First Time Beer Brewer - is this mold?

[WooBoy]

Hey everyone,

I'm an absolute novice home brewer. I bought a kit from my local grocery store and I'm trying out brewing at home for the first time. I know using a kit isn't really getting into the real nitty gritty of home brewing, but it's where I'm starting for now - baby steps.

Following the instructions, I've got my batch of beer in 2 big plastic buckets. I'm on day 11 of fermentation (instructions said to let it sit for 5 days, then said to transfer to a separate bucket with an air lock for 10 days - I just kept it in the same bucket, as a friend of mine who brews from home said I didn't need to).

Anyhow, I'm wanting to get people's takes on whether the sediment I'm getting on top is mold, or just leftover bubbles from the yeast. From all the photos I've seen online it looks like it could be normal, but also mold is such a tricky thing that sometimes it's hard to know definitively - so here I am looking to get some seasoned wisdom on whether my batch still looks okay.

Let me know your takes.

 

[bailey mountain brewer]

Looks fine, best to leave the lid on and not open the fermenter until ready for packaging. Less oxygen exposure the better. And good on your friend to tell you not to transfer to another bucket.

 

[day_trippr]

I agree - on all counts.

Cheers!

 

[Graham H]

Welcome to the hobby and to HBT!

 

[sampling6391]

Does not look like mold to me. I agree with the above. Lid it up and let it finish!

 

[redrocker652002]

I won't argue with the pro's. LOL Especially when they are right. LOL. Also, most of us probably started with kits, I know I did. Still do actually after about 3 years. So, don't sell yourself short on the kit idea. Everything is there, the instructions are good and the learning experience is the same. To me, kits are the best place to start so you can concentrate on your processes and get that dialed in. Also, starting out with Extract style brewing is a great way to get it going. Less cleanup and, to me, easier to get it going. I started with Extract kits from Morebeer and they were great. Made good beer too. LOL Welcome to the forum, and keep asking questions. These folks are serious rock stars when it comes to advice and giving more than you need for information. Enjoy the hobby and Rock On!!!!!!!

 

[hotbeer]

Resist urges to peek. Wait till it's time to bottle because there is nothing you can do for it even if it had mold. And you do your beer more harm opening the FV to look than if it was mold.

Come bottling time, if you open it up and there is actual mold, then you'll know to dump it. But oxidized beer from O2 getting in after the krausen will not be as obvious until you have to put up with cardboard or lackluster tasting beer that you went to a lot of trouble to bottle or keg.

Sediment doesn't fall to the top of beer. That's just the remnants of your krausen. Yeast and proteins and other stuff that for some reason didn't settle to the bottom. It's not a problem as when you rack the beer, you only rack the clean stuff between the top and bottom.

Good for your friend convincing you to not use a secondary. They are old dogma for the most part and not needed for most beers. However your friend should also be getting on to you for taking the lid off.