Darker Colored Layer Growing at the Top of Hard Cider in Secondary

[xarimus]

Hoping you all can help me figure out what is going on here. I have a 1 gallon batch of wild yeast hard cider that has a distinct layer on top that is darker, clearer, and slowly growing (a few mm per day), see pictures below:

For a little background, this also happened with my very first batch ever, a 5 gallon wine yeast cider. I wasn't sure what it was so I racked everything off the bottom and tossed the top third or so of that batch. But now that I'm seeing it again I hope I can solve the mystery...

 

[VikeMan]

That looks like yeast slowly dropping out of suspension. i.e. normal.

 

[xarimus]

That looks like yeast slowly dropping out of suspension. i.e. normal.

Thanks VikeMan, glad to hear it's normal, though now I feel like a real dummy for tossing that part of my first batch. Lesson learned

 

[SiblingCider]

On the topic of layers...help! Getting set up to bottle after 2 days of cold crash. Noticed this subtle clearer layer on the top of the carboys. Both were apple-only UV pasteurized cider from a local orchard. I did NOT attemp to clear with pectic, etc. and have been careful with sanitizing, etc. I bag-hopped (pellets) one of them but they both have the same layer. I'm hesitant to swirl or mix after everything settled so nicely. Tasted a little before crashing and it didn't seem off. Any guesses? Holding off on bottling until I have some idea what it is.

 

[Kickass]

Any guesses? Holding off on bottling until I have some idea what it is.

Same as OP. It’s normal yeast flocculation. Lots of microscopic, off-white yeast cells cloud the liquid they’re suspended in. As they fall out of suspension the liquid looks more clear and darker.

 

[SiblingCider]

Thanks! Went ahead and bottled while I sipped on a sample (not bad!). Now we play the waiting game...