First Bottled Batch has Mold

[evolute99]

I have a layer of mold forming on the top of the beer in each bottle,

what could have caused it?

 

[Arneba28]

it probably had a problem going into the bottle. It could of also been that the bottles were not super clean or the bottling wand was not clean. Any number of things really. Sure its mold?

 

[evolute99]

Yeah, I'm sure its mold I'm sure I got the caps on tight but I can see a layer of something. the bottles were oxy cleaned rinsed out, set in the dishwasher and
sanitized. they set for a day and then bottled I would like to use the bottles again if I pour out the batch but I'm afraid it will do the same thing.

 

[Wrathbone]

did you sanitize the bottle caps?

 

[Chello]

it could be a new krausen forming in the bottle... i'v had that happen before. Just some yeast and no problem.

 

[Revvy]

SO this your first batch of beer, eh?

It's probably not mold, instead it's likely bottle Krauzens....you got to witness what few of us have actually gotten to see (because we usually just bottle and stick them in the dark til they're ready instead of obsessively staring at them, ), a mini krauzen in your bottle....

Your yeast is normally fermenting your priming sugar in the bottle, just like the yeast does in the fermenter (remember ale yeast is top fermenting) it will fall down over the next 3 weeks as it carbs and conditions...

How long ago did you bottle it?

I have a theory about bottle krauzens...That they happen all the time, happen quite quickly, and we don't notice it, that is the people with a few batches under our belts don't notice it...We just bottle our beers, stick them in boxes and shove them in the back of the closet for 3 weeks. Most of the people who post that they see them are new brewers who are still at the "obsessively worry and stare at their beer stage." (Like most of the "is my beer ruined?" thread creators.)

In other words...STEP AWAY FROM THE BOTTLES FOR 3 WEEKS...Then come back and tell us all is well!

 

[EvilTOJ]

If that's the procedure you did to sanitize your bottles, then it didnt' come from your bottles, it came from either your primary or clearing tank. Wait, what do you mean by 'they set out for a day'?

And microbes don't become part of a bottle! If you did a good job of sanitizing then you have nothing to worry about with your bottles. Don't throw them away unless they're chipped or broken.

Oh, and have you actually opened one and tasted mold? It's a very distinct flavor.

 

[Revvy]

Believe it or not, it is really hard to ruin/infect your beer, especially if it is your first batch, and you took even the most rudimentary sanitary precautions....It is actually more likely for an experienced brewer to get an infection- Perhaps they let something slide in their cleaning/sanitization process and something from their previous batch got nasty between brewing sessions, and infected their latest batch- It sometimes happens that small matter gets lodged in a hose connection and doesn't get cleaned out or zapped with the sanitizer....Or perhaps over many uses a fermenter or bottling bucket develops a scratch in it, which becomes a breeding ground for contamination.....but with brand new, cleaned and sanitized equipment...highly unlikely.

 

[Revvy]

Here's some other threads of people who thought the same thing...

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=54958&highlight=Bottle+Krauzen

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=62945

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?p=632095

You may notice that the people worried were new brewers (as were the people who immedieately assumed an infection)...AND none of them came back after 3 weeks and said their beer was bad.

RDWHAHB

 

[evolute99]

K, I will set them aside and see what happens, I'm going to bottle my second batch and see what happens. I wont even look at it for 3 weeks.

I could be Krausen, I may just be over concerned, I did shake one bottle and notice that what was floating looked like yeast or trub.

However, my bottling bucket set in a closet for two years with a moldy auto siphon, I threw away the auto siphon and bought a new one and cleaned out the bucket.

I kegged my first batch and it turned out great, after I had a krausen layer in the Secondary. It had a white film but I racked into the keg and left the film behind.

I cleaned it out the best I could oxy clean rinse then sanitize, but i do that to everything.

I'll give it three weeks and get back with you guys, I would love to bottle my beers so I can drink them when I want where every I want, but if this keep happening I may stick to the kegs,

Also I used carb drops instead of corn surgar. and the card drops had been opened by my dad several months ago, and I used the rest of the bag on that batch.

just something I did along the way.

thanks for the advice.