Reassurance

Hey Everyone, I whipped up my first mead on 6/27 using approx 13 lbs honey. Its a five gallon batch and has been fermenting nicely using 1118 yeast. I racked to a secondary on 7/19 and fermentation really ramped up again. I now have a collection of whitish scum on the very top of the mead and what looks like white streamers running down the sides of the top of the carboy. I'm guessing this is just yeast and maybe the "streamers" are yeasties falling out of suspension? Has anyone seen anything like this using 1118? Sorry I don't have any pictures of this activity...Any input would be appreciated...RDWHAHB?

Sounds like yeast to me. Or perhaps another additive that didn't dissolve completely in the must? What additives are in the recipe?

Also, what was SG when racking into secondary? Did you top off your secondary?

Thanks jev, thats what I am hoping. The only additives were Fermaid-K and the stuff I used to rehydrate my yeast in. I only added yeast nutrient once when the SG was around 1.070.

When I racked to secondary my SG was 1.006. I topped off the secondary after a few weeks when I realized it was a bit low. Is now just a tiny bit below the airlock.

hmmm, i'd have to see a pic of these 'streamers'. i can see it being yeast trails...but it could be pelicules (infection)

These streamers (probably a bad word) cling to the sides of the carboy until about a third of the way down...I just shook the carboy gently and a cloud of the stuff that is on the top dispersed into the mead. I'm thinking this has to be yeast. I guess time will tell.

The mead is still pretty cloudy now...Should I wait until it is really clear before reracking or can do this at any time?

I usually rack after 1 week in the primary, then after 1 week in the secondary, again 2 weeks later, then every 2 months until bottling. Usually after that first week in the secondary, it has cleared a bit. However, I have a blueberry raisin wine going right now that is still active after about 2 weeks in my secondary and cloudy as a result. Every fermentation is unique.

Personally I'd leave it until active fermentation slows and the cloud begins to settle, then rack it again. Too much racking and shaking can give too much oxygen.

Usually I do not rack until I'm around SG 1.020 or lower, and that is just to get it out of the plastic pale with head space to a carboy with almost none.