Potential Mold (Post Ferm)

Hi All,

Recently I used Pectin Enzymes to help some apple pulp release more juice. I had to leave the pulp for 48 hours in sealed containers before squeezing it. I went directly to fermentation and did not use Campden (stupid).

Now, post fermentation, I see some suspended solids about 5 mm below the cider level. I'm not sure what it is but I suspect mold.

1) Is there any way of knowing for sure?
2) Is there anything I can do? Filter through coffee filter etc...?
3) Is it going to give me a bad stomach or kill me?

I'm quite keen to make this drinkable as it took ages to hand squeeze this albeit small batch.

Thanks for any advice@!

Iz

I'm pretty sure that mold forms on the surface of the liquid, and not under it, but I am no expert here.

I don't think it is mold. What temperature are you fermenting at? If it is a low temp, you sound like you are attempting to keeve. Take a look at http://www.cider.org.uk/keeving.html

If you have it inside, I would be taking it outside right away. Man, what I would give to keeve!

I'm not aware of any keeving activities. Have syphoned off now and am filtering it through a coffee filter, which has resulted in me loosing all bottom yeast.

The problem now is that it's stuck at 1002-4 and I wanted to back sugar for sparkling cider.

How great is my risk here?

Did you look at that website? There was a picture of a cider cap, which sounds like what you had. It is a good thing.

Keeving starts by crushing apples but waiting to press them, which causes the pectin to strip the nutrients out of the juice. They don't sulfite it to allow wild yeast to go at it. The lack of nutrients combined with cold temps makes for a slow fermentation, and the results are a stable and naturally sweet cider. Oh, look, you can't get it below 1.000 like most ciders do. I say you kind of have a keeve going on, though the temp might have not allowed it to work out quite right.

CandleWineProject said:

Did you look at that website? There was a picture of a cider cap, which sounds like what you had. It is a good thing.

Keeving starts by crushing apples but waiting to press them, which causes the pectin to strip the nutrients out of the juice. They don't sulfite it to allow wild yeast to go at it. The lack of nutrients combined with cold temps makes for a slow fermentation, and the results are a stable and naturally sweet cider. Oh, look, you can't get it below 1.000 like most ciders do. I say you kind of have a keeve going on, though the temp might have not allowed it to work out quite right.

Click to expand...

It could be a similar effect on a much smaller scale. I used a fruit juicer for extracting the juice, then the waste pulp I added pectin enzymes, left for 2 days then squeezed through a filter bag.

I might have a go at keeving though, when I have my stocks built up and a spare fermenter.

Thanks for the link!