and pasteurizing? So far that is the only sure way I can determine to kill the bugs that are in there... Any one know if the common affects this may have on a wine?

You'll do a few things. You'll cook off some flavors when you pasteurize, You'll kill the yeast in there, You might be able to kill the bugs that way, but you need to be sure everything is super sanitized.

I still think you should let it ride, or even add more dregs from your favorite sours.

I'm wondering now, did your pears maybe have some wax on them that's broken up and is floating on the surface?

I don't think so, the pears I had were leftovers directly from the orchard. I probably should let it ride... that will be very interesting.. I've never heard of a sour mead... specially one at 15+% (based on calcs have not yet taken a reading to confirm).

Took another whiff today and it definitely is developing a sour note to it, oddly pleasant though. My hope is renewed....

Took a gravity reading the other day and tasted it, Gravity is at 1.054, down from 1.150, so its still VERY sweet. I pitched some EC-1118 in case the RC212 is crapping out already and some nutrient. I did not aerate as its too late in the game. On the plus side the taste was not of infected brew, had some funk to it but most of that seemed like suspended yeast. The infection does not appear to be getting worse, if it is it is extremely slow now. I'm waiting to clear a glass carboy before racking, I have some better bottles but I LOATHE the idea of putting potential bacterial infection in plastic... My brain just says don't do it. There is quite a lot of sediment I need to get get the mead off. Still hopeful this may turn out after all.

If it's still fermenting, no real concern in racking yet. I also say to keep it in glass in case it is an infection (much easier to sanitize).

It takes months and months for any real infection (especially an wild uncultured one) to effect the flavor.

Just an update, this us just about crystal clear now. No funk on top any more. Stopped at 13.5% but is still at 1.050 gravity so it is indeed sweet but it works with the pear and is delicious.

Bottled this just the other day and its quite good, no signs of any continuing funk, it may indeed have simply been waxy particulates from the pears themselves and not an infection.

Pasturize with the lid on or why not put in beer bottles and pasturize like that. You have to taste it, dont be scared. WVMJ

Just an update to this for anyone interested and an affirmation to those who might be concerned about their own. This turned out to be amazing. It is quite sopping sweet, but I bottled in desert wine bottles and its just the perfect desert wine. Very similar to an ice wine, but closer to a botrytis reisling. Amazing... Anyone else have much experience with RC212 yeasts?