First timer! Help!

[Pat82]

What is this? Is it ruined?

This is our 2nd batch of muscadine wine that has gave us 3 gallons and all 3 have this strange film on the neck of the bottle and on the bottom of the air lock. It has been fermenting for almost a week. Our first batch has not had this film and not quite as many bubbles (2 gallons from that batch). It is a week older than the 2nd batch. All 5 bottles are bubbling nicely, I check in on them every couple days. Pics are 2 from the 2nd batch and 1 from the first. Any advice is welcome. Thanks

 

[jtratcliff]

Looks OK to me... In beer, this called a krausen ring... don't know what it's called in wine. The Krausen is layer of yeasty foamy stuff that rises to the top during fermentation, then usually sinks back in and down into trub as fermentation slows..... But it can leave a ring of crud behind where it rose up to...

If you get a white powdery film floating on top, then you may have issues... but bubbly foam and krausen ring seems normal to me.

 

[MaxStout]

Looks like a sign of a healthy fermentation.

 

[Pat82]

Thanks for the reply! Makes me much relieved but may I ask why are the 2 batches different. One created this film and lots of bubbles and the other didnt and has had less bubble collect on the top.

 

[Coffee49]

The key word is batches, an individual vessel, bung, temp. Humidity, yeast all play a part in the startup. I would refer to the yeast ring as success in fermentation